Athletic Club enter the 2026/27 campaign with a new manager, a renewed sense of purpose, and a squad that has undergone significant generational change. Edin Terzić, the former Borussia Dortmund coach, arrives at San Mamés after Ernesto Valverde stepped down, tasked with restoring European football to Bilbao after last season’s disappointing 12th-place finish. The club’s summer was unique in modern football: zero incoming transfers. Instead, Athletic have promoted from within, recovered long-term absentees, and reinvested faith in a squad that contains three World Cup winners. This is the definitive guide to the current Athletic Club squad.
Technical Leadership & Coaching Profile
Manager: Edin Terzić
Tactical Philosophy: Terzić arrives from Borussia Dortmund with a reputation for structured, high-intensity football and a proven ability to develop young talent. He inherits a squad with a distinct Basque identity and a tradition of aggressive, front-footed play. The German’s early weeks have focused on implementing a more controlled buildup, with three-player restarts and fluid positional rotations in midfield. Club legend Julen Guerrero has urged patience, noting that “a different coach with his ideas” requires time to adapt, drawing parallels with Jupp Heynckes’ transformative impact in Bilbao. Terzić himself has embraced the pressure, stating: “Nobody can put more pressure on me than I put on myself.”
Preferred Formations: Terzić has experimented with back four and back five systems in pre-season, with three-player buildup structures and constant positional interchanges in midfield. The 4-2-3-1 appears to be the base, with flexibility to shift to a 4-4-2 or 5-3-2 depending on opponent.
Strategic Transfer Activity
Athletic Club’s summer transfer window was extraordinary for its lack of activity. The club made zero signings, a deliberate strategy rooted in confidence in the existing squad and the promotion of academy talent. Sporting director Mikel González explained: “We always have one eye on Lezama and another on the market. This summer, with the type of squad we had and the volume of players, we didn’t see a market situation that could significantly improve the squad.”
Table A: Summer Major Transfer Influx
| Player | Position | Former Club | Fee Paid |
|---|---|---|---|
| Beñat Prados | Midfielder | (return from injury) | N/A |
| Peio Canales | Midfielder | (return from loan) | N/A |
| Beñat Gerenabarrena | Midfielder | (return from loan) | N/A |
| Hugo Rincón | Defender | (return from loan) | N/A |
| Álvaro Djaló | Winger | (return from loan) | N/A |
| Johaneko Louis-Jean | Defender | Bilbao Athletic | N/A |
The “new signings” are effectively internal additions. Prados returns from a serious knee injury, Canales and Gerenabarrena from successful loan spells, Rincón from two loan stints, and Djaló from a loan in Qatar. Johaneko Louis-Jean’s promotion from Bilbao Athletic is a statement of the club’s pathway, with president Jon Uriarte noting that he is “showing our Bilbao Athletic players that it is possible to make the step up.”
The departures were significant. Unai Gómez joined Udinese for approximately €4.5 million plus variables, ending a 12-year association with the club. Mikel Vesga moved to Almería, Iñigo Lekue retired, and Adama Boiro joined West Ham on loan with an option to buy. The club saved over €15 million in fees and wages, with future income options attached to several deals.
The First-Team Roster
Goalkeepers
Unai Simón (#1): The undisputed number one and a World Cup winner with Spain. Simón’s shot-stopping and command of the penalty area remain elite, and his distribution under Terzić’s buildup structure will be tested. He remains one of the best goalkeepers in La Liga.
Álex Padilla (#13): The Mexican international has inherited the number 13 shirt vacated by Julen Agirrezabala and is now firmly established as Simón’s backup. Padilla impressed during his loan at Racing Santander and is highly rated within the club.
Defenders
Andoni Gorosabel (#2): The right-back remains at the club despite speculation about a departure. His experience and defensive solidity provide a reliable option on the flank.
Dani Vivian (#3): The Spain international is a cornerstone of the defence, his physical presence and ball-playing ability making him indispensable. Vivian signed a long-term contract and remains one of Athletic’s most valuable assets.
Yeray Álvarez (#4): The veteran centre-back provides leadership and experience in the dressing room. His injury record is a concern, but when fit he remains a commanding presence.
Hugo Rincón (#15): The young defender has inherited Iñigo Lekue’s number 15 after two productive loan spells at Mirandés and Girona. Rincón has the opportunity to establish himself as a long-term right-back option.
Yuri Berchiche (#17): The experienced left-back remains a key figure, his attacking overlap and defensive tenacity providing balance on the left flank.
Aymeric Laporte (#): The former Manchester City defender returned to Athletic and brings world-class pedigree and a World Cup winner’s medal to the back line. Laporte’s composure and passing range are central to Terzić’s buildup.
Unai Egiluz (#): The young centre-back is recovering from a long-term knee injury and has not been assigned a squad number yet. His return will provide additional defensive depth.
Johaneko Louis-Jean (#31): The Bilbao Athletic graduate has been registered with LaLiga and represents the latest success story from Lezama. His promotion is a source of pride for the club’s youth system.
Midfielders
Mikel Jauregizar (#): The young midfielder continues his development as a dynamic presence in the engine room.
Beñat Prados (#6): Prados has inherited the number 6 shirt from Mikel Vesga after recovering from a serious cruciate ligament injury. The young Navarran is fully fit and eager to re-establish himself as a key figure in midfield. His recovery is a significant boost.
Beñat Gerenabarrena (#24): Returning from a successful loan spell, Gerenabarrena takes the number 24 vacated by Prados. The midfielder has earned his first-team contract and will compete for minutes in a competitive engine room.
Mikel Ruiz de Gopegui (#): A young midfielder from the academy providing depth.
