EuroLeague Coach of the Year Pedro Martínez set for Real Madrid move?
After leading Valencia to a historic season, Pedro Martínez is reportedly close to becoming Real Madrid's next head coach. The Spanish giants are said to be willing to pay his release clause to secure his services.
Pedro Martinez could be leaving Valencia to join Real Madrid this summer.
Photo Credit : Liga Endesa
Real Madrid could be on the verge of making one of the biggest coaching moves of the European offseason. According to Spanish newspaper MARCA, the club is in advanced negotiations with Pedro Martínez (65), the reigning EuroLeague Coach of the Year, to become its next head coach.
Madrid is reportedly prepared to pay Valencia Basket a 1 M€ buyout to release Martínez from the contract extension he signed with the club. If the deal is completed, the veteran coach is expected to sign a three-year contract worth just over 1 M€ per season. He would replace Sergio Scariolo, whose future with the club has yet to be officially clarified.
💥💥💥 ¡Bombazo en el mundo del baloncesto! Pedro Martínez, a punto de ser el nuevo entrenador del Real Madrid
https://t.co/kLhe54LvOs te lo cuenta @Duque_Nacho
— MARCA (@marca) June 29, 2026
A historic season with Valencia
Pedro Martínez arrives on the back of the finest campaign of his coaching career. Under his leadership, Valencia captured the Spanish SuperCup, won the Liga Endesa championship and reached the EuroLeague Final Four for the first time in club history.
Those achievements, combined with the attractive, up-tempo style of basketball his team displayed throughout the season, reportedly convinced Real Madrid to make him their top coaching target.
Should the move go through, it would rank among the most significant coaching changes in European basketball this summer, both because of Martínez’s profile and the sizeable compensation the Meringue are willing to pay.
The last step
Over the course of his career, Martínez has established himself as one of Spain’s most respected coaches. He has managed several clubs, including Joventut Badalona, Manresa, Gran Canaria, Baskonia Vitoria-Gasteiz, Estudiantes and Girona, earning a reputation for developing competitive teams and maximizing talent.
One milestone has always been missing from his résumé, however: coaching one of Spain’s two basketball giants, Real Madrid or FC Barcelona.
If his appointment is confirmed, Martínez would finally take that step after decades of success elsewhere. It would also mark a notable shift for Real Madrid, who appear ready to entrust their project to a coach whose reputation has been built not on previous spells with Europe’s elite clubs, but on sustained success, attractive basketball and outstanding results.
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