Álex Berenguer Scout Report: Athletic Club’s No. 7

Six seasons into his Athletic Club career, number 7 Álex Berenguer has gone from a regular starter to a flexible rotation option under new head coach Edin Terzić. GegenSports breaks down where the 31-year-old Spaniard stands today.

Scout Summary

Álex Berenguer is a right-footed forward who has spent the last six years at Athletic Club after arriving from Torino in October 2020, having come through CA Osasuna’s academy. Born in Pamplona and standing 1.75 m tall, he built his reputation as a genuinely multi-positional attacker — comfortable on either flank and occasionally through the middle — capable of cutting in from the left onto his stronger foot or holding width on the right. His signature moment came in the 2023-24 Copa del Rey final, where he converted the winning penalty in the shootout against Real Mallorca, ending Athletic’s 40-year wait for a trophy. Following Athletic’s disappointing 12th-place finish in La Liga 2025-26, the club replaced long-serving coach Ernesto Valverde with former Borussia Dortmund boss Edin Terzić, and Berenguer’s role has shifted: he is now regarded as the primary cover for the Williams brothers on both wings rather than an automatic starter. His contract runs to June 2027, his market value is reported inconsistently across sources (roughly €3-9m depending on the platform and date), and his profile combines proven big-game composure and positional versatility with inconsistent finishing efficiency and a recurring right big-toe injury that clubs should scrutinise before any transfer.

Identity & Biography

Career & Transfer History

Berenguer is a product of CA Osasuna’s youth system in Navarre, breaking into the first team in 2014-15 and contributing to the club’s 2016 promotion to La Liga. In July 2017 he moved to Serie A side Torino, a transfer reported in the €5.5-7m range (figures vary between outlets) that also included a resale clause obliging Torino to pay Osasuna an extra fee if Berenguer was later sold to Athletic Club specifically — a clause that triggered a legal dispute years later. He spent three seasons in Turin, occasionally deployed centrally as an attacking midfielder alongside his usual wing duties, before Athletic signed him in October 2020 for a fee reported between €10-12m. When Torino failed to pay Osasuna the resale-clause fee, Osasuna escalated the case to FIFA and then the Court of Arbitration for Sport, which ruled in Osasuna’s favour in February 2023.

Season Statistics

In 2025-26 he attempted 42 league shots in 31 appearances (roughly 48% on target) and averaged 2.08 key passes per game — a high-volume but inconsistently efficient output. His goal in the 2-0 win at Celta Vigo on 30 August 2026, the first league win of the Terzić era, came with 2 shots (1 on target) and 7 crosses attempted but only 1 completed.

Playing Style

Berenguer’s defining trait is genuine positional versatility: he has been used on both flanks, centrally as an attacking midfielder, and even as an auxiliary striker across his career. Playing right-footed on the left wing, he typically drifts into the half-space — the vertical channel between the touchline and the centre of the pitch — where he is harder for a full-back to track and can either shoot on his stronger foot or thread a pass into the box; this makes him closer to an inverted winger than a traditional line-hugging wide man. Under Terzić, whose Borussia Dortmund sides were built on early, high-intensity pressing (gegenpressing — regaining the ball within seconds of losing it), Berenguer’s physical capacity to sustain that intensity for 90 minutes is being weighed against younger alternatives, which is a key reason he now rotates with Robert Navarro, Nico Serrano and Álvaro Djaló behind starters Nico and Iñaki Williams.

Strengths

• Positional versatility — a genuinely usable option on either flank, centrally, or as backup centre-forward.
• Pace and dribbling — effective in transition and in 1v1 wide situations.
• Shot volume and willingness — 42 league shots in 31 2025-26 appearances shows he isn’t shy of pulling the trigger.
• Big-match composure — the decisive Copa del Rey final penalty remains the clearest evidence of his reliability in high-pressure moments.
• Experience — over 350 senior appearances across Serie A and La Liga.

Weaknesses

• Finishing efficiency — a relatively low conversion rate given his shot volume.
• Crossing consistency — completed-cross rates have historically been modest (as low as 20-28% in some seasons); only 1 of 7 crosses landed in the Celta Vigo match.
• Recurring toe injury — traumatic arthritis in the right big toe’s metatarsophalangeal joint has flared up twice (September 2025, January 2026), with the club managing it conservatively to avoid it becoming chronic.
• Age and squad competition — at 31, and with Navarro, Serrano and Djaló all competing for the same rotation slots under Terzić, a guaranteed starting role is no longer assured.

GegenSports Scout Score

71/100 — a proven, versatile La Liga winger in the second half of his career, best suited to a squad-depth role rather than a first-choice starting spot. The score weighs strong versatility and experience against below-average finishing/crossing efficiency and injury risk. This is GegenSports’ own qualitative assessment, not an official rating from any data provider.

Similar Players

• Cristian Tello (Real Betis) — a comparable right-footed, inside-cutting, shot-hungry wide profile.
• Nolito (retired) — another multi-positional forward who prioritised direct shooting over pure creation.
• Robert Navarro (Athletic Club) — a younger teammate competing for the same versatile-winger role, useful as a like-for-like internal comparison.

Süper Lig Fit

Berenguer’s profile — proven, versatile, experienced in high-pressure fixtures — suits upper-mid-table Süper Lig clubs seeking ready-made wing depth rather than a long-term project signing. His track record in Serie A and La Liga, plus his big-game temperament, should translate reasonably well to Süper Lig’s physical and tactical intensity, though at 31 any move should be framed as a 2-3 season solution rather than a long-term cornerstone.

