Tottenham Hotspur are going to be in the market for a new manager this summer, and while most fans will be quick to anoint a reunion with Mauricio Pochettino as the right man to succeed Thomas Frank and Igor Tudor, Johan Lange and Vinai Venkatesham will need to conduct a thorough review of many legitimate candidates for a job that is suddenly not particularly desirable.
Spurs have run through a great deal of noteworthy managers over the years, including legends Antonio Conte and Jose Mourinho. And this has led many Spurs supporters to feel even more strongly that Pochettino should have never been fired all those years ago.
As Spurs contemplate coaches who could take over for the 2026/27 season, a new name has just sprung to mind. Ernesto Valverde, via Fabrizio Romano, will be officially leaving Athletic Club as their manager at the end of the 2025/26 season, ending a fruitful reign in charge of one of the most historic clubs in European football.
Ernesto Valverde will be available in 2026
In truth, a change is needed for both Valverde and Athletic, as they have been very disappointing this season. That is not on Valverde, per se, as quite a few big names on the team, including Nico Williams, have severely underperformed. And perhaps they need more fresh ideas.
Valverde is a well known name in Spanish football. He used to coach Barcelona, and while his track record there was not necessarily the best, he was a passable manager who was scapegoated a bit too hard by some fanatical Lionel Messi fans. In total, Valverde won La Liga twice with Barca and the Copa del Rey once. He also recently won the Copa del Rey with Athletic Club in his second stint at the club, as well as winning the honor a decade before in his first stint with the club.
It says a lot about Valverde's character that he has not only led Athletic Club to great success in two different stints, but that he is also willing to step away peacefully when he realizes that things are no longer working.
While it is tough to envision Valverde stepping away from La Liga and joining the boiling English cauldron that is Tottenham Hotspur, a coach with his accomplishments, character, and acumen has to be considered on the short list of options for Spurs now that he is available. He is certainly more accomplished than Ange Postecoglou, Nuno Espirito Santo, Thomas Frank, and Igor Tudor.