Veteran Athletic defender Berchiche signs new one-year contract

Syndicated reporting provided by Stats Perform and reviewed by the SoccerNews editorial team.

Athletic Club left-back Yuri Berchiche, who has played over 200 LaLiga games for the club, has signed a one-year contract to extend his stay for a ninth season.

Only three defenders have made more appearances for Athletic in the Spanish top flight than Berchiche’s 223 – Oscar De Marcos (435), Andoni Iraola (406) and Mikel Balenziaga (246).

The 36-year-old should climb another place on that list in 2026-27, having penned a new one-year deal to run until June 2027.

Having arrived from Paris Saint-Germain in 2018, Berchiche has helped Athletic reach three Copa del Rey finals, lifting the trophy in 2024 and finishing as runners-up in 2020 and 2021.

“The years at Athletic have been the best of my entire sports career and of my life,” Berchiche told the club’s media channels. “It’s an honour to keep adding matches with this shirt.”

— Athletic Club (@AthleticClub) June 19, 2026

Director of football Mikel Gonzalez said: “This is great news for the club. With his performance and experience, he is an indispensable player in this squad, as he has shown in these seasons. 

“He has shown his professionalism and commitment to the club in a complicated season, and I am sure he will continue to contribute great things in the new project.”

The Basque club are preparing for their first season under former Borussia Dortmund head coach Edin Terzic, with Ernesto Valverde leaving after their 12th-place finish in LaLiga last term. 

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