Peio Canales (#28): Registered with Bilbao Athletic but a first-team player in all respects, Canales wears the number 28 to preserve squad registration flexibility. The creative midfielder spent last season on loan at Racing Santander and returns with valuable experience.
Oihan Sancet (#8): The inheritor of Julen Guerrero’s legendary number 8, Sancet is the team’s creative fulcrum. Guerrero himself stated that “the team needs him at one hundred percent; when he’s in that form, the team has another dimension.” Sancet’s form is the barometer for Athletic’s attacking potential.
Iñigo Ruiz de Galarreta (#): The veteran midfielder provides tactical intelligence and composure in possession. His experience is invaluable in a young squad.
Forwards
Nico Williams (#10): Athletic’s talisman and a World Cup winner with Spain. Williams’ pace, dribbling, and final-third productivity make him the club’s most devastating attacking weapon. His contract situation was resolved with a long-term extension, and he remains the symbol of Athletic’s ambition.
Iñaki Williams (#9): The club’s record appearance holder and a beacon of consistency. Iñaki’s experience and leadership are invaluable, and his connection with his brother Nico forms one of La Liga’s most potent attacking partnerships.
Gorka Guruzeta (#): The striker provides a physical focal point and goalscoring threat through the middle.
Álvaro Djaló (#25): Returning from a loan spell in Qatar, Djaló takes the number 25 shirt. The winger impressed at Braga before a difficult spell abroad, and he has an opportunity to prove his worth under Terzić. His pre-season was mixed, but his talent is undoubted.
Robert Navarro (#): The creative forward adds technical quality and versatility to the attacking line. Navarro is in a “moment of fullness” according to Uriarte, part of a group of players “who are in a moment of plenitude due to the age and experience they have acquired.”
Maroan Sannadi (#): The young forward provides additional attacking depth.
Leadership Group & Squad Regulations
Club Captain: The captaincy structure includes veteran leaders Yeray Álvarez, Iñaki Williams, Aymeric Laporte, Iñigo Ruiz de Galarreta, and Yuri Berchiche, who provide the “veteran group that brings immense value” described by president Uriarte.
Homegrown Quota Check: Athletic Club’s commitment to Basque-only recruitment means the entire squad is effectively homegrown by the club’s own definition. However, the club have also registered six Bilbao Athletic players with LaLiga for top-flight eligibility: Mikel Santos (26), Iker Monreal (30), Johaneko Louis-Jean (31), Selton Sánchez (44), Elijah Gift (27), and Asier Hierro (29).
Financial & Contractual Health
Financial Balance Overview: Athletic’s summer was defined by financial prudence and wage reduction. The club saved over €15 million through departures, loans, and salary reductions, with the additional benefit of potential future income from sell-on clauses. The squad budget is “on a par with LaLiga clubs competing in Europe,” according to Uriarte, and that must be the benchmark.
Contract Red Alerts: Unai Vencedor remains without a squad number and is on the way out despite having a contract until June 2027. He has been training with the team but does not feature in Terzić’s plans. Andoni Gorosabel could also depart despite retaining the number 2 shirt.
The Academy Pipeline & Loan Tracker
Breakout Talents to Watch: Johaneko Louis-Jean’s promotion to the first-team squad is the headline academy story, a tangible example of the Lezama pathway. Elijah Gift, a winger registered with Bilbao Athletic, wears number 27 and is highly rated within the club. Asier Hierro and Selton Sánchez are also registered for top-flight selection.
Notable Out on Loan: Adama Boiro joined West Ham on loan with a purchase option, gaining Premier League experience. Eder García joined Córdoba on a season-long loan to continue his development. Unai Vencedor is expected to leave, though his destination remains uncertain.
Set-Piece Specialists & FPL Cheat Sheet
Penalties: Oihan Sancet (First Choice) / Nico Williams (Second Choice).
Direct Free-Kicks: Nico Williams / Oihan Sancet / Peio Canales.
Corners & Crosses: Nico Williams and Peio Canales are the primary deliverers, with Iñigo Ruiz de Galarreta offering an alternative.
For Fantasy La Liga managers, Oihan Sancet is the standout Athletic asset, combining creative output with penalty duties. Nico Williams’ pace and directness make him a premium differential. Unai Simón’s clean-sheet potential, underpinned by a defence featuring Vivian and Laporte, makes him a viable goalkeeper option.
Final Outlook: Navigating the Tactical Horizon
Athletic Club enter the 2026/27 season with a clarity of identity that few clubs can match. The decision to make zero signings was not born of complacency but of conviction: this squad, with three World Cup winners and a flourishing academy, is good enough.
The objective is explicit: return to Europe for the third time in four years. The disappointment of last season—a 12th-place finish that followed a Copa del Rey triumph—must serve as both “a spur and a warning.” The margin for error is slim.
The early signs under Terzić are encouraging. The team is “in more control of matches, conceding far fewer chances and keeping three clean sheets” in the opening six matchdays, according to Mikel González. The defensive improvement addresses last season’s most glaring weakness.
The attacking potential rests on Sancet’s form and the Williams brothers’ productivity. If Sancet rediscovers the dimension that Guerrero described, and if Nico Williams stays fit, Athletic have the firepower to challenge for European places. The recovery of Prados, the return of Canales and Gerenabarrena, and the promotion of Johaneko provide depth and freshness.
The challenge is San Mamés itself. “We need to become stronger, especially at San Mamés,” González acknowledged. The cathedral’s intimidation factor must be restored. If it is, Athletic have every tool required to achieve their objective. The squad is complete, the identity is intact, and the new manager fits perfectly. Now it must deliver.
