Washington Spirit head coach Jonatan Giráldez is in superior discussions to take over as head coach of French powerhouse OL Lyonnes, a number of sources confirmed to ESPN.
Each the Spirit and OL Lyonnes — the eight-time ladies’s champions of Europe who not too long ago rebranded from Olympique Lyonnais — are owned by Michele Kang.
A Spirit spokesperson wouldn’t remark when contacted by ESPN about the potential for Giráldez leaving the membership.
OL Lyonnes is predicted to quickly have a vacant head coach place. Joe Montemurro, who took the job final summer time, will depart to develop into the top coach of the Australian ladies’s nationwide group, sources confirmed to ESPN.
Particulars of the transfer for Giráldez are nonetheless being finalized and discussions are ongoing, a supply acquainted with the state of affairs informed ESPN.
Kang owns the Washington Spirit, OL Lyonnes and England’s London Metropolis Lionesses. She informed ESPN not too long ago that she’s going to quickly add a fourth membership to her rising possession umbrella. Kang has mentioned on a number of events that she wouldn’t use the multi-club mannequin to maneuver round gamers.
“I am not going to rob the very best gamers from one group and provides them to a different group,” she informed ESPN not too long ago. Including, she desires to create “the No. 1 group in every nation.”
Giráldez took over as head coach of the Spirit final 12 months after guiding Barcelona to a UEFA Champions League title. He arrived in Washington final summer time and helped information the Spirit to a second-place end within the common season and runners-up end within the NWSL Championship.
Adrián González coached the Spirit on an interim foundation final spring and can be a probable successor to Giráldez.
At Barcelona, Giráldez gained league titles in every of his three seasons as head coach and gained UEFA Champions League titles in 2023 and 2024. He and Barcelona completed second in 2022, dropping the ultimate to Lyon.
