Athletic Bilbao preseason plan focuses on careful development of academy debutants under Terzic
Athletic Bilbao preseason strategy centers on managed development for Selton, Ibon, Eder García, Hierro and Monreal, with Terzic and sporting directors weighing loans and minutes.
The Athletic Bilbao preseason plan has shifted from match scheduling to detailed player management as the club prepares for the next campaign. Head coach Dušan Terzić and the club’s sporting leadership are prioritizing the pathway for academy graduates who made first-team debuts this season. Sporting director Mikel González and president Jon Uriarte have signalled a coordinated approach that aims to balance training, competitive minutes and potential temporary moves for young players. The club is now evaluating whether these players should train regularly with the first team, be integrated with the B side, or move on loan to teams in a higher division than Primera RFEF.
Terzic and Sporting Directors Prioritize Homegrown Prospects
Dušan Terzić has made clear his confidence in Athletic’s homegrown talent and in the Lezama development model. He has chosen González as his principal interlocutor on squad construction, and the two have been working closely on deciding the immediate futures of several debutants. The close relationship between coach and sporting director was publicly underscored by a recent visit to Lezama, signaling a shared view on how to manage the club’s younger cohort.
That alignment gives the club a single, coherent voice as it plans the offseason. Athletic’s leadership is framing decisions around each player’s best pathway to meaningful minutes rather than simply keeping promising names within the first-team group. The aim is to ensure that prospects progress in competitive environments while remaining connected to the club’s training and culture.
Decisions Pending for Selton, Ibon, Eder García, Hierro and Monreal
Athletic must now determine where last season’s debutants will find the optimal next step in their careers. Selton, Ibon, Eder García, Hierro and Monreal all featured for the first team and face a crossroads between staying close to the senior squad and seeking loan opportunities. The club’s options include retaining them in Bilbao Athletic with occasional first-team sessions, or arranging temporary moves to clubs at a higher competitive level.
For each player the central question is minutes versus proximity. Athletic prefers their young players to accumulate consistent game time rather than being peripheral option in the matchday squad. That logic points toward loans if playing opportunities at San Mamés would be limited, but the final call rests with Terzić, who will assess training performance and pre-season integration. Sporting directors indicate any outbound move will be designed to suit the player’s technical profile and developmental needs.
Playing Time and Two-Competition Workload Shape Choices
With Athletic likely to compete on multiple fronts next season, workload management is a major consideration in player planning. The coaching staff is wary of prolonged spells without match action for young professionals, especially in a campaign that could demand squad rotation and physical resilience. Accumulating minutes in competitive settings is viewed as the fastest route for progress and match-readiness.
The club’s medical and performance teams will also feed into decisions, monitoring recovery, conditioning and adaptation to senior-level demands. Those assessments will influence whether a youngster remains at Lezama to build fitness and tactical understanding or moves elsewhere to face varied opponents. Athletic’s priority is to create sustainable development plans that reduce injury risk and promote continuous competitive exposure.
Goalkeeper Options Remain Fluid with Mikel Santos Under Review
The club faces additional complexity in the goalkeeping department, where Mikel Santos has split time as Bilbao Athletic’s starter and as the first team’s third-choice keeper. Santos’s situation is being evaluated alongside the futures of other goalkeepers such as Agirrezabala and Padilla, who have attracted external interest. Athletic is open to multiple outcomes for Santos, including a loan or a sale with a buy-back clause, depending on how the market and squad composition evolve.
Goalkeeper decisions hinge on both immediate squad balance and long-term asset management. If Agirrezabala or Padilla depart or draw sustained transfer interest, the club may opt to retain Santos as a near-term backup while ensuring he receives competitive minutes. Conversely, if Santos can secure regular starts at a higher-level loan destination, that pathway could be prioritized to accelerate his maturation.
Preseason Structure to Emphasize Integration and Individual Plans
Athletic’s preseason schedule will not only include a series of friendlies but also structured training blocks designed to integrate promising youth into the first-team environment. The club has indicated a forthcoming addition to its list of training opponents, while exercises at Lezama will remain central to the process. Preseason will double as an extended evaluation period, giving Terzić and González the chance to monitor each player’s readiness for senior football.
The coaching staff plans targeted sessions that replicate match pressures and tactical responsibilities the first team will demand. Beyond team drills, individual plans for minutes, positional work and psychological preparation will be drafted for each academy graduate under review. The preseason window thus becomes a decisive phase in determining who stays close to San Mamés and who benefits more from a competitive loan spell.
Transfer Window Timelines and Loan Market Strategy
Athletic’s approach to the transfer window will be conservative and development-led, with loans used as a principal tool to secure playing time for academy prospects. The club’s transfers department will seek loan destinations that offer guaranteed minutes and tactical systems compatible with Athletic’s style. Any permanent departures will likely include contractual safeguards such as buy-back options to protect long-term interests.
Decisions are expected before the preseason camp concludes so that players have clarity about summer moves and clubs can finalise preparations. Athletic will monitor interest from clubs in the Segunda División and other second-tier leagues, aiming to place youngsters in environments that represent a genuine step up from Primera RFEF. The overarching aim is to keep player trajectories upward while preserving the club’s ability to recall or re-sign talent if they flourish.
Athletic’s leadership has signalled a patient, structured approach to the next preseason that places the careers of emerging players at its centre. Terzić’s faith in Lezama graduates, paired with González’s operational role and the board’s oversight, creates a framework designed to balance competitive needs with long-term development. As the transfer window progresses and preseason friendlies approach, the club will move from planning to implementation, making targeted choices to maximise both team performance and the growth of its young professionals.
