Valencia facing goalkeeping call after Julen Agirrezabala meniscus surgery | OneFootball

Julen Agirrezabala has undergone knee meniscus surgery, leaving the rest of his season in jeopardy. According to Superdeporte, the operation took place in Vitoria on Thursday morning.

The Athletic Club loanee now faces a very difficult path to play again for Valencia. He had performed solidly, yet Stole Dimitrievski has impressed in his absence. A €10 million purchase clause was viewed as largely unaffordable, though the club still wished to keep that remote option.

Agirrezabala suffered the setback during Friday training at Paterna just as he was close to returning and reopening the selection debate. It is in the same left knee where he sustained a hamstring muscle tear in the first match of 2026 against Celta Vigo at Balaídos on 3 January.

He had been an undisputed starter for Corberán in the first 18 LaLiga matches and one of the best-performing summer signings. Dimitrievski holds better goals-against averages in LaLiga, 1.13, and overall, 1.00, plus a higher clean-sheet rate of 41.7% compared with Julen’s 26.3%.

Valencia’s immediate goalkeeping picture centres on Dimitrievski, with Rivero as the back-up. Although the former Rayo keeper’s deal expires on 30 June, the club hold a unilateral option to extend it for two more seasons by paying an additional clause of around a quarter of a million euros.

Source: Superdeporte