Aitor Paredes Scout Report: Athletic Club’s Ball-Playing Young Centre-Back
Scout Verdict: Aitor Paredes Casamichana is a pure Lezama product who reached Athletic Club’s first team without ever leaving the club’s own pyramid — no loan spell, no external transfer in either direction. At 1.86m he ticks the physical boxes Athletic demands from its centre-backs, but the detail that separates him from the academy conveyor belt is his passing range out from the back; club sporting director Mikel González described him at his 2024 contract renewal as “strong, aggressive, quick, with a lot of capacity to defend forward — a 100% Athletic-profile centre-back.” He debuted in August 2022, became a first-team regular through 2023-24, signed through 2029, and won a senior Spain cap in November 2024 alongside fellow Basque product Pau Cubarsí. The 2025-26 campaign was uneven: a headed goal away at Roma was followed by a calf injury and a squeeze for minutes once Aymeric Laporte returned to the club. He opened 2026-27 as one of only two fit senior centre-backs available, which has handed him an unexpected run of starts. On raw profile, his ball-playing range and physical directness fit what Süper Lig sides typically look for in a centre-back — but Athletic’s reluctance to sell academy graduates, plus a contract into 2029, make an actual transfer unlikely in the near term.
Player Identity
| Full Name | Aitor Paredes Casamichana |
| Date of Birth | 29 April 2000 (age 26) |
| Place of Birth | Bilbao, Biscay, Spain (raised in Arrigorriaga) |
| Height | 1.86 m |
| Weight | ~76 kg |
| Position | Centre-back (occasionally listed as a right-back option) |
| Preferred Foot | Right |
| Club | Athletic Club (Bilbao) |
| Shirt Number | 4 |
| National Team | Spain senior team (1 cap, debut Nov 2024) + Spain U21 (2023 EURO finalist) |
| Contract Until | 30 June 2029 |
| Market Value | Roughly €13.5-23m band (estimates vary by tracker) |
| Release Clause | No publicly confirmed figure |
Career and Transfer History
| Period | Club | Move Type | Fee |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006-2010 | Etorkizun (Arrigorriaga) | Local youth club | Undisclosed |
| 2010-2018 | Athletic Club youth (Lezama) | Academy signing | Free |
| 2018-2020 | CD Basconia (Tercera División) | Internal promotion | Free (49 apps, 2 goals) |
| 2020-2022 | Bilbao Athletic (reserves) | Internal promotion | Free (53 apps, 4 goals) |
| 2022-present | Athletic Club (first team) | Internal promotion | Free — homegrown |
| March 2024 | Athletic Club | Contract extension to 2029 | Not a transfer |
No external transfer fee has ever been paid for or by Paredes — unlike some Athletic academy graduates, he was never sent out on loan either, progressing entirely through Basconia and Bilbao Athletic before breaking into the senior side.
Season-by-Season Statistics
| Season | Appearances | Starts | Goals | Assists |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2022-23 | 17 | 9 | 0 | 0 |
| 2023-24 | 40 | 37 | 1 | 0 |
| 2024-25 | 35 | 31 | 4 | 1 |
| 2025-26 | 28 | 26 | 1-2* | 1 |
| 2026-27 (ongoing) | 3 | 2 | 1 | 0 |
*Goal counts for 2025-26 vary slightly between Fichajes.com’s season roll-up and in-season press reports — flagged per GegenSports’ standard disclosure policy.
| 2025-26 Metric (La Liga) | Value |
|---|---|
| Minutes Played | ~2,255 |
| Aerial Duel Win Rate | ~62% (28 duels won) |
| Yellow Cards | 9 |
| Red Cards | 1 |
| Average Match Rating (FotMob) | ~7.0-7.5 range |
| 2026-27 Start (3 apps) | 209 minutes, 87% pass accuracy (131/150), 16 clearances, 3 tackles, 6 aerial duels won, 2 interceptions |
Style of Play
What separates Paredes from Athletic’s other centre-backs is his ball-playing range — “salida de balón” in the Spanish press coverage that regularly pairs him with Daniel Vivián as one of La Liga’s better centre-back partnerships, with Vivián cast as the more physical (“rocoso”) of the two and Paredes as the more technically refined (“fino”). In his own words, “how you manage the ball is what separates a good defender from an average one.” Alongside that build-up quality, the club’s official description leans on his physical directness and willingness to defend high up the pitch, and he has shown a genuine set-piece threat — his headed goal at Roma’s Stadio Olimpico in the Europa League is the clearest example. Data on his aerial and duel numbers is inconsistent across trackers: a 62% aerial win rate in 2025-26 sits alongside some WhoScored-derived snapshots showing far lower single-match figures, which likely reflects match-to-match variance rather than a settled weakness. He has also been listed occasionally as a right-back option, giving his coaching staff a rotation option rather than a fixed secondary role. New head coach Edin Terzic, who replaced Ernesto Valverde in May 2026, is still working out how Paredes fits his structure — the early-season minutes suggest he currently has an opening.
