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Former Leeds United cult figure Andrew Hughes has taken on a new challenge as the set-piece coach at Athletic Club, becoming part of Edin Terzic’s recently assembled backroom staff.

In an official announcement, Athletic confirmed that Hughes will serve as their set-piece specialist and is set to begin his duties next Monday. The club highlighted that Hughes recently fulfilled the same role for Scotland during the World Cup and has previously held coaching positions with Crystal Palace, Leicester City, Norwich City, Sheffield Wednesday, Sheffield United, and Bolton Wanderers.

Hughes enjoyed a three-year spell at Elland Road from 2007 to 2010, making 139 appearances across all competitions. During his time at Leeds, he played a key role in Simon Grayson’s squad that secured promotion from League One in the 2009/10 season.

Following his retirement from playing in 2015, Hughes transitioned into coaching roles throughout the English Football League, with his most recent position being at Leicester City. He departed from the Foxes to join Steve Clarke’s Scotland coaching team for a short stint during the World Cup campaign.

Athletic Club holds historical significance for Marcelo Bielsa as well, who made a name for himself in European football during his two seasons managing the Basque side. Under Bielsa, Athletic achieved memorable results, including a 3-2 win over Manchester United at Old Trafford in the first leg of their Europa League last-32 tie, followed by a 2-1 victory in Bilbao to knock out Sir Alex Ferguson’s squad.

In the 2025/26 La Liga season, Athletic Club finished 12th on the table after a closely contested campaign. They ended six places above relegated Mallorca, with just three points separating the two teams in the standings.