Racing Santander return to La Liga after a decade in the wilderness, and they do so with a squad almost entirely rebuilt for the challenge. Fourteen new arrivals, approximately €17 million invested, and a manager—José Alberto López—who has been handed a contract until 2028 as a statement of faith. The club’s salary limit of €53.18 million is among the lowest in the division, but the ambition is clear: avoid an immediate return to the second tier and re-establish Racing as a top-flight fixture.
Technical Leadership & Coaching Profile
Manager: José Alberto López
Tactical Philosophy: José Alberto has been the architect of Racing’s resurgence, and the club’s faith in him was demonstrated by a contract extension until June 2028, signed even before promotion was secured. His football is built on collective intensity and tactical discipline, with a preference for quick transitions through the midfield. The manager’s staff—including assistant Pablo Álvarez, goalkeeping coach Pedro Dorronsoro, and fitness coach Dani Salvador—have all been tied to the same contract length, ensuring continuity.
Preferred Formations: 4-2-3-1, with the capacity to shift to a 4-4-2 depending on opponent and game state. The system relies on the creativity of Iñigo Vicente and Sergio Canales in the attacking midfield roles.
Strategic Transfer Activity
Racing’s summer was nothing short of a revolution. Fourteen players arrived, and the club’s sporting director, Chema Aragón, described himself as “muy contento” with the squad assembled, noting that the club had completed a “porcentaje altísimo” of its summer objectives. The headline departures were Gustavo Puerta, sold to Olympiacos, and Sergio Martínez, whose release clause was paid in full by Real Madrid. The retention of Jorge Salinas, despite interest from Barcelona and others, was a significant victory.
Table A: Summer Major Transfer Influx
| Player | Position | Former Club | Fee Paid |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pablo García | Winger | Real Betis | Undisclosed |
| Aarón Martín | Left-Back | Undisclosed | Undisclosed |
| Jeanuël Belocian | Centre-Back | Bayer Leverkusen | Loan |
| André Almeida | Central Midfielder | Valencia | Loan |
| Sergio Canales | Attacking Midfielder | (return) | Free |
| Julen Agirrezabala | Goalkeeper | Athletic Club | Free |
| Yassir Zabiri | Forward | (undisclosed) | Undisclosed |
| Iván Martín | Midfielder | (undisclosed) | Undisclosed |
| Matteo Prati | Midfielder | (undisclosed) | Undisclosed |
| Pedro Felipe | Defender | (undisclosed) | Undisclosed |
| Iker Luque | Winger | (undisclosed) | Undisclosed |
The deadline-day additions were the most dramatic. Pablo García, a 20-year-old winger from Real Betis, was described as “una de las incorporaciones más inesperadas de mercado.” André Almeida arrived on loan from Valencia, with Racing covering 100% of his salary—a significant commitment for a club with their salary limit. Julen Agirrezabala, a Copa del Rey hero with Athletic Club, signed a five-year contract and has already established himself as the starting goalkeeper. The right-back position remained the one unresolved issue, with Mantilla and Pablo Ramón sharing the role.
The First-Team Roster
Goalkeepers
Julen Agirrezabala (#1): The summer signing from Athletic Club has immediately claimed the starting role, starting all three of Racing’s opening La Liga fixtures. A Copa del Rey winner with Athletic, Agirrezabala saved two penalties in the 2024 final shootout. His shot-stopping and composure provide a reliable foundation for a newly promoted side.
Simon Eriksson (#13): The young Swedish goalkeeper competes with Agirrezabala, though he has yet to feature in the league this season.
Defenders
Álvaro Mantilla (#2): The club captain and one of only two players who also experienced Racing’s 2022 promotion from Primera Federación. Mantilla has started all three league matches, his versatility across the back line making him indispensable to José Alberto. His journey from a loan at Laredo in Tercera División to a La Liga starter is a testament to his resilience.
Jorge Salinas (#3): The 19-year-old left-back was the subject of intense transfer speculation, with Barcelona and other European clubs circling. Racing retained him, and he has started all three league fixtures, demonstrating the composure that made him such a coveted prospect.
Manu Hernando (#4): The experienced centre-back has started two of the opening three matches, providing stability alongside the younger defenders.
Pablo Ramón (#5): The former Real Madrid academy defender has started two matches, forming part of José Alberto’s defensive rotation.
Jeanuël Belocian (#): The French centre-back arrived on loan from Bayer Leverkusen on deadline day, adding top-level pedigree to the back line. His pace and physicality are expected to be valuable assets in the top flight.
Pedro Felipe (#): The defender was among the summer arrivals, providing further depth across the back four.
Midfielders
Íñigo Sainz-Maza (#6): The first captain and a lifelong Racing supporter who once worked as a ball boy at El Sardinero. Sainz-Maza has lived through the club’s darkest days—training without balls, without hot water, with the lights cutting out—and now leads them in La Liga. His contract runs until 2028, and his presence in the dressing room is invaluable.
Gustavo Puerta (#): The Colombian midfielder started all three opening fixtures before departing for Olympiacos on deadline day. His exit was a significant loss, but the club retained Salinas as compensation.
Matteo Prati (#): The Italian midfielder arrived in the summer and provides technical quality in the engine room.
Iván Martín (#): The midfielder joined as part of the summer overhaul, offering energy and tactical discipline.
