Surprise: European Runner-Up Heads to Athletic Bilbao

Athletic Bilbao has reportedly found their new head coach for the upcoming season. The board, led by Jon Uriarte, has opted for German tactician Edin Terzic to replace Ernesto Valverde, according to Mundo Deportivo.

Valverde announced his departure from the club on March 20th, effective at the end of the current campaign. His tenure was marked by success, including winning the 2024 Copa del Rey and securing consecutive qualifications for the UEFA Europa League and UEFA Champions League. Their Champions League journey ended with a 3-2 home loss to Sporting in the final league stage round.

While former player Andoni Iraola, whose contract with Bournemouth is expiring, was initially linked to the role, attention quickly shifted to Terzic. The German coach gained significant recognition during his time at Borussia Dortmund and reportedly turned down several offers before accepting Athletic's challenge.

At the helm of the German club, Terzic led them to a Bundesliga runner-up finish in the 2022/23 season, battling Bayern for the title until the final matchday. He also won the German Cup and guided the team to the 2024 Champions League final, where they were defeated 2-0 by Real Madrid at Wembley. Since then, he had been unattached, working as a television pundit in Germany.

Athletic's future coach is already involved in planning for next season, including addressing the situations of four players whose contracts are expiring: Yuri, Lekue, Yeray, and Rego. Terzic has been analyzing the team's performance under Valverde to familiarize himself with the squad.

The football management and the new coach will also need to decide the future of several players currently out on loan. This group includes Álvaro Djaló (Al Gharafa and former SC Braga), Julen Agirrezabala (Valencia), Hugo Rincón (Girona), Vencedor (Levante), and Peio Canales (Racing de Santander).

Terzic's career at Dortmund began in 2010 within the youth ranks, during Jurgen Klopp's tenure with the senior team. He later gained international experience as an assistant to Slaven Bilic at Besiktas and West Ham, before returning to the German club to join Lucien Favre's coaching staff and eventually take over as head coach.

Final squad planning will also hinge on which European competitions Athletic qualifies for. The team still has a chance to secure a European spot, sitting just three points behind sixth-placed Getafe. In their remaining fixtures, the Basque side will face Atlético, Alavés, Espanyol, and Real Madrid away from home, and host Valencia and Celta de Vigo at San Mamés, with the latter marking Valverde's farewell.