Portland Timbers name Martí Cifuentes head coach - MLSsoccer.com

What the report says

MLSsoccer.com reports that the Portland Timbers have appointed Martí Cifuentes as head coach, with the club announcing the move Tuesday. Cifuentes, a 44-year-old coach from Spain, signed a three-year deal that runs through the 2028-29 season. The appointment follows what Timbers owner Merritt Paulson described as the most detailed coaching search the club has conducted.

Cifuentes arrives in Portland after managing Leicester City in England’s EFL Championship. According to MLSsoccer.com, he has more than 20 years of coaching experience across several European countries, including England, Sweden, Denmark, Norway, the Netherlands and Spain. His previous senior roles include Queens Park Rangers, where he helped the club avoid relegation from the Championship, as well as Hammarby IF in Sweden, Aalborg BK in Denmark and Sandefjord in Norway.

The Timbers’ coaching change comes after the club and Phil Neville mutually parted ways in late May. Jack Cassidy, who had been leading Timbers2 in MLS NEXT Pro, has served as interim manager and will remain in charge until Cifuentes arrives, MLSsoccer.com reported.

The move matters for Portland as the club seeks a longer-term direction after an in-season coaching transition. Cifuentes’ résumé suggests a coach shaped by varied European environments and development pathways; he began coaching at age 20 and spent earlier parts of his career in youth and academy roles. MLSsoccer.com also cited comments from Cifuentes saying he has followed MLS and views the job as a chance to help build a team with a defined identity and ambition.