Suitable Turkish Clubs

• Beşiktaş — a plausible fit given their recurring need for experienced wing rotation, especially for continental football.
• Trabzonspor — his big-moment reliability aligns with a club whose identity often hinges on cup and derby performances.
• Fenerbahçe — theoretically suited for European rotation depth, though budget and squad-quality competition make this less likely.

These are profile-fit assessments only; no concrete transfer talks are known to exist with any of these clubs.

Ideal Teammates

Berenguer thrives alongside a ball-progressing, versatile pivot (in the mould of Beñat Prados) who can quickly circulate possession into the half-spaces, and an overlapping full-back (like Hugo Rincón or Jesús Areso) who can cover the width he vacates when cutting inside. A strong aerial presence up front to finish his crosses would further boost his output.

Adaptation Score

74/100. Having already lived and played in Italy for three seasons (and being married to an Italian partner), Berenguer has demonstrated cross-cultural adaptability. His experience should help him settle relatively quickly into a new league environment, though an initial adjustment period tied to language and culture would still be expected.

Cost / Value Scenarios

• Low scenario (~€2-4m + mid-tier wages): Plausible in the 2026 window given he enters the final year of his contract — attractive value for a rotation piece.
• Mid scenario (~€5-8m): Possible if Athletic still values his squad contribution and leverages his remaining contract length.
• Free transfer (summer 2027): Once his deal expires, cost reduces purely to wages and signing bonus.

Development Potential

At 31, “development” for Berenguer is less about technical growth and more about role optimisation and passing on experience — he could become a valuable dressing-room presence and mentor for younger wide players at a new club rather than a player expected to keep improving statistically.

Injury & Durability

Despite a generally high appearance count across his career, the past two seasons have been marked by a recurring right big-toe (metatarsophalangeal joint) issue — a “turf toe”-type injury linked to repeated load from sharp changes of direction — which sidelined him for roughly three weeks in September-October 2025 and recurred in January 2026, when the club opted for rest over a fixed return date to avoid chronic damage. He also missed time with an abdominal strain in November 2024 and a calf issue in February 2025. Because explosive acceleration is central to his game, any acquiring club should request an up-to-date medical assessment specifically on this joint before completing a deal.

Foreign Player Status & UK Work Permit Analysis

In the Süper Lig, Berenguer would occupy a foreign-player quota slot as a Spanish national (Turkey applies no EU exemption). For a hypothetical move to England, his lack of senior international caps means he would not qualify automatically under the points-based Governing Body Endorsement (GBE) system; his case would likely need to be assessed by the Exceptions Panel based on La Liga’s league banding, his club’s league position, and recent playing-time statistics. This is an analytical projection based on publicly known criteria, not a legal determination.

Suitable Leagues

• Süper Lig (Turkey) — fits clubs seeking experienced, versatile wing depth.
• Serie A (Italy) — familiar territory from his Torino years; a reasonable option for mid-table sides.
• Lower La Liga table / Segunda División (Spain) — a potential late-career homecoming, echoing past speculative links to Osasuna.
• Saudi Pro League — financially attractive for a late-career move, though a step down competitively.

Sporting Director Summary

Berenguer offers a low-risk, moderate-upside profile for sporting directors seeking a ready-made, versatile winger to deepen a squad rather than build around. He is not a long-term project but can add depth, tactical flexibility, and leadership over a realistic 2-3 season window. Any negotiation should factor in a clear medical protocol around his toe injury history and realistic wage/fee expectations given his age and contract situation.

FAQ

Who is Álex Berenguer?
A Spanish forward wearing the number 7 shirt for Athletic Club, known for his positional versatility across the front line.

What position does Álex Berenguer play?
Primarily right or left winger, occasionally attacking midfielder.

When does Álex Berenguer’s contract expire?
30 June 2027.

Has Álex Berenguer played for the Spain national team?
No confirmed senior caps were found in available records.

What is Álex Berenguer’s market value?
Estimates vary by source, roughly €3-9m; a direct Transfermarkt check is recommended for the exact current figure.

Would Álex Berenguer suit the Süper Lig?
Yes, as an experienced rotation winger for upper-mid-table clubs needing wing depth.

What is Álex Berenguer’s injury history?
Generally durable, but with a recurring right big-toe joint issue that has flared twice recently.

How old is Álex Berenguer?
Born 4 July 1995, he is 31.

Where did Álex Berenguer join Athletic Club from?
Torino, in October 2020, having come through CA Osasuna’s academy.

What is Álex Berenguer’s biggest career achievement?
Scoring the winning penalty in the 2023-24 Copa del Rey final shootout.

What role does Álex Berenguer play at Athletic Club now?
Under Edin Terzić he serves as the primary cover for the Williams brothers on both wings.

Could Álex Berenguer move to the Premier League?
Without senior caps, automatic GBE approval is unlikely; his case would probably require an Exceptions Panel review.

Related GegenSports Content

• Oihan Sancet Scout Report: Athletic Club’s Goal-Scoring No. 8
• Íñigo Ruiz de Galarreta Scout Report: Athletic Club’s Experienced Pivot
• Hugo Rincón Scout Report: Athletic Club’s Rising Right-Back
• Aymeric Laporte Scout Report: Athletic Club’s Veteran Centre-Back
• Unai Simón Scout Report: Athletic Club and Spain’s No.1

Sources

• Wikipedia — Álex Berenguer player profile and Athletic Club season pages
• FotMob — player profile and match statistics
• Soccerway — transfer and injury history records
• Athletic Club official website — medical statements
• Deia, Naiz, Bilbaohiria, El Desmarque, Futbolfantasy — Spanish/Basque press coverage
• Osasuna official statement — CAS ruling on the transfer fee dispute
• Infobae, ESPN — 2026-27 match reports