Athletic strengthen foothold in southern Navarra with Tudelano partnership talks | OneFootball

Athletic are reinforcing their presence in southern Navarra by negotiating fresh terms in their partnership with CD Tudelano, a club with a broad youth set-up in the Ribera.

According to as.com, the clubs met at Lezama last Thursday to strengthen ties and define next season's collaboration, a first step to prolong the 2021 agreement that runs until June 2027.

The tie complements Athletic's established network around Pamplona, with La Txantrea, Oberena and CD Pamplona, despite the natural pull of Osasuna.

Tudelano's youth ranks have produced top-flight players including Urzaiz, Lumbreras, Pérez, Merino, Chema, Gelo, Castillejo, Iñigo Ros, Javi Ros and Manu Onwu.

Tudelano's first team compete in Segunda Federación after finishing fifth, in the same group as Athletic's second reserve side, CD Basconia. They fell in the play-off for promotion to Primera Federación, where they played five seasons ago, losing to Oviedo's B team.

Their academy enjoyed a strong year. The Primera Cadete side were league runners-up and secured promotion to Cadete Autonómica. The Juvenil Nacional team finished seventh.

Meanwhile, Ibaigane are also negotiating to extend links with Barakaldo CF, a process strained by recent exchanges between Uriarte and De la Sota, later eased by Barakaldo president Ricardo Arana.

Source: as.com