Uriarte: Athletic has positioned itself as Spain's fourth-best performing club

Athletic president Uriarte told shareholders the club ranks fourth in Spain by performance over four seasons, while acknowledging last year's underperformance and a 37% drop in squad market value.

Athletic held its ordinary shareholders' assembly at the Euskalduna Palace with 426 members present or attending remotely. President Jon Uriarte addressed the gathering with a speech highlighting the club's investment in youth development at Lezama, which exceeds €15 million per season.

Uriarte stated that over the past four seasons, Athletic has positioned itself as Spain's fourth-best performing club. He pointed to the academy's success, noting that the number of youth graduates earning international caps has risen from 6 to 16 in the men's game and from 5 to 18 in the women's game.

However, Uriarte acknowledged last season's shortcomings, saying Athletic failed to meet its objectives with results below expectations. He revealed the squad's market value fell 37% to levels seen two seasons prior. He stressed the need for improved performance from retained talent and new signings, noting that some high-investment transfers have not delivered the expected regular and differential improvement.