Players to have represented both Valencia and Athletic | OneFootball

According to AS, a long line of footballers have represented both Valencia and Athletic, from pioneer Carlos Petreñas to Unai Núñez’s loan move in January 2026.

Petreñas played 19 games for Athletic between 1931 and 1934, then six for Valencia in 1935-36. Guillermo Gorostiza hit 200 in 254 for Athletic before starring for Valencia from 1940 to 1946. Higinio Ortúzar helped Athletic’s 1942-43 double, then Valencia’s 1944 and 1947 titles.

Nando Yosu lifted two Inter-Cities Fairs Cups with Valencia before a 47-game stint at Athletic. Víctor Marro backed up Iribar at Athletic, then played 12 times for Valencia. Fernando Tirapu passed 100 games at Valencia, later won the 1982-83 league with Athletic despite a single outing that season.

Andoni Zubizarreta made 239 appearances and won two leagues and a Copa del Rey with Athletic, then finished as Valencia’s No one from 1994 to 1998 with 184 games. Patxi Ferreira and Xabier Eskurza also featured for both clubs in the 1990s.

Asier del Horno excelled for Athletic before an injury-hit Valencia spell. Aritz Aduriz amassed 407 games and 172 goals for Athletic, adding 29 in 99 for Valencia between 2010 and 2012. Iago Herrerín later played 119 times for Athletic and one Copa del Rey tie for Valencia, while Julen Agirrezabala’s 2025-26 loan saw him start in LaLiga until injury.

Most recently, Núñez, with over 130 Athletic appearances and a Spain cap, joined Valencia on loan to bolster the defence.

Source: AS