Ager Aketxe

In this Spanish name, the first or paternal surname is Aketxe and the second or maternal family name is Barrutia.

Ager Aketxe Barrutia (born 30 December 1993) is a Spanish professional footballer who plays as an attacking midfielder for Segunda División club Real Zaragoza.

Ager Aketxe

Personal information
Full name	Ager Aketxe Barrutia[1]
Date of birth	(1993-12-30) 30 December 1993 (age 31)[1]
Place of birth	Bilbao, Spain
Height	1.74 m (5 ft 9 in)[1]
Position(s)	Attacking midfielder
Team information
Current team	Zaragoza
Number	23
Youth career
2003–2011	Athletic Bilbao
Senior career*
Years	Team	Apps	(Gls)
2011–2012	Basconia	33	(9)
2012–2016	Athletic Bilbao B	86	(19)
2014–2018	Athletic Bilbao	14	(1)
2017	→ Cádiz (loan)	16	(4)
2018	Toronto FC	11	(0)
2018	→ Cádiz (loan)	15	(1)
2019	Cádiz	18	(3)
2019–2020	Deportivo La Coruña	39	(7)
2020–2021	Almería	25	(4)
2021–2024	Eibar	83	(13)
2024–	Zaragoza	11	(1)
International career
2013	Spain U20	4	(0)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 20 November 2024

He began his career with Athletic Bilbao, going on to represent both the first and the second teams and make 34 official appearances for the former. He also competed professionally in Major League Soccer, with Toronto FC.

Club career

Athletic Bilbao

Born in Bilbao, Biscay, Basque Country, Aketxe joined Athletic Bilbao's Lezama setup in 2003, aged nine. He made his senior debut with the feeder club CD Basconia in 2011, in the Tercera División.^[2]

In May 2012, Aketxe was promoted to the second team.^[3] He featured regularly for the side, playing all Segunda División B games in his second season.^[4]

On 2 September 2014, Aketxe was promoted to the main squad in La Liga, being assigned number 23 jersey.^[5] He appeared in his first match as a professional on 17 September, coming on as a substitute for Iker Muniain in the 75th minute of a 0–0 home draw against FC Shakhtar Donetsk in the group stage of the UEFA Champions League;^[6] however, he sustained a foot injury which put him out of action for six weeks.^[7]

Aketxe scored his first goal in the Spanish top flight on 17 May 2015, netting his team's first in a 3–2 away win against Elche CF as Athletic came from behind 2–0.^[8] In the beginning of 2016, he was moved down back to the B side to help them avoid relegation from Segunda División and gain some minutes.^[9] On 27 February he scored a hat-trick in a 4–2 home victory over SD Ponferradina,^[10] but they eventually finished in 22nd and last position in spite of his eight goals.^[11]

On 31 January 2017, after making no appearances during the first half of the campaign due to recovering from a serious knee injury,^[12] Aketxe was loaned to Cádiz CF in the second tier until June.^[13] On 16 February 2018, Athletic cancelled his contract with immediate effect (retaining the right to re-sign him in the following years) to allow him to negotiate a move abroad.^[14]

Toronto FC

Aketxe signed with Major League Soccer side Toronto FC on 23 February 2018, with Athletic holding a buy-back option at the conclusion of his contract.^[15][16] He made his debut four days later, coming on as a second-half substitute in a 0–0 home draw against Colorado Rapids in the second leg of the round of 16 of the CONCACAF Champions League.^[17] His first start came on 3 March in the opening match of the season, a 2–0 home defeat to Columbus Crew SC.^[18]

Cádiz

On 11 July 2018, Aketxe returned to Cádiz after agreeing to a six-month loan with an option to purchase.^[19][20] In November, Toronto and player terminated the remaining term on their contract "by mutual consent".^[21]

After cutting ties with the Canadian club, Athletic Bilbao did not exercise their buyback option and Aketxe's original loan with Cádiz became an official deal, expiring on 30 June 2019.^[22]

Deportivo

On 13 July 2019, free agent Aketxe joined fellow second division side Deportivo de La Coruña on a one-year deal,^[23] where he was given the number 10 shirt. He scored a goal on his official debut on 18 August, in a 3–2 home victory over Real Oviedo.^[24]

Almería

On 7 September 2020, after being relegated, Aketxe agreed to a two-year contract with UD Almería in the same league.^[25] He again scored in his first appearance, helping to a 2–0 away win against CD Lugo.^[26]

Eibar

On 27 July 2021, Aketxe signed a two-year deal with SD Eibar, recently relegated to the second tier;^[27] in July 2023, he extended it until the summer of 2024.^[28] He netted a career-best 11 times during that campaign.^[29]

Zaragoza

On 7 August 2024, Aketxe joined Real Zaragoza on a two-year contract on a free transfer.^[30] He scored once again in his league bow, in the 4–0 victory at Cádiz.^[31]

Personal life

Aketxe's older brother, Isaac, was also a footballer; he too was groomed at Athletic Bilbao's youth setup.^[32] Their father, known as Isaac Aqueche due to spelling conventions of the time, played as a midfielder in the lower divisions of Spanish football^[33][34] including a spell with Athletic's reserves.^[35]

