Brighton and Hove Albion have announced the appointment of Inigo Calderon as the new men’s under-18s head coach.
The 41-year-old rejoins the club after three years in various coaching roles with Alaves, his home town club, in Spain.
Albion technical director David Weir said: “We have been working to bring Inigo back for a while and this is a great appointment for us and one which I know will really excite the supporters.
“He is a very good fit for us. He has a real understanding of what we’re about as a club and the emphasis and importance of our academy.
“I am looking forward to working with him and seeing what he can bring to the academy set up.”
Albion chief executive and deputy chairman Paul Barber said: “I am delighted that Inigo has returned. We have kept in touch since he left the club and looked for the right opportunity and time for him to return both professionally and personally.
“Aside from his obvious status as a club legend, you only have to look at his CV, qualifications and personality to see that Inigo ticks all the boxes for what we look for in a coaching role of this type.
“Inigo is incredibly popular among staff from his time here before and has great experience as a player and coach in Spain, England, Cyprus and India.
“He is an excellent fit with the club’s values and I know supporters will join me in giving him a warm welcome for a second time.”
Calderon originally joined Albion in January 2010, helping the club to win promotion from League One the next year.
The former defender played in the opening Championship match at the Amex – a 2-1 win over Doncaster Rovers – and went on to help Brighton establish their place in the second tier before leaving in 2016.
He scored 18 goals in 198 league appearances for the Albion over six seasons and 19 goals overall from 232 appearances including cup matches.