Maguette Gueye (#): The Senegalese midfielder provides physical presence and ball-winning ability.
Forwards
Iñigo Vicente (#10): The “Mago de Derio” is Racing’s creative fulcrum and the leader of the project. Four seasons at El Sardinero have transformed him from a free-transfer arrival into the club’s most important player. His ability to demand the ball when it matters most, to unlock defences with a pass or a run, makes him the heartbeat of José Alberto’s attack.
Sergio Canales (#): The former Real Madrid and Spain international returned to his boyhood club, bringing experience and technical quality to the attacking midfield role. Canales has started all three league matches, his set-piece delivery and vision adding a dimension that was missing in the Championship.
Andrés Martín (#11): The forward scored Racing’s first goal of the La Liga season from the penalty spot. His movement and finishing make him a key attacking outlet.
Asier Villalibre (#9): The former Athletic Club striker provides a physical focal point through the middle, his hold-up play and aerial ability offering a different dimension to Racing’s attack.
Pablo García (#): The 20-year-old winger arrived from Real Betis on deadline day, described as a “golpe de efecto” by the club. His pace and directness provide an exciting attacking option.
Yassir Zabiri (#): The young forward is among the highest earners in the squad, reflecting the club’s investment in his potential.
Leadership Group & Squad Regulations
Club Captain: Íñigo Sainz-Maza
The first captain, a lifelong Racing supporter who joined the club as a child and once served as a ball boy at El Sardinero. His journey—from the worst era in the club’s history to leading them in La Liga—embodies the resilience that defines this squad. “Me ha tocado vivir la peor época del club,” he has said. “Ahora nos sentimos mucho más orgullosos.”
The Leadership Committee: Álvaro Mantilla serves as second captain, with Aritz Aldasoro (now departed on loan) having been third. Mantilla and Sainz-Maza are the only survivors from the 2022 Primera Federación promotion squad.
Homegrown Quota Check: Racing’s academy, La Albericia, has produced several members of the current squad. Sergio Martínez, whose goal against Villarreal on the opening day was a moment of pure emotion, came through the ranks from alevín level. Jorge Salinas, Sergio Vinatea, and Gaby Jiménez represent the generation of 2007 that has fed the first team.
Financial & Contractual Health
Financial Balance Overview: Racing’s salary limit for 2026/27 is €53.18 million, among the lowest in La Liga. The club’s €17 million investment in the squad was funded by the sales of Puerta and Martínez, along with the increased revenue that comes with promotion. The wage structure reflects the club’s reality: Iñigo Vicente is among the top earners at €630,000 annually, while Jorge Salinas earns just €210,000.
Contract Red Alerts: José Alberto and his entire coaching staff are secured until June 2028, providing crucial stability. Salinas’s retention, despite significant interest, was a priority. The club’s focus now turns to consolidating its top-flight status and ensuring that key assets are protected.
The Academy Pipeline & Loan Tracker
Breakout Talents to Watch: Sergio Martínez, whose goal against Villarreal on the opening day was the highlight of a historic afternoon, has been sold to Real Madrid for his release clause. His journey from the Racing academy to the Santiago Bernabéu is a source of both pride and profit. Gaby Jiménez, another member of the 2007 generation, has featured in pre-season and could be the next academy graduate to establish himself.
Notable Out on Loan: Diego Díaz joined Andorra on loan, seeking regular first-team football. Aritz Aldasoro is expected to join Real Oviedo on loan.
Set-Piece Specialists & FPL Cheat Sheet
Penalties: Andrés Martín (First Choice). Martín converted from the spot in the opening weeks.
Direct Free-Kicks: Sergio Canales / Iñigo Vicente.
Corners & Crosses: Sergio Canales and Iñigo Vicente are the primary deliverers, with Pablo García offering an alternative.
For Fantasy La Liga managers, Iñigo Vicente is the standout Racing asset, combining creativity with a proven record of assists and goals from midfield. Andrés Martín’s penalty duties add to his value. Julen Agirrezabala’s clean-sheet potential, underpinned by a disciplined defensive structure, makes him a viable budget goalkeeper option.
Final Outlook: Navigating the Tactical Horizon
Racing Santander enter the 2026/27 season with a squad forged through necessity and ambition. The €17 million invested is a fraction of what their rivals spend, but the recruitment has been intelligent: Agirrezabala brings Copa del Rey-winning pedigree, Canales offers top-level experience, and Vicente provides the creative spark.
The opening weeks have offered encouragement: four points from three matches, including a 2-2 draw with Villarreal in which Sergio Martínez’s goal briefly had El Sardinero dreaming. The Sardinero faithful have waited fourteen years for this, and the atmosphere generated by a sell-out crowd is an asset that cannot be quantified in salary limits.
The primary concern is depth. The right-back position remains unresolved, and the departure of Puerta leaves the midfield short of proven quality. The salary limit of €53 million means there is little room for error in the market.
But Racing have something more valuable than money: belief. The club nearly disappeared, training without balls and hot water, and now they are back in La Liga. Iñigo Sainz-Maza, the captain who once chased Lionel Messi for a shirt as a ball boy, now leads the team against him. If the squad can stay fit, if El Sardinero remains a fortress, and if José Alberto’s methods translate to the top flight, Racing have every chance of making this return permanent. The margin is fine, but the spirit is unbreakable.
