Andoni Gorosabel facing uncertain future at Athletic as Areso and Rincón move ahead | OneFootball

Athletic’s right-back battle has left Andoni Gorosabel at a crossroads, with Jesús Areso and Hugo Rincón moving ahead under Edin Terzic.

According to El Correo, his pre-season stalled on six July at Lezama when a moderate injury to the adductor longus in his right leg was diagnosed, keeping him in rehab while rivals banked minutes.

Although now over the problem, he has not featured in friendlies and was omitted from Terzic’s squad to face Atalanta today, so his future appears to be drifting further from Bilbao.

Terzic wants full-backs with constant attacking thrust. Gorosabel, 30, is the most reliable defensively of the trio, yet his more conservative profile fits less neatly with that vertical plan. He has 247 top-flight appearances, 64 for Athletic.

The club also back youth and resource optimisation. Areso, a 12 million euro signing, has owned the flank this summer with 372 minutes. Rincón, 23 and hardened at Mirandés and Girona, has logged 213 and looks the preferred rotation option.

With a contract to June 2028, an exit is seen as a logical way to lighten an oversized squad. His LaLiga standing remains solid, with clubs tracking him. He has been linked with Racing de Santander, who would seek to repeat the formula used for Julen Agirrezabala, while Valencia’s interest has gathered pace as they target a right-back with Arnau Martínez proving difficult.

As the market ticks towards Athletic’s league opener against Sevilla, Gorosabel must weigh a secondary role against a move to regain continuity.

Source: El Correo

“Artificial intelligence was used to assist in creating this article based on reporting from the original source quoted.”