Athletic Club captain Iker Muniain will be leaving the club at the end of the season, as now confirmed by the club. The 31-year-old has been with the club since his boyhood days, making his professional debut with them and playing for them over 15 years.
During this time, he has played 557 games for the Basque side, scoring 75 goals and providing 70 assists across all competitions. Muniain most recently captained the team to the 2024 Copa del Rey title, ending the team’s long trophy drought. And he has now decided to end his time with them on a high note.
Iker Muniain to leave Athletic Club as a free agent in 2024
🚨| 𝐎𝐅𝐅𝐈𝐂𝐈𝐀𝐋 : Iker Muniain announced he will leave Athletic Bilbao at the end of the season.
— Beyond Football (@beyondfootball9) April 24, 2024
🗣: "You have been the best thing in my life, but now, my love,
The time has come for us to part."
The Captain departs after 15 years at the club. pic.twitter.com/GAiLlzhauU
Muniain has also won the Spanish Super Cup twice with Athletic Club and has earned two caps for the Spanish national team. He is among the most respected figures in the locker room, and his loss will leave a big void that the club must fulfill in the summer.
The Spaniard hasn’t revealed which club he intends to move to at the end of the season. But, chances are that he could move abroad to avoid playing his boyhood club again.
Athletic Club only recruit players from the Basque region of Spain, meaning a direct replacement through the transfer market will be a difficult option considering how valuable Muniain has been to them over the years.
