Racing move on from Agirrezabala, keep Yaakobishvili on the radar | OneFootball

Racing have ended their pursuit of Julen Agirrezabala due to Athletic’s demands, and are now assessing alternatives, while Áron Yaakovishvili remains a loan option that could be complicated. As reported by as.com, the club had made the goalkeeper position a priority.

The Cantabrians have made six signings for 2026/27, yet still need more, plus replacements for Gustavo Puerta and Jorge Salinas. Sporting director Chema Aragón has targeted first-team calibre additions, including in goal.

Agirrezabala, on loan at Valencia last season, was their preferred choice. He is not in Edin Terzic’s plans at Athletic, with Unai Simón and Álex Padilla ahead of him and Mikel Santos the third option. He has not featured in pre-season, nor even made a squad.

Months of talks ended when Athletic insisted on a high fee for 50% of the player’s rights, a figure Racing view as off the market. Valencia’s option to buy had been set at 12 million euros. Aragón later said the deal was financially unworkable and that attention had shifted to other targets.

It is a thin goalkeeper market. Villarreal loaned Diego Conde to Betis, and Real Madrid sold Fran González to Sevilla for about 3 million euros for 50%, with a buy-back clause. Racing are monitoring Áron Yaakovishvili for a possible loan, but the move is difficult because the Bulgarian is in Hansi Flick’s pre-season group and, after Ter Stegen’s exit to Ajax, Barcelona still count on him.

Source: as.com

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