Report: Neville expected to leave Valencia at end of season
Gary Neville will not return as Valencia's manager next season, as neither the Englishman nor the club appear willing to extend his current five-month deal, according to the Guardian's Sid Lowe.
Unless there is an unexpected turnaround in Valencia's fortunes - Los Che are currently just six points above the relegation zone - Neville will depart the city he recently admitted he has come to love.
Lowe notes that there are "few reasons" for the club and manager to extend their partnership beyond what always seemed to be a temporary solution. Neville replaced Nuno Espirito Santo on the bench in December, but since then has managed to win just three La Liga matches.
Neville's relationship with the board remains a good one, with president Lay Hoon Chan and owner Peter Lim keeping the lines of communication open.
The former Manchester United full-back said he will not resign from his position, even though the crowd at the Mestalla began to chant for his ouster during Sunday's 2-0 defeat to Celta Vigo.
In an attempt to improve the optics of an increasingly dire situation, Neville decided to defer his commitments with England's national team and remain in Spain with his Valencia squad for the first three days of the international break.
Related: Gary Neville to join England 3 days late after another Valencia loss
Neville's role with England is nothing new. He made it clear when he took the job that he would retain his position as an assistant coach, and there was an understanding between him and Valencia's ownership.
But it's the results which have doomed the first-time senior manager. Dumped out of the Europa League by Athletic Bilbao and devoid of goals on a consistent basis, Valencia is now faced with preserving its top-flight status.
When Neville first spoke to the media as Valencia's new boss, he accepted the fact that he would have to win over fans and critics who believed he didn't have the credentials or the background to lead such an historic club.
It took him until Feb. 13 to secure his first La Liga victory - a 2-1 win over Espanyol - and the atmosphere at home has failed to improve.
Injuries have started to mount as well - Valencia had to finish the game against Celta Vigo with 10 men after Jose Gaya went down - but Neville said after Sunday's loss that he has to correct the wrongs quickly.
"The results have not been good enough, I've been clear about that. But from my point of view, I'll concentrate on the games we've got left to the end of the season," he told reporters. "I was brought here for five months and accepted the huge challenge that exists. And from my point of view, the results have been nowhere near what I expected."