Summer signings: two hits, one painful miss
Your three big bets from last summer have been put under the microscope (1). Two have been resounding successes, slotting straight into what Imanol needed. The third, costing around €11m, has been a write-off, injuries have kept him sidelined almost entirely. That's a tough outcome for a club built on smart recruitment. The takeaway heading into this window: durability matters just as much as quality.
Herrera arrives to fill the box-to-box void
Yangel Herrera's signing is all about system fit (2). Erik Bretos and Imanol Alguacil identified a clear gap, no genuine box-to-box presence in midfield, and moved to fill it. Herrera brings the engine and physical edge the squad has been crying out for. This isn't a market-opportunity signing. It's a tactical necessity finally addressed.
Argentine defender on the radar
The club is watching 22-year-old Argentine centre-back Lautaro Rivero (3). His story is extraordinary, selling goods at traffic lights before football gave him an escape route. Now he's turning heads in San Sebastián. No formal move yet, but the profile checks every box: young, high upside, and attainable at the right price.
