Valencia boss Ayestaran signs extension until 2018

Interim Valencia manager Pako Ayestaran will be at the helm of the club for the long term as the club announced a contract extension Tuesday that will see him become the permanent manager at the Estadio Mestalla until June 30, 2018.

"I identify totally with the club, with its values and way of doing things," Ayestaran said, according to Dermot Corrigan from ESPN FC. "It is important that we are all together and we want to create a project which 'Valencianismo' will recognise. This is an important process of transformation and we aim to break down barriers. I am sure that the team will respond to what we ask."

The former Liverpool assistant manager took over at Los Che when pundit-turned-manager Gary Neville was let go after a four month tenure with the Spanish outfit.

The 53-year-old guided Valencia to a resurgent final stretch, winning three of eight remaining matches in the 2015-16 La Liga season for a 12th-placed finish.

The three victories included 2-1 wins over Sevilla and Barcelona.

"This is a new project, we are working already on the 2016-17 season and the basis for a future which I expect to be successful," Ayestaran said. "The demands of ambition, respect and professionalism at Valencia from this day forward will be very high.

"The fans should be excited, they should believe in this project, believing generates confidence and confidence generates determination. We all want a great Valencia CF."