Reported Everton, West Ham United and Crystal Palace target Iago Herrerin is free to leave this summer, his Athletic Bilbao coach Gaizka Garitano has told El Desmarque.
At the age of 32, time is running out for the Basque-born goalkeeper at the top level and he appears to have set his sight on playing as much first-team football as he possibly can before he’s forced to hang up his gloves.
Herrein made just four La Liga starts in 2019/20.
And he will be fully aware that his replacement between the sticks, the young Unai Simon, is perhaps the most talented young shot-stopper in the whole of Spain.
What’s more, with the ink drying on a new long-term contract, Simon has a long future as Athletic’s first-choice.
Marca have even suggested that Herrerin, an Athletic academy graduate, could be allowed to leave on a free after 15 years of loyal service, with Everton, West Ham and Palace among those willing to offer him a fresh start away from the rolling hills of the Basque country.
And Garitano, whose Athletic side are still set to face local rivals Real Sociedad in the delayed Copa del Rey final, has opened the door for Herrerin to make an emotional farewell.
“The intention is for Iago to leave – we both agree,” says the former Valladolid and Deportivo boss.
“He wants a new destination and that is why we hope that something will soon be agreed, for him to be able to leave Athletic.”
If Herrerin wants to play week-in-week-out, a move to Britain might not be the best idea.
Carlo Ancelotti is still a big fan of Jordan Pickford even if England’s number one has looked less Neville Southall and more Espen Baardsen in recent months.
West Ham and Palace, meanwhile, can both rely on Lukasz Fabianski and Vicente Guaita between the posts, with Darren Randolph, David Martin and Wayne Hennessey providing back-up.
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