Quique Sanchez Flores will leave his position as Watford's head coach at the end of the season, the Barclays Premier League club have announced.
The 51-year-old Spaniard, who was appointed in June, will exit Vicarage Road after Sunday's final game against Sunderland, despite leading the Hornets to mid-table security in their first season back in the Premier League and an FA Cup semi-final.
A short statement on Watford's official Twitter page read: "#watfordfc confirms Quique Sanchez Flores will leave after the end of the season."
Sanchez Flores will have been aware of the fraught nature of the role at Vicarage Road, having replaced Slavisa Jokanovic last summer - the man who guided Watford to the Premier League.
And he leaves his position despite the club admitting he had achieved his target.
A statement on their club website read: "Watford...can confirm that Quique Sanchez Flores will leave Vicarage Road at the end of the season following the Sunderland game this weekend.
"We would like to thank Quique. He and the team achieved the target set them at the start of the season of staying in the Premier League for a second year.
"Quique leaves with all our best wishes for the future and the knowledge he is always welcome at Vicarage Road."
Sanchez Flores exits despite being the first manager to keep Watford in the Premier League after each previous appearance in the top flight ended in an instant return to the Championship.
And for much of the campaign the Hornets had top-six aspirations, having been in eighth after beating Crystal Palace 2-1 in February, just four points off sixth-placed Southampton.
However, those hopes were compromised by a run to the last four of the FA Cup, which saw them eliminate holders Arsenal at the Emirates Stadium before losing to Palace at Wembley last month.
Sanchez Flores will bow out against the Black Cats on Sunday, where his side could finish as high as 12th or as low as 16th.
The end of Sanchez Flores' one-season stewardship was sealed during a meeting between manager and board on Thursday when it was decided not to take up the option for a second year.
"We looked at all the season and after that I confirmed that the club and me don't have the same point of view about the season," Sanchez Flores said at his Friday morning press conference.
"So we don't have the necessary conditions to activate the clause to renew my contract. My contract finishes at the end of June and then I will leave Watford. This is the consequence.
"I'm very grateful to the players for their amazing effort and I love the Watford fans, they were amazing and gave me a lot of love. I felt completely happy this year.
"I enjoyed the experience and we have a lot of reasons to be happy this season because we've enjoyed this amazing journey.
"The last game will be really emotional because of the Watford fans."
Sanchez Flores has no hard feelings over his impending departure and is pleased with his success in guaranteeing the club another season in the top flight.
"I understand football completely because I've been a professional in football for 32 years. I understand everything," he said.
"The most important thing is how I feel in this moment and I feel good and happy as a manager.
"I've had the opportunity to work in the Premier League and have been part of this amazing Watford team, so in this moment I feel free.
"This has been good for my experience and I'll take away the experience and things I have learned here.
"It's a long season in England and it's really, really good for a team who has just been promoted to get 44 points. They have finished in the position they deserve. My work is done."
Sanchez Flores hopes to stay in the Premier League once he leaves Watfiord.
"Everything is possible. I'm open to everything after my contract has finished," Sanchez Flores said.
"I love the Premier League, it has been an amazing experience, but in football you never know what is next."
