Athletic Club confirm coach Ernesto Valverde will leave after four years as La Liga side eye ex-Borussia Dortmund boss to replace him

The news came as a shock, arriving just before the international break, but the overall decision to depart is something fans may have seen coming. Valverde had constantly deflected questions about his future in recent press conferences, and the four-year mark has historically proven to be the limit of his spells as a manager. Valverde addressed supporters directly in the video announcement, making clear that his focus remains entirely on the job at hand.

"This appearance is to announce that next season I will not be the Athletic coach," the club said. "It's a decision I've been considering for some time, and which I've also discussed with the Club. I wanted to share it with you. At the same time, I want to emphasise that we have ten important league matches left, starting this Sunday against Betis. Ten matches in which we want to achieve our objectives, in which we have a lot to gain, in which we will give our all, and which, undoubtedly, if we all stick together, we can achieve, without a doubt." Athletic echoed the sentiment in their own farewell message. "There are ten matches left in which we have so much to gain. A proper send-off is still pending, manager."

This is Valverde's third stint in charge of the Lions, having previously managed the club between 2003-05 and 2013-17, and he will reach 495 matches as manager when Athletic face Real Betis on Sunday, a figure that makes him the coach who has overseen the most games in the club's history. He is within touching distance of the remarkable milestone of 500. His trophy haul includes the 2015-16 Super Cup and the 2023-24 Copa del Rey, the latter allowing Athletic supporters to bring out La Gabarra, the famous boat parade along the River Nervion, for the first time in 40 years. He also delivered two Champions League qualifications during his second spell. Before his managerial career, Valverde spent six seasons at Athletic as a player between 1990 and 1996, making 188 appearances and scoring 50 goals. He is, without a doubt, a club legend.

Athletic's sporting director Mikel Gonzalez had suggested in recent days that conversations with Valverde about his future would take place in the coming weeks, and president Jon Uriarte has reportedly left no stone unturned in his attempts to convince the coach to stay. Those efforts have ultimately proved unsuccessful, and attention has now turned to identifying a successor. Several names are in the frame. Andoni Iraola, the Bournemouth head coach who has impressed enormously in the Premier League and who shares Athletic's Basque identity, is considered a strong fit. Inigo Perez is another option. However, AS reports that Uriarte's current preferred candidate is Edin Terzic, the 43-year-old German coach who led Borussia Dortmund to the Champions League final in 2024, where they were beaten by Real Madrid. Terzic won the German Cup with Dortmund and has worked under some of the game's leading coaches, including Jurgen Klopp, Slaven Bilic and Lucien Favre.

Athletic are battling for the Conference League place that comes with finishing fifth or sixth in La Liga, and ten games remain for them to lock it down. Valverde's standing at the club means his send-off at the end of the season is likely to be a significant occasion, but for now, he has made it clear that football comes first. If Athletic do secure their place in Europe next season, the celebrations at the end of this campaign will be even bigger.

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