Man United held talks with boss who will soon be free agent after announcement
This manager has announced they will soon be a free agent having held talks with Manchester United over their interim manager role in 2021
Ernesto Valverde will leave Athletic Club at the end of this season(Image: Getty)
Ernesto Valverde has confirmed his departure from Athletic Club at the conclusion of the current season. He is in his third stint as the club’s manager.
Athletic have had a challenging season and currently sit ninth in La Liga with nine league matches left, prompting Valverde to call time on his tenure. Despite recent struggles, the 62-year-old will retain his status as a club legend, being just a few games shy of reaching 500 at the helm.
Valverde’s managerial career has predominantly been in his home country of Spain, with stints at Athletic, Villarreal, Espanyol, Valencia and Barcelona, along with two spells in Greece with Olympiacos. Notably, he was among the contenders for the interim manager role at Manchester United following the dismissal of Ole Gunnar Solskjaer in November 2021.
Get MEN Premium now for just £1 HERE – or get involved in our United WhatsApp group by clicking HERE. You can also join our United Facebook page by clicking HERE and don’t miss out on our brilliant selection of newsletters HERE.
United approached the Spanish manager, who was unemployed after leaving Barcelona in 2020. He was considered alongside Mauricio Pochettino, then at Paris Saint-Germain, whilst Carrick was undertaking his initial caretaker role at United.
Ultimately, United appointed Ralf Rangnick on a contract until the end of the 2021/22 season. The Austrian managed just 11 victories in his 29 games in charge and was succeeded by Erik ten Hag in the summer.
Carrick rejoined United as caretaker manager in January after Ruben Amorim’s dismissal and is now being considered for the permanent position this summer.
Valverde, by contrast, is unlikely to feature in contention this time round, yet will depart Athletic with pride, having secured the Copa del Rey in 2024 – the club’s first significant silverware in 40 years.
“Hello everyone,” he said in a video message. “I’m here today to announce that I won’t be Athletic’s head coach next season. This is a decision I’ve come to over time, one that I’ve discussed with the club and I wanted to share it with you.
“At the same time, it’s worth noting that we have crucial league matches left. Matches in which we aim to achieve our goals, in which we have a lot to gain, in which we’re going to give it our all and which, without a doubt, we can win if we all stick together.”
Valverde engaged in discussions with United officials in November 2021, initially competing with the likes of Pochettino and Ten Hag for the role.
However, none of those contenders ultimately joined, with United opting for Rangnick in an unexpected appointment, before Ten Hag eventually arrived from Ajax the subsequent summer.
England’s 2026 World Cup kits
England and Nike have launched the new home, away and goalkeeper kits to be worn at this summer’s FIFA World Cup. You can get free delivery on all orders with the code: ENGFREEDEL