Right now Valverde has no less than 37 players to choose from next season...current first team players, players returning from loan and players promoting from BA:
Gorka Iraizoz
Iago Herrerín
Kepa Arrizabalaga
Alex Remiro
Óscar de Marcos - Xabi Etxeita - Aymeric Laporte - Mikel Balenziaga
Markel Etxeberria - Eneko Bóveda - Yeray Álvarez - Iñigo Lekue
Unai Bustinza - Óscar Gil - Jon Aurtenetxe - Enric Saborit
Beñat Etxebarria - Mikel San José
Ander Iturraspe - Mikel Vesga
Erik Morán* - Mikel Rico
Unai López - Gorka Elustondo
Iñaki Williams - Raúl García - Iker Muniain
Markel Susaeta - Javi Eraso - Sabin Merino
Ibai Gómez - Iñigo Ruiz de Galarreta - Ager Aketxe**
Aritz Aduriz
Guillermo Fernández
Borja Viguera
**** Sola
* I think he´s on a two years loan so he would only return this summer if Athletic decides so.
** Long term injury, out until January/February.
Players returning from loan: Kepa, Bustinza, Aurtenetxe, Ruiz de Galarreta, Guillermo, Sola.
From these, to be honest, I think only Kepa and Guillermo have chances of staying. Only Kepa had an outstanding season (and Morán, but he´s on a two years loan in Zaragoza), the rest weren´t that good (not all were bad, bu simply not enought to return to the first team.)
The fact that Valverde wants both Sola and Viguera out, and even though Williams and Sabin can play upfront...Guillermo might have a chance of staying as Aduriz´s replacement, but he will have to earn it in preseason. He had an ok season in one of the best teams in Segunda, and Valverde always liked him.
In the case of Kepa, I think he deserves a place in the first team, the problem is that 3 other goalies also deserve it. Here, Valverde has a -good- problem: 4 good goalies, all deserving a place in the first team, none of them being clearly better than the rest. Seems like Iago will renew soon, so this increases the different theories about Athletic´s goal next season. If Kepa does not stay, he will be loaned to a Primera División team.
Players promoted from BA (still not official): Remiro, Etxeberria, Yeray, Óscar Gil, Saborit, Vesga, Unai López, Aketxe.
From these, the ones who seem to have all the tickes to be part of the first team next season are Markel Etxeberria, Mikel Vesga and one from Yeray/Gil. Both Etxeberria and Vesga have been renewed recently as first team players. The rest will try to demonstrate Valverde they can have a place during preseason, most will be loaned.
Markel Etxebarria has probably been the most consistent player throught the season in BA together with Remiro. He plays in a position well covered in the first team but I think Valverde will make place for him. Bóveda will be definately moved to CB and Lekue will have an important presence as offensive winger, and also covering Balenziaga in the LB. I think Markel will be De Marcos´ cover next season in Athletic.
I commented several times during BA´s season that the main problem were the central midfielders, that one from Undabarrena, Unai López or Vesga should take a step forward and lead the team. After Unda´s injury, Vesga took that step forward, growing a lot his football during the last months of the season. I think Valverde likes him a lot and will probably make room for him in the first team: Rico and Elustondo have chances of leaving to let Vesga IN.
With Gurpegi out and Laporte´s rumours both Yeray and Óscar Gil will make preseason as CBs. One will stay, the other depends on what happens with Aymeric. Yeray has always been considered the best prospect, but Óscar had a better season: the fight is tight. Here the breaking new is that it has already been published that Jonás Ramalho will leave Athletic, Valverde does not count with him.
Alex Remiro played a brillian season, probably the best goalie in Segunda (together with two other basque/Athletic linked goalies, Kepa in Valladolid and Jon Ander Serantes in Leganés.) His problem is the other 3 more experienced goalies ahead of him in the first team. I think Remiro is the best of the 4, but he will probably get loaned to gain experience.
Unai López tried to be BA´s leader through different parts of the season. He was it sometimes, but still lacks regularity. I think he can be the new Beñat, Athletic has to focus on that. Might have his chance during preseason.
Saborit has been renewed for one more season. I think Valverde wants to keep on testing him considering the lack of left footed players we have in the first team, but he has it difficult. I think we will end up signing a left footed: Isma López / Berenguer.
Aketxe has been BA´s best player and leader during the second half of the season, one of the top scorers in the league, he has improved a lot. He will be injured until January/February, we´ll see what happens when he returns. Without the injury we would have been a first team player this season, no doubt.
Signing rumours: Isma López, Alex Berenguer, Ander Herrera, Nacho Monreal, César Azpilicueta.
As mentioned, Valverde wants some left footed players (currently only Balenziaga and Laporte in the first team). Isma López and Berenguer arise as the two options in the market. López has recicled himself as leftback in Sporting, playing decently in the last two years, I think he wouldn´t add much though. It would be his third signing for Athletic.
Osasuna´s Berenguer is an offensive winger, he does seem to have a bright future ahead of him. The singing wouldn´t be cheap, and this will obviously also depend on Osasuna staying in Segunda or promoting.
Seems like Mourinho doesn´t want Herrera in United and that has triggered the rumours of a possible comeback to Athletic. Then obviously we add the every-summer typicall rumours of Monreal and Azpilicueta.
We cannot forget all the rumours that put Aymeric Laporte in Manchester City next season, and all what that would mean in terms of: i) finding a substitute in defence and ii) what we can sign with those Eur 50m.
All in all, with still many doubts and with many players having to fight for a place in preseason, I think Athletic 2016-17 might look something like this, let´s see how far from reality I am at the end of summer.
Gorka Iraizoz
Kepa Arrizabalaga
Óscar de Marcos - Xabi Etxeita - Aymeric Laporte - Mikel Balenziaga
Markel Etxeberria - Eneko Bóveda - Yeray Álvarez - Iñigo Lekue
Beñat Exebarria - Mikel San José
Ander Iturraspe - Mikel Vesga
Iñaki Williams - Raúl García - Iker Muniain
Markel Susaeta - Ander Herrera - Alex Berenguer
Aritz Aduriz
Sabin Merino
Kepa Arrizabalaga
Óscar de Marcos - Xabi Etxeita - Aymeric Laporte - Mikel Balenziaga
Markel Etxeberria - Eneko Bóveda - Yeray Álvarez - Iñigo Lekue
Beñat Exebarria - Mikel San José
Ander Iturraspe - Mikel Vesga
Iñaki Williams - Raúl García - Iker Muniain
Markel Susaeta - Ander Herrera - Alex Berenguer
Aritz Aduriz
Sabin Merino
Players IN: Kepa (Valladolid, loan), Etxeberria (BA), Yeray (BA), Vesga (BA), Herrera (Manchester Utd), Berenguer (Osasuna).
Players OUT: Iago Hererin, Remiro, Bustinza, Gil, Aurtenetxe, Saborit, Rico, Unai López, Elustondo, Eraso, Ibai Gómez, Galarreta, Guillermo, Viguera, Sola.
Players OUT: Iago Hererin, Remiro, Bustinza, Gil, Aurtenetxe, Saborit, Rico, Unai López, Elustondo, Eraso, Ibai Gómez, Galarreta, Guillermo, Viguera, Sola.