Athletic Bilbao Most Expensive Signings of All Time
The most expensive signing in Athletic Bilbao history covered on this page is Inigo Martinez, who arrived from Real Sociedad in 2018 for a reported fee of about 32M euros. Across the top five record signings listed below, Athletic Bilbao have spent about 49M euros across these five signings alone. Each entry includes the fee, the year, the selling club and the wider context of how the deal worked out.
Athletic Bilbao record signings: the era
A unique transfer model defined by the Basque-only policy.
Top 5 most expensive Athletic Bilbao signings ever
Inigo Martinez
From Real Sociedad · 2018
about 32M euros
reported fee
Athletic Bilbao paid the release clause of Inigo Martinez at Real Sociedad in 2018 for a reported fee of around 32 million euros, the most expensive incoming signing in the history of the club. The transfer was significant on the pitch and politically, since it brought a Basque international across one of the most famous local rivalries in Spanish football.
Yuri Berchiche
From Paris Saint-Germain · 2018
about 6.5M euros
reported fee
Yuri Berchiche joined from Paris Saint-Germain in 2018 for a reported 6.5 million euros, an unusually high fee for an Athletic Bilbao defender. The Basque left-back had won the Ligue 1 title with PSG and returned home as an experienced senior figure.
Raul Garcia
From Atletico Madrid · 2015
about 4M euros
reported fee
Raul Garcia arrived from Atletico Madrid in 2015 for a reported 4 million euros. The Navarrese midfielder, eligible under the Basque-only policy, brought senior winning experience from Atletico to San Mames and stayed for years as a leader of the squad.
Kenan Kodro
From Mainz · 2017
about 4M euros
reported fee
Kenan Kodro signed from Mainz in 2017 for a reported 4 million euros. The forward, of Basque descent and therefore eligible under the club philosophy, never fully broke into the first team and is one example of the additional difficulty Athletic Bilbao face when signing forwards.
Aritz Aduriz
From Valencia · 2012
about 2.5M euros
reported fee
Aritz Aduriz returned to Athletic Bilbao from Valencia in 2012 for a reported 2.5 million euros. The fee was small but the impact was historic. Aduriz reinvented himself as a goalscorer in his thirties, won the Spanish Super Cup against Barcelona in 2015 and remains one of the most popular players in modern Athletic Bilbao history.
How Athletic Bilbao have spent in the transfer market
Athletic Bilbao operate under one of the most distinctive transfer policies in world football. The club only sign players who are Basque by birth, of Basque heritage, or who have grown up in the football system of the wider Basque region. That radically restricts the available player pool and, by extension, the fees the club can pay. Athletic record signings are therefore modest by big-club standards. The all-time record incoming fee, the reported 32 million euros for Inigo Martinez from Real Sociedad, is closer to a mid-level acquisition at a club like Sevilla than the kind of figures that headline Real Madrid or Barcelona spending. The trade-off is that the club retains a uniquely strong identity, the academy is one of the most important in the country, and the Basque-only model has now lasted over a century, a sustained accomplishment that no other club in modern European football has come close to.
Athletic Bilbao record signings, at a glance
| # | Player | From | Year | Reported fee |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Inigo Martinez | Real Sociedad | 2018 | about 32M euros |
| 2 | Yuri Berchiche | Paris Saint-Germain | 2018 | about 6.5M euros |
| 3 | Raul Garcia | Atletico Madrid | 2015 | about 4M euros |
| 4 | Kenan Kodro | Mainz | 2017 | about 4M euros |
| 5 | Aritz Aduriz | Valencia | 2012 | about 2.5M euros |
Frequently asked questions about Athletic Bilbao record signings
What is the most expensive signing in Athletic Bilbao history?▼
The most expensive signing in Athletic Bilbao history covered on this page is Inigo Martinez, who arrived from Real Sociedad in 2018 for a reported fee of about 32M euros.
How much have Athletic Bilbao spent on these signings combined?▼
Across the five signings listed on this page, Athletic Bilbao have spent about 49M euros across these five signings alone. Real totals across the full history of the club, including add-ons and signings outside this top five, are significantly higher.
Are all these Athletic Bilbao signings still at the club?▼
No. Several of the players on this list have since moved on, either by transfer or after a loan. Each entry above describes the current status and the broader context of how the deal worked out.
Why do transfer fees vary so much between reports?▼
Transfer fees are often reported as headline numbers, but the real total can include guaranteed payments, performance-based add-ons, payments to agents and player image-rights deals. That is why fees on this page are framed as reported approximations rather than confirmed figures.
What is Athletic Bilbao's overall transfer strategy?▼
Athletic Bilbao operate under one of the most distinctive transfer policies in world football.
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