In May 2016, Aketxe and two others were put on trial for having caused minor injuries to an off-duty ertzaina the previous August during a local festival in his place of residence, the Getxo neighbourhood of Romo.^[36]

Career statistics

As of 12 June 2024^[37]

Appearances and goals by club, season and competition

Club	Season	League			National cup		Continental		Other		Total
		Division	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals
Basconia	2011–12[38]	Tercera División	33	9	—		—		—		33	9
Athletic Bilbao B	2012–13[38]	Segunda División B	27	5	—		—		3[a]	0	30	5
	2013–14[38]		38	6	—		—		—		38	6
	2015–16[38]	Segunda División	21	8	—		—		—		21	8
	Total		86	19	0	0	0	0	3	0	89	19
Athletic Bilbao	2014–15[39]	La Liga	8	1	3	0	1[b]	0	—		12	0
	2015–16[39]		3	0	1	0	6[c]	0	—		10	0
	2017–18[39]		3	0	2	0	7[c]	0	—		12	0
	Total		14	1	6	0	14	0	0	0	34	1
Cádiz (loan)	2016–17[38]	Segunda División	16	4	0	0	—		2[d]	1	18	5
Toronto FC	2018[40]	Major League Soccer	11	0	0	0	3[e]	0	—		14	0
Cádiz (loan)	2018–19[38]	Segunda División	15	1	2	0	—		—		17	1
Cádiz	2018–19[38]	Segunda División	18	3	0	0	—		—		18	3
Deportivo	2019–20[38]	Segunda División	39	7	2	0	—		—		41	7
Almería	2020–21[38]	Segunda División	25	4	2	2	—		2[d]	0	29	6
Eibar	2021–22[38]	Segunda División	22	0	2	0	—		2[d]	1	26	1
	2022–23[38]	Segunda División	21	2	1	0	—		2[d]	0	24	2
	2023–24[38]	Segunda División	40	11	2	2	—		2[d]	0	44	13
	Total		83	13	5	2	0	0	6	1	94	16
Career total			340	61	17	4	17	0	13	2	387	67

1. Appearances in Segunda División B play-offs
2. Appearance in UEFA Champions League
3. Appearances in UEFA Europa League
4. Appearances in La Liga play-offs
5. Appearances in CONCACAF Champions League

Honours

Athletic Bilbao

• Supercopa de España: 2015^[41]

