A surprising choice
Bayer Leverkusen has apparently found a new coach
Updated on June 4, 2026 – 12:06 p.mReading time: 2 minutes
Bayer Leverkusen are reportedly parting ways with head coach Kasper Hjulmand. The successor is apparently ready, it is a coach who is unknown in this country.
Bundesliga club Bayer Leverkusen is making a swap in the coaching position. According to consistent media reports, the Dane Kasper Hjulmand has to leave after less than a year. The “Bild” and the TV channel Sky now also want to find out who his successor is: Carles Martínez Novell is to take over the coaching position in Leverkusen. The 42-year-old most recently coached FC Toulouse in the French Ligue 1. According to reports, he will receive a contract in Leverkusen until 2028. According to reports, the “Werkself” do not have to pay a transfer fee.
Who is Carles Martinez Novell?
Martínez Novell is Spanish and comes from Barcelona, where he worked as a youth coach at Espanyol and later at FC Barcelona. He then worked as a youth coach in Qatar and Kuwait before becoming assistant coach to French coach Philippe Montanier in Toulouse. After six months as an assistant, Martínez became head coach himself, held the position for three years, and always kept Toulouse in the league. Since the club played in Ligue 2 between 2020 and 2022, the three years of staying in the league under Martínez can definitely be seen as a success.
In addition, Toulouse generated a significant increase in transfers in the summer of 2024 and in the summer of 2025, taking in a total of 80 million euros, which was also due to the player development under Martínez.
Kasper Hjulmand gone again
The approaching arrival of Martínez Novell also means the end of Kasper Hjulmand. The Dane took over Leverkusen after just two Bundesliga matchdays at the beginning of September. However, the 54-year-old was unable to lead Leverkusen back up in the long term, and his team ended up only sixth in the Bundesliga and missed the Champions League.
The former Danish national coach’s contract would have been valid until 2027.