Strengths
- Passing range out from the back: a genuine contributor to Athletic’s early progression play, rather than a defender who simply clears his lines.
- Physical directness: the club’s own staff highlight his willingness to defend aggressively and high up the pitch.
- Set-piece threat: a proven source of goals from corners, including at senior European level.
- Positional versatility: occasional right-back cover gives coaches a rotation option.
- Early international pedigree: a 2023 U21 EURO final appearance and a senior Spain cap by age 24.
Weaknesses
- Recurring muscle injuries: a run of soft-tissue issues across 2024, 2025 and 2026, including the March 2026 calf contusion, has interrupted his rhythm repeatedly.
- Squad competition: Aymeric Laporte’s September 2025 return pushed him down the pecking order for large stretches of 2025-26.
- Inconsistent underlying data: conflicting aerial and duel numbers across data providers make it hard to state a settled defensive ceiling.
- Card discipline: nine yellows and a red in 2025-26 suggest his aggression sometimes crosses the foul line.
GegenSports Scout Rating
74/100 — a technically capable, ball-playing centre-back who has not yet nailed down a permanent starting role at Athletic. Recurring muscle injuries, inconsistent playing time and mixed underlying numbers cap the score for now. This is GegenSports’ own qualitative scale, not an official institutional rating.
Similar Player Profiles
- A young Iñigo Martínez profile — similar emphasis on progressive passing from central defence within the same Athletic pipeline.
- Robin Le Normand (Atlético Madrid, Spain) — another Basque-academy centre-back (via Real Sociedad) built on a physical/organisational balance.
- Jesús Areso-type internal flexibility — comparable value as a squad player who can slide into right-back when needed.
Süper Lig Fit
Süper Lig football tends to reward physical centre-back play, aerial duels and set-piece efficiency, which lines up with how Athletic’s own staff describe Paredes. His passing range also suits clubs building from a high defensive line. Realistically, though, Athletic’s cantera culture makes selling a homegrown centre-back rare, and his contract runs to 2029 — so this should be read as a profile-fit exercise, not a live transfer scenario.
Suitable Turkish Clubs (Profile-Based)
- Galatasaray: a high defensive line in European competition could use his passing range out from the back.
- Fenerbahçe: a squad built around fast wide transitions benefits from a centre-back capable of clean, secure distribution.
- Trabzonspor: a league environment that rewards set-piece output could benefit directly from his corner threat.
This is a theoretical fit assessment based on playing profile, not a realistic transfer forecast.
Ideal Teammates
Paredes performs best next to a more physically dominant centre-back partner (as with Vivián at Athletic), a deep midfielder willing to receive the ball early, and full-backs disciplined enough to cover in transition — a combination that lets his distribution stand out while sharing the physical duel workload.
Adaptation Score
7/10 — a Spanish-speaking background and early international experience (U21 EURO final, a senior cap) lower the cultural adaptation risk, but ongoing squad competition and injury interruptions make performance consistency in a new league harder to guarantee.
Cost and Value-for-Money Scenarios
| Scenario | Assessment |
|---|---|
| Transfer around market value (~€13.5-23m) | High for Süper Lig budgets but not out of reach for the league’s bigger clubs; no confirmed release clause exists |
| Loan move | Unlikely given Athletic’s squad depth needs and his current contract length |
| Free transfer at contract end | Not realistic in the medium term — contracted to 2029 |
Development Potential
At 26, Paredes is entering his prime years. The clearest development areas are consistency in aerial and duel numbers, tighter card discipline, and locking down a permanent starting role amid squad competition. His physical peak should hold for the next several seasons if he can stabilise his run of form.