References

1. "Aketxe". Diario AS (in Spanish). Retrieved 11 January 2023.
2. "Athletic Club and CD Basconia extend partnership agreement through 2023". Inside Athletic. 17 January 2020. Retrieved 6 July 2020.
3. "From Basconia to Bilbao Athletic". Athletic Bilbao. 30 May 2012. Archived from the original on 7 November 2013. Retrieved 27 October 2014.
4. Cuenca, Nika (14 May 2014). "Aketxe, sin acuerdo para renovar, seguirá en el Bilbao Athletic" [Aketxe, with no deal to renew, will continue at Bilbao Athletic]. Diario AS (in Spanish). Retrieved 1 September 2024.
5. "Ager Aketxe es jugador de la primera plantilla y llevará el dorsal 23" [Ager Aketxe is a first team player and will don the number 23 jersey]. Mundo Deportivo (in Spanish). 2 September 2014. Retrieved 27 October 2014.
6. Aitken, Nick (17 September 2014). "Honours even as Athletic hold Shakhtar Donetsk". UEFA. Retrieved 29 September 2022.
7. "Una lesión en el pie empaña el esperado debut de Aketxe" [Foot injury tarnishes Aketxe's anticipated debut]. Gara (in Spanish). 19 September 2014. Retrieved 2 February 2017.
8. Rincón, Jaime (17 May 2015). "Williams señala a Europa" [Williams points to Europe]. Marca (in Spanish). Retrieved 18 May 2015.
9. Velasco, Juanma (4 January 2016). "Aketxe se recalifica en el filial" [Aketxe undergoes makeover in reserves]. Marca (in Spanish). Retrieved 6 January 2016.
10. "Un 'hat-trick' de Aketxe mantiene la fe del Bilbao Athletic" [Aketxe hat-trick keeps Bilbao Athletic's faith]. Marca (in Spanish). 27 February 2016. Retrieved 27 February 2016.
11. "Aketxe, mejor jugador del Bilbao Athletic" [Aketxe, best Bilbao Athletic player]. Deia (in Spanish). 2 January 2017. Retrieved 1 September 2024.
12. "Aketxe tiene roto el ligamento cruzado de la rodilla derecha" [Aketxe tears the cruciate ligament in his right knee]. Marca (in Spanish). 27 May 2016. Retrieved 2 February 2017.
13. "Cesión de Ager Aketxe" [Ager Aketxe loan]. Athletic Bilbao. 31 January 2017. Retrieved 1 February 2017.
14. "Athletic Bilbao clear Ager Aketxe to complete move to MLS". ESPN. 16 February 2018. Retrieved 18 February 2018.
15. "Toronto FC signs former Athletic Bilbao midfielder Ager Aketxe". ESPN. 23 February 2018. Retrieved 23 February 2018.
16. "Toronto FC sign Spanish midfielder Ager Aketxe". Toronto FC. 23 February 2018. Retrieved 23 February 2018.
17. Molinaro, John (27 February 2018). "TFC takes care of business against Colorado in Champions League". Sportsnet. Retrieved 27 February 2018.
18. Molinaro, John (3 March 2018). "Toronto FC squander chances as Crew spoil historic party". Sportsnet. Retrieved 4 March 2018.
19. Quillen, Ian Nicholas (11 July 2018). "Toronto FC loan Ager Aketxe to Spanish 2nd Division side Cádiz CF". Major League Soccer. Retrieved 11 July 2018.
20. Platt, Oliver (10 July 2018). "Ager Aketxe still with Toronto FC amid rumors of imminent return to Cádiz". Pro Soccer USA. Archived from the original on 6 March 2019. Retrieved 11 July 2018.
21. Molinaro, John (27 November 2018). "Toronto FC decline contract options on Irwin, Ricketts". Sportsnet. Retrieved 27 November 2018.
22. Bejarano, Isabelo (4 February 2019). "Ager Aketxe es agente libre y el Cádiz lo valora" [Ager Aketxe is a free agent and Cádiz weighing their options]. Marca (in Spanish). Retrieved 6 February 2019.
23. "Aketxe, nuevo jugador del Dépor 2019–2020" [Aketxe, new player of Dépor 2019–2020] (in Spanish). Deportivo La Coruña. 13 July 2019. Retrieved 13 July 2019.
24. "Los fichajes empiezan a funcionar en A Coruña" [The signings begin to work in A Coruña] (in Spanish). Be Soccer. 20 August 2019. Retrieved 26 August 2019.
25. "Almeria signs top-notch left-footed Aketxe on two-year deal". UD Almería. 7 September 2020. Retrieved 7 September 2020.
26. Lorenzo, Álvaro (27 September 2020). "Akieme y Aketxe firman un estreno redondo del Almería" [Akieme and Aketxe sign cracker of a debut for Almería]. Marca (in Spanish). Retrieved 7 October 2020.
27. "Ager Aketxe, otro refuerzo para el Eibar de Garitano" [Ager Aketxe, another addition for Garitano's Eibar] (in Spanish). SD Eibar. 27 July 2021. Retrieved 2 August 2021.
28. Barroso, Ander (7 July 2023). "Se acabó el 'culebrón': Aketxe renueva como armero" ['Soap opera' over: Aketxe renews as armero]. Marca (in Spanish). Retrieved 11 October 2023.
29. Aurrekoetxea, Asier (21 May 2024). "La transformación de Aketxe" [Aketxe's transformation]. Diario AS (in Spanish). Retrieved 31 August 2024.
30. "Ager Aketxe, nuevo jugador del Real Zaragoza" [Ager Aketxe, new Real Zaragoza player] (in Spanish). Real Zaragoza. 7 August 2024. Retrieved 7 August 2024.
31. Jaques Nuche, Jesús (16 August 2024). "El Cádiz CF da vergüenza en su vuelta a Segunda y es goleado por el Zaragoza (0–4)" [Cádiz CF embarrass in their return to Segunda and are thrashed by Zaragoza (0–4)]. Diario de Cádiz (in Spanish). Retrieved 1 September 2024.
32. Crespo, Iñigo (24 February 2013). "Reparto entre hermanos en Las Llanas" [Brothers get sharing at Las Llanas]. El Correo (in Spanish). Retrieved 19 May 2016.
33. "Aqueche: Isaac Aqueche Aranceta". BDFutbol. Retrieved 18 February 2018.
34. "Aqueche, 112 partidos" [Aqueche, 112 matches] (in Spanish). Miranda Deportiva. 13 March 2013. Retrieved 18 February 2018.
35. "Isaac Aketxe Aranceta". Athletic Bilbao. Retrieved 20 March 2018.
36. Velasco, Juanma (18 May 2016). "El club apoya a Aketxe y confía en su inocencia" [Club supports Aketxe and trusts in his innocence]. Marca (in Spanish). Retrieved 19 May 2016.
37. Ager Aketxe at Soccerway
38. Ager Aketxe at BDFutbol
39. Ager Aketxe at Athletic Bilbao
40. Ager Aketxe at WorldFootball.net
41. "Acta del partido celebrado el 14 de agosto de 2015, en Bilbao" [Minutes of the match held on 14 August 2015, in Bilbao] (in Spanish). Royal Spanish Football Federation. Archived from the original on 15 June 2020. Retrieved 29 September 2022.
    "Acta del partido celebrado el 17 de agosto de 2015, en Barcelona" [Minutes of the match held on 17 August 2015, in Barcelona] (in Spanish). Royal Spanish Football Federation. Retrieved 29 September 2022.

External links

• Ager Aketxe at Athletic Bilbao
• Ager Aketxe at BDFutbol