Athletic Bilbao targeting reunion with former youth player now at Championship side?

Athletic Bilbao are allegedly contemplating whether to make an approach for a top-performing Championship attacker who has previously represented their youth team.

Athletic Bilbao have reportedly identified a top-performing Championship attacker as a potential summer transfer target.

Ernesto Valverde’s side are currently focused on trying to end an encouraging season with a top-four finish in La Liga and a Europa League trophy.

As well as sitting with a five-point advantage in the race for Champions League qualification in the La Liga table, Bilbao have also set up a quarter-final showdown with Rangers in Europe.

However, given that the club sit just seven points adrift of third, Valverde and club officials may sense an opportunity to start planning for 2025-26.

According to Fichajes, Bilbao could turn their attention to a familiar face when it comes to bolstering their options in the final third.

Sainz on Bilbao radar

The report claims that Norwich City forward Borja Sainz is on Bilbao’s radar after his sparkling form in the second tier of English football.

A total of 17 goals and four assists have come from 33 appearances in the Championship, the 24-year-old being used on the left flank.

Now with a total of 26 goals and six assists from his 74 outings for the Canaries, Sainz is naturally being linked with a transfer to a bigger club.

That is particularly the case when he has less than 18 months remaining on his contract, there being little chance of a renewal being penned unless Norwich earn promotion to the Premier League.

With Norwich now eight points adrift of the playoffs, that appears highly unlikely, leaving club officials to try to generate the biggest fee possible for a player who they signed on a free transfer.

As a result, Norwich stand to substantially boost their position with the EFL financial regulations, and a sale will likely suit all parties.

A move back to familiar surroundings?

Although Sainz never represented Bilbao at senior level, he was part of the youth setup for five years between 2012 and 2017.

Having not played in La Liga since 2020-21, Sainz may plausibly feel that the time is right to return to his homeland, where he has previously played for Alaves and Real Zaragoza.

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