Iñaki Rupérez drops to Sanse to get minutes after year out | OneFootball

Iñaki Rupérez will compete for Sanse with immediate effect, the club said in a statement, as he seeks minutes after a year out. He will wear number 22.

Real Sociedad open their Liga campaign on Friday against Real Betis, and Pellegrino Matarazzo has only Jon Mikel Aramburu available at right-back.

Rupérez, 23, suffered an external meniscus injury to his left knee on 9 August 2025 in a pre-season friendly against Bournemouth. Conservative treatment was tried, then he underwent surgery in late November after it failed to deliver results. He had just stepped up to the first team that summer after starring for the B side.

His return to Sanse comes amid the lack of signings and reflects doubts over his readiness for the top level after a full year out.

Registering him with the B team creates a point of no return this season. Under RFEF rules, a player aged 23 cannot go back to the first team while holding a B-team registration, so he would not be eligible as emergency cover.

He re-joins an Ansotegi-led Sanse aiming to rediscover his best form. In 2024/2025 he played 35 matches and scored five as the team achieved promotion to the Segunda División.

Source: Diario Vasco

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