MADRID, April 16 (Xinhua) -- Rayo Vallecano announced on Wednesday that the club has extended the contract of coach Inigo Perez for another season until the end of June 2026.

Perez, 37, has done an excellent job since replacing Francisco Rodriguez at the Vallecas Stadium in February 2024, with Rayo in danger of relegation.

He led Rayo to safety in his first months in charge, and this season, Rayo is 10th in La Liga, with a chance of qualifying for Europe thanks to Perez's open and aggressive style of play, which sees his players pressing their rivals high up the pitch.

"The coach arrived at the club just over a year ago, and his good work in the dugout has won him the confidence of the club for another season," the Rayo website stated.

Perez's work has already won him admirers at other clubs, and he had been linked with a possible return to Osasuna, where he spent much of his playing career, while Athletic Bilbao could view him as a long-term successor to Ernesto Valverde. ■