Ernesto Valverde extends stay as Athletic Club head coach | OneFootball

Athletic Club have confirmed that Ernesto Valverde has extended his stay as head coach.

Valverde returned to the San Mamés hot seat in 2022, two years after his spell at Barcelona ended acrimoniously.

In his first season back at the helm, the 60-year-old has guided the club to a credible eighth-place finish in LaLiga.

But this term has seen the Lehoiak end a four-decade wait by winning the Copa del Rey, defeating Mallorca in the final.

Athletic are also on course to secure a Europa League qualification spot with a five-point cushion over local rivals Real Sociedad.

“It’s exciting to be able to lead Athletic again for another year, with all the suspense and hopes you have for what’s to come this year,” said Valverde.

“It has been a special, different, historic year. Next year, it will be more difficult because there are more competitions, but also more exciting because of them.

“We coaches and all the people who belong to Athletic want to start a new season and keep going with this project to see if we can take it one step further and make this club a little bit bigger still.

“I’m grateful because we know what football is like, we know how demanding it is, and that they trust me again is something that I like naturally, because this is my club.

“At the same time, it’s a great responsibility to repay all the trust placed in me and all the people who support me working every day at Lezama.”

Valverde’s existing deal had been due to expire at the end of the current campaign but has now prolonged the stay until summer 2025.

He previously guided Athletic for four years between 2013 and 2017 prior to succeeding Luis Enrique at Camp Nou.