The Chelsea manager’s aim is to reach a ‘verbal agreement’ to join Bilbao
Chelsea are already set to miss out on one of their managerial targets, with Fabrizio Romano confirming he has agreed to join the Athletic Club.
The Blues’ search for their next manager has taken another unexpected turn, with one of their shortlisted names this week agreeing to take his talents elsewhere.
The back is another club that has become painfully familiar.
Liam Rosenior was sacked on Wednesday after overseeing five consecutive Premier League defeats without a single goal – the worst run at Stamford Bridge in more than a century.
Calum McFarlane came in as goalkeeper, and BlueCo began the process of identifying their fifth full-time manager since taking over in 2022.
Instability, it seems, is still a constant at the Bridge.
Chelsea are looking for a ‘wild’ manager to replace Rosenior, but are waiting for Liverpool
The Blues have begun the search for a new manager.
The search produced more dead ends than promising leads.
Xabi Alonso – a name that will quickly set the race on fire among fans – has been described by insider Simon Phillips as a complete wild card, with the Spaniard understood to be eyeing the Liverpool job instead of committing to Chelsea.
Andoni Iraola, widely reported as a front-runner following his first contact with the club, remains controversial but is also attracting interest from elsewhere.
And now Edin Terzić, who was firmly on the shortlist in the days following Rosenior’s sacking (RMC Sport), appears to be heading to Spain.
Chelsea will miss Terzic after the deal with Athletic Club
Romano confirmed on Thursday that Terzic has a verbal agreement to take over at Athletic Club Bilbao, where he will replace the legendary Ernesto Valverde at the end of the Basque club’s season.
Nothing has been signed yet, and Romano was careful to note that the next steps are still legally valid – but the German-Croatian is described as the clear favorite for the role, and the direction of travel is clear.
For Terzic, the move represents a return to boxing after almost two years in management.
He left Borussia Dortmund in the summer of 2024, just weeks after they lost the Champions League final against Real Madrid, guiding them to one of the most spectacular nights in the competition’s recent history.
Since then, he has been working as a television researcher in Germany for Amazon Prime and RTL – a low-level life for a manager of his position, but that did not undermine his appeal to the top teams.
He was on Man United’s shortlist two years ago before they pursued other options, as well as being linked with Tottenham.
The Athletic Club is a compelling proposition.
The Bilbao side sit ninth in La Liga but are just three points off the European places, meaning Terzic could go straight into the continental competition if he arrives – crucial for a manager with Champions League experience.
Chelsea were left to rebuild.
Iraola remains the most attractive option, while Cesc Fàbregas continues to be mentioned as a possible option given his links to Chelsea, while other unnamed figures are understood to be on the extensive list.
Chelsea are making a move to appoint the two-time title winner as Rosenior’s replacement
The Blues are looking for a manager who plays “fluid” football.
