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Potential Replacements for Valverde at Athletic Bilbao

Published March 20, 2026, 17:22
Potential Replacements for Valverde at Athletic Bilbao

Ernesto Valverde has announced his departure from the Athletic Bilbao bench at the end of the season, surprising fans of the team. The news immediately brought potential replacements to the forefront, with Spanish media beginning to speculate. According to the Marca newspaper, Anthony Iraola is the first name on the list, due to his successful tenure at Bournemouth and his previous experience at Bilbao as a footballer. He is followed by Iñigo Pérez, who is the current coach of Rayo Vallecano, AEK's opponent in the Conference League, and has also played for Bilbao. Another possible option is Claudio Giraldes, the young coach of Celta, who has made a good impression with his work and is considered ideal due to his philosophy and his emphasis on developing young talents. Finally, the name of Mauricio Pochettino is also mentioned, but he is the coach of the US National Team and his contract expires after the World Cup, making his case more difficult.