Signing is reportedly imminent! Former BVB boss Edin Terzic is set to take the helm at a huge, historic club

Athletic Bilbao has reportedly chosen the former Borussia Dortmund head coach to replace Ernesto Valverde. The 62-year-old is a club legend, having previously played for the Basque side before moving into coaching. He later served as a youth coach and then as first-team manager across three spells totalling just under ten years to date. Valverde’s contract expires at the end of the season, after which he will depart the historic club.

Reports of advanced talks between Bilbao and Terzic surfaced as early as late March, while the club was also linked with Andoni Iraola, who is leaving Premier League side AFC Bournemouth this summer after three successful years; he will be replaced by Marco Rose. Iraola, who made more than 500 competitive appearances for Bilbao between 2003 and 2015, would have ensured a seamless transition from Valverde given his deep knowledge of the club.

However, the 43-year-old is said to have several other options, including a strong chance to replace Liam Rosenior at Chelsea FC after his sudden departure. The Blues had also considered Terzic, but the Bosnian is now set to move to the Basque Country instead.

Out of respect for Valverde and to prevent unrest during the final matches, Athletic Bilbao will not announce Terzic’s appointment for now. The club are chasing European qualification, currently ninth with six games left and just three points adrift of sixth place, which offers a continental berth.

For Terzic, Bilbao would not be his first overseas posting. He began his coaching career in Borussia Dortmund’s youth setup, then served as Slaven Bilic’s assistant at Turkish top-flight club Besiktas between 2013 and 2015. The Croatian subsequently took him to West Ham United, where they spent just under two and a half years.

In 2018 he returned to Borussia Dortmund as assistant coach under Lucien Favre, took charge as head coach following Favre’s December 2020 departure, and then served as technical director for a year before reclaiming the top job in 2022. A year later he nearly guided the club to the Bundesliga title and in 2024 took them to the Champions League final. After departing Dortmund in summer 2024, Terzic has been out of the game.