Mikel Llorente

{{Infobox football biography

| name = Mikel Llorente

| image =

| full_name = Mikel Llorente Etxarri

| birth_date = {{birth date and age|1981|12|15|df=y}}

| birth_place = Hondarribia, Spain

| height =

| position = Midfielder

| currentclub =

| youthyears1 =

| youthclubs1 = Real Sociedad

| years1 = 2001

| clubs1 = Real Sociedad B

| caps1 = 5

| goals1 = 1

| years2 = 2002–2003

| clubs2 = {{ill|Universidad del País Vasco-Vasconia|lt=UPV|es}}

| caps2 =

| goals2 =

| years3 = 2003–2012

| clubs3 = {{ill|Hondarribia FE|lt=Hondarribia|eu|Hondarribia Futbol Elkartea}}

| caps3 =

| goals3 =

| manageryears1 = 2008–2012

| managerclubs1 = {{ill|Hondarribia FE|lt=Hondarribia|eu|Hondarribia Futbol Elkartea}} (youth)

| manageryears2 = 2012–2017

| managerclubs2 = {{ill|Hondarribia FE|lt=Hondarribia|eu|Hondarribia Futbol Elkartea}}

| manageryears3 = 2017–2018

| managerclubs3 = Chiasso (assistant)

| manageryears4 = 2018–2022

| managerclubs4 = Real Sociedad (youth)

| manageryears5 = 2022–2024

| managerclubs5 = Real Sociedad C

| manageryears6 = 2024

| managerclubs6 = Real Unión

}}

Mikel Llorente Etxarri (born 15 December 1981) is a Spanish retired footballer who played as a midfielder.

Playing career

Born in Hondarribia, Gipuzkoa, Basque Country, Llorente was a Real Sociedad youth graduate. He featured with the reserves in the 2001–02 season in Segunda División B,{{cite web|url=https://www.realsociedad.eus/en/historical-file/player/840|title=Mikel Llorente Etxarri|publisher=Real Sociedad|accessdate=22 July 2024}} but left the club in December and subsequently represented Tercera División side {{ill|Universidad del País Vasco-Vasconia|es}}.{{cite web|url=https://www.diariovasco.com/20091023/deportes/mas-futbol/entrenado-media-plantilla-ahora-20091023.html|title="He entrenado a media plantilla y ahora me llaman el veterano"|trans-title="I have trained half the squad and now they call me the veteran"|publisher=El Diario Vasco|language=es|date=23 October 2009|accessdate=22 July 2024}}

Llorente subsequently returned to his hometown, playing for {{ill|Hondarribia FE|eu|Hondarribia Futbol Elkartea}} in the regional leagues.

Managerial career

While still a player, Llorente managed the youth sides of Hondarribia,{{cite web|url=https://www.diariovasco.com/20090130/deportes/mas-futbol/este-equipo-jugado-nunca-20090130.html|title="Este equipo no ha jugado nunca en Tercera, pero la gente habla ya de..."|trans-title="This team have never played in Tercera, but the people already talk about them..."|publisher=El Diario Vasco|language=es|date=30 January 2009|accessdate=22 July 2024}} before being appointed in charge of the first team on 6 April 2012.{{cite web|url=https://www.diariovasco.com/v/20120406/bidasoa/mikel-llorente-releva-destituido-20120406.html|title=Mikel Llorente le releva al destituido Ángel Martín, en el Hondarribia|trans-title=Mikel Llorente replaces the sacked Ángel Martín, at Hondarribia|publisher=El Diario Vasco|language=es|date=6 April 2012|accessdate=22 July 2024}} On 22 June 2017, he moved abroad and joined Guille Abascal's staff at Swiss side FC Chiasso, as his assistant.{{cite web|url=https://www.mundodeportivo.com/futbol/regional/20170622/423576379478/mikel-llorente-entrenara-en-la-segunda-division-suiza.html|title=Mikel Llorente entrenará en la segunda división suiza|trans-title=Mikel Llorente will manage in the Swiss second division|publisher=Mundo Deportivo|language=es|date=22 June 2017|accessdate=22 July 2024}}

