One position that Athletic Club will almost certainly be looking to address during the summer transfer window is right-back. Earlier this month, club legend Oscar de Marcos announced that he would be retiring at the end of the season, and as such, a replacement will be needed to complete alongside Andoni Gorosabel and Inigo Lekue.
The club’s well-documented transfer policy of only brining in Basque players does make their options more scarce, but it does not limit the quality that they can bring in. And for right-back, one of the clear targets is Osasuna’s Jesus Areso.
Areso is someone that Athletic officials are already very familiar with. The 25-year-old had come through the club’s youth academy before he joined Osasuna in the summer of 2020 on a free transfer. Five years on, he could be on his way back to San Mames, although he would cost significantly more.
Osasuna are aware of Athletic’s interest in Areso, and they are not prepared to part ways with one of their best defenders. Despite the fact that his contract will only have 12 months remaining by the time the summer transfer window opens, Los Rojillos have stated that they will not negotiate, as per Marca.
As a result, Athletic would only be able to sign Areso if they paid his release clause, which stands at €12m. While this could be considered steep, they spend more than that last summer to bring in Alvaro Djalo from Braga, and given that Ernesto Valverde’s side should secure a Champions League place for next season, there will be extra funds at their disposal.
Areso would be a very good addition for Athletic, and given that he is only 25 years of age, he can hold down that right-back position for many years to come if he is signed by Los Leones in the summer.