Injury and Fitness Record
Following a lengthy illness spell in 2021, Paredes has dealt with a pattern of muscle and soft-tissue injuries — an August 2024 muscle problem, a March 2025 right thigh issue, a July-August 2025 pre-season injury, and the March 2026 calf contusion suffered in the Copa del Rey semi-final against Real Sociedad. None of these are long-term structural injuries, but the recurring pattern warrants close monitoring from any club’s medical staff evaluating him.
Non-EU Status and UK Work Permit Analysis
Post-Brexit, any overseas player moving to English football (EU nationals included) is assessed under the Governing Body Endorsement (GBE) points system. With only a single senior Spain cap (November 2024) rather than a settled place in the national squad, Paredes’ path to automatically qualifying is less clear-cut than for a regular international like Vivián; a Premier League move would likely require additional club-based points (league level, percentage of minutes played, etc.) to be assessed. This is a general framework, not legal advice, and any real transfer scenario would need a formal review under current UK immigration rules.
Suitable Leagues
- La Liga (his current league, ideal fit)
- Serie A (tactical discipline and build-up priority suit his profile)
- Bundesliga (high-line, press-resistant systems — also a tactical culture familiar to new coach Edin Terzic from his Dortmund background)
- Ligue 1 (clubs balancing physicality and technical progression could take an interest)
- Süper Lig (physical/aerial/set-piece fit exists; realistic likelihood is low)
Sporting Director Summary
Aitor Paredes is a homegrown, ball-playing centre-back who embodies Athletic Club’s cantera model. His main risk is recurring muscle injury and inconsistent minutes amid squad competition; his main obstacle to any move is Athletic’s reluctance to sell academy products and a contract into 2029. He is best read as a reference point for “what profile works” in the Süper Lig conversation rather than a realistic transfer target today.
Frequently Asked Questions
1. Who is Aitor Paredes?
A Spanish centre-back, born in 2000, who came through Athletic Club’s own academy system.
2. What position does Paredes play?
Primarily centre-back; some sources also list him as a right-back option.
3. When does his contract expire?
30 June 2029, with Athletic Club.
4. What is his market value?
Estimates range roughly from €13.5m to €23m depending on the tracker.
5. Has Paredes played for the national team?
Yes — he debuted for senior Spain in November 2024 against Switzerland, after reaching the 2023 U21 EURO final.
6. Is he currently injured?
No — he started 2026-27 healthy after recovering fully from a March 2026 calf contusion.
7. Could he move to the Süper Lig?
Unlikely in the short-to-medium term given his contract length and club policy.
8. Could he play in England?
His national-team profile is less settled than a regular international’s, so a GBE assessment would likely involve extra club-based criteria — this is not a legal determination.
9. How does he compare to Daniel Vivián?
Spanish media generally describe Vivián as the more physical of the pair and Paredes as the more refined passer out from defence.
10. What is his biggest weakness?
Recurring muscle injuries and inconsistent minutes amid rising squad competition.
11. How old is he and how long can he play at the top level?
26 years old — centre-backs typically remain effective into their early-to-mid thirties.
12. Has Paredes ever been out on loan?
No — based on confirmed records, he has never left the Athletic Club group, progressing entirely via Basconia and Bilbao Athletic.
13. What does Athletic Club’s “cantera” policy mean?
A tradition of fielding only Basque-born or Basque-raised players — Paredes is a typical product of that pipeline, from academy to first team.
Related GegenSports Content
- Daniel Vivián Scout Report: Athletic Club’s Homegrown Enforcer
- Selu Diallo Scouting Report: Minutes Banked, Level Unproven
- Carlos Protesoni Scouting Report: Alavés
- Aitor Mañas Scouting Report: Alavés
- Román Gómez Scout Report: Bahia’s Argentine Right-Back
Sources
- Athletic Club Official Website — athletic-club.eus
- Wikipedia — Aitor Paredes (footballer)
- Fichajes.com — Aitor Paredes statistics and career profile
- FotMob — Aitor Paredes player profile
- Sofascore / WhoScored — match-level performance data
- Soccerway — injury history database
- KirolakEITB / Deia.eus — contract renewal and national team debut coverage
- RFEF (Spanish Football Federation) — national team debut announcement
- athleticclubinfo.com — style-of-play and personal-interest feature