On 20 June 2018, Llorente returned to Real Sociedad, after becoming an assistant of the Juvenil A squad.{{cite web|url=https://www.diariovasco.com/real-sociedad/olabe-cuerpo-tecnico-20180620003851-ntvo.html|title=Olabe introduce cambios en el equipo técnico|trans-title=Olabe makes changes in the technical staff|publisher=El Diario Vasco|language=es|date=20 June 2018|accessdate=22 July 2024}} He was named in charge of the Easo (Juvenil B) squad in 2020,{{cite web|url=https://fundazioa.realsociedad.eus/es/f/noticias/detalle/tambien-la-real-c-y-el-easo|title=También la Real C y el Easo|trans-title=Real C and Easo as well|publisher=Real Sociedad|language=es|date=12 August 2020|accessdate=22 July 2024}} before returning to the Juvenil A in July 2021, now as manager.{{cite web|url=https://www.realsociedad.eus/es/noticias/detalle/arrancan-los-juveniles|title=Arrancan los juveniles|trans-title=The juveniles start up|publisher=Real Sociedad|language=es|date=22 July 2021|accessdate=22 July 2024}}

On 31 May 2022, Llorente was named at the helm of the C-team in Segunda Federación, replacing Sergio Francisco who had been appointed in charge of the B's.{{cite web|url=https://golsmedia.com/pais-vasco/futbol/real-sociedad-c/2022/05/31/cambio-banquillo-real-sociedad-c/|title=Cambio en el banquillo de la Real Sociedad C|trans-title=Changes on the bench of Real Sociedad C|publisher=Golsmedia|language=es|date=31 May 2022|accessdate=22 July 2024}} On 2 June 2024, he departed the Txuri-urdin,{{cite web|url=https://erreala.com/mikel-llorente-no-seguira-en-la-real-c/|title=Mikel Llorente no seguirá en la Real C|trans-title=Mikel Llorente will not continue at Real C|publisher=Erreala.com|language=es|date=2 June 2024|accessdate=22 July 2024}} and was appointed manager of Primera Federación side Real Unión nineteen days later.{{cite web|url=https://realunionclub.com/mikel-llorente-nuevo-entrenador-del-real-union/|title=Mikel Llorente, nuevo entrenador del Real Unión|trans-title=Mikel Llorente, new manager of Real Unión|publisher=Real Unión|language=es|date=21 June 2024|accessdate=22 July 2024}}

On 3 December 2024, following a string of poor results and with the club in the relegation zone, Real Unión announced that they had sacked Llorente.{{Cite web |title=Mikel Llorente no continuará como técnico del Real Unión Club|trans-title=Mikel Llorente will not continue as manager of Real Unión Club|url=https://realunionclub.com/mikel-llorente-no-continuara-como-tecnico-del-real-union-club/ |access-date=3 December 2024|publisher=Real Unión|language=es}}{{Cite web |last=González |first=Alessio |date=3 December 2024|title=El Real Unión despide al técnico Mikel Llorente, el relevo de Fran Justo el pasado verano|trans-title=Real Unión sack manager Mikel Llorente, the replacement of Fran Just past summer|url=https://www.europasur.es/deportes/algecirascf/real-union-despide-tecnico-mikel-llorente-relevo-fran-justo_0_2002916755.html|access-date=3 December 2024|website=Europa Sur|language=es}}

Personal life

Llorente's older brother Joseba was also a footballer.{{cite web|url=https://www.mundodeportivo.com/futbol/real-sociedad/20170914/431263064683/la-oportunidad-de-mikel-llorente.html|title=La oportunidad de Mikel Llorente|trans-title=The opportunity of Mikel Llorente|publisher=Mundo Deportivo|language=es|date=14 September 2017|accessdate=22 July 2024}} A forward, he too played for Real Sociedad.