Athletic targets Urko González midfield

Athletic Club went into the final week of the 2025-26 Liga season with fresh transfer chatter around its midfield. Social posts and local coverage circulating by May 20 identified Urko González de Zárate as one of the names under discussion for the summer window, with Iván Martín and Unai López also mentioned in the same conversation. The club has not announced a move, and no bid or agreement was confirmed in the reporting reviewed. Athletic’s immediate calendar still shows a final league match at Real Madrid on May 23 at 21:00, according to the club’s official fixture page. ### Who is Urko González de Zárate, and why is his name in this conversation? Urko González de Zárate is a 2001-born midfielder developed by Real Sociedad, and his profile has remained active in Spanish reporting since his push for a first-team place and subsequent loan spell. AS reported in 2025 that the player said he had been told he would stay with the senior squad, while Relevo later described his move to Espanyol on loan after limited minutes at Real Sociedad. (athletic-club.eus) Those reports place him in the category of young Basque-eligible midfielders with top-flight experience but without a settled long-term role at his parent club. A later AS report said Espanyol completed a permanent deal for Urko and tied him to a contract through 2030. That means any Athletic interest, if pursued, would now involve Espanyol rather than Real Sociedad. ### Why are Iván Martín and Unai López also being mentioned? Iván Martín has been linked in Spanish media as a recurring Athletic midfield target. Estadio Deportivo reported on March 11 that the Girona midfielder was an “old desire” for the Bilbao club as it looked to improve the center of the pitch ahead of next season. (as.com) That report did not say a transfer was imminent, but it placed Martín on Athletic’s watchlist before the latest round of speculation. (as.com) Unai López has also appeared in Athletic-related reporting. Relevo has previously traced López’s youth move from Real Sociedad to Athletic, and Estadio Deportivo later reported that Athletic had considered a plan to sign him on a free transfer when his Rayo Vallecano contract was nearing expiry. That makes his inclusion in current rumor roundups consistent with earlier reporting, even though no official move has been announced. (estadiodeportivo.com) ### Why is this surfacing now, before the season ends? May 23 is Athletic’s final league fixture, away to Real Madrid at the Santiago Bernabéu, and the club’s official schedule still lists that match as the next first-team game. At the same time, local media coverage has focused on Ernesto Valverde’s expected departure and the planning that would follow a coaching change. ElDesmarque’s Athletic coverage page on May 19 listed multiple items on Valverde’s future and on possible first signings under the next setup. (relevo.com) The timing matters because Spanish clubs typically intensify squad planning before the formal opening of the summer market, especially once league position and European qualification are settled. In Athletic’s case, the public discussion around midfield names is running alongside reporting about the end of Valverde’s spell. ### What can actually be confirmed right now? Athletic Club can be confirmed to have a league match at Real Madrid on May 23 at 21:00, and Spanish media can be confirmed to have linked the club with midfield options including Iván Martín and, in earlier reporting, Unai López. (athletic-club.eus) Urko González de Zárate can also be confirmed as an active name in the market, with reporting tying him first to Real Sociedad, then to Espanyol on a permanent basis. (eldesmarque.com) No official Athletic statement reviewed for this story confirmed Urko González de Zárate as the club’s primary target. No source reviewed disclosed a fee, contract proposal or medical date. The next hard date in the story remains May 23, when Athletic closes its league season against Real Madrid and summer planning can move from speculation to formal decisions. (athletic-club.eus)