Iñaki Williams Vows to Retire at Athletic as Real Sociedad Lose Their Only Fit Right-Back
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Athletic Club captain Inaki Williams says he will retire at the Basque club and never wear another shirt, telling Spanish broadcaster RNE that playing elsewhere is "impossible" for him. The 32-year-old, who has made 516 official appearances and is contracted until 2028, recently stepped away from the Ghana national team to focus solely on Athletic, according to Marca.
Real Sociedad are without a fit right-back after Jon Mikel Aramburu suffered a soleus muscle tear in his right leg during Tuesday's training session, Marca reported. The Venezuela international joins Hector Fort and long-term absentee Alvaro Odriozola on the injury list, leaving coach Pellegrino Matarazzo short of options for Sunday's visit from Deportivo, with reserve-team candidate Iñaki Ruperez ineligible after being registered outside the under-23 squad.
Transfer and squad notes
Real Madrid's market values are shifting sharply, with Vinicius Junior's Transfermarkt valuation falling from 200 million euros two years ago to 130 million now, while winger Yan Diomande has jumped from 90 to 120 million euros — the biggest rise in La Liga despite fewer than 300 minutes and no goals this season, Marca reported. Arda Guler has also climbed to 100 million euros, giving Madrid five of La Liga's ten most valuable players, though Barcelona's Lamine Yamal remains the league's most valuable at 220 million.
German media reports suggest Bayern Munich could move for Barcelona's Dani Olmo for around 90 million euros, in the winter window or next summer, according to Marca Radio; the claim is presented as unconfirmed speculation from German outlets rather than an official approach, and Barcelona sources have pushed back on any departure.
Real Betis left-back Junior Firpo faces roughly three weeks out with a confirmed left adductor muscle injury sustained while on international duty with the Dominican Republic against Haiti, Marca reported. His absence lands as Betis prepare for nine matches in 28 days across LaLiga, the Champions League and the Copa del Rey, with Valentin the likely alternative at left-back.
What it means for the league
Williams's declaration reinforces Athletic's identity as a one-club institution even as the market around them accelerates, illustrated by the scale of Real Madrid's valuation swings and the speculation already surrounding Barcelona's squad. Injury depth is emerging as an early differentiator this season: Real Sociedad's defensive options are now genuinely stretched, and Betis face a congested fixture run without a key full-back, while Madrid's rise of younger players like Diomande and Guler suggests their long-term planning is already paying dividends regardless of Vinicius's dip in value.