Ager Aketxe
Ager Aketxe Barrutia (born 30 December 1993) is a Spanish professional footballer who plays as an attacking midfielder for SD Eibar.
| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | Ager Aketxe Barrutia[1] | ||
| Date of birth | 30 December 1993[1] | ||
| Place of birth | Bilbao, Spain | ||
| Height | 1.74 m (5 ft 9 in)[1] | ||
| Position(s) | Attacking midfielder | ||
| Team information | |||
Current team | Eibar | ||
| Number | 11 | ||
| 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– | Eibar | 60 | (9) |
| International career | |||
| 2013 | Spain U20 | 4 | (0) |
| *Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 14 December 2023 | |||
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 edit
Athletic Bilbao edit
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 Tercera División.[2]
In May 2012, Aketxe was promoted to the second team in the Segunda División B.[3] He featured regularly for the side, playing all league games in his second season.
On 2 September 2014, Aketxe was promoted to the main squad in La Liga, being assigned number 23 jersey.[4] 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;[5] however, he sustained a foot injury in that match which put him out of action for six weeks.[6]
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 to help Athletic come from behind 0–2.[7] 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.[8] On 27 February he scored a hat-trick in a 4–2 home victory over SD Ponferradina,[9] but the team eventually finished in 22nd and last position.
On 31 January 2017, after making no appearances during the first half of the campaign due to recovering from a serious knee injury suffered at the end of the previous season,[10] Aketxe was loaned to Cádiz CF in the second tier until June.[11] 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.[12]
Toronto FC edit
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.[13][14] 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.[15] His first start came on 3 March in the opening match of the 2018 MLS season, a 2–0 home defeat to Columbus Crew SC.[16]
Cádiz edit
On 11 July 2018, Aketxe returned to Cádiz after agreeing to a six-month loan with an option to purchase.[17][18] In November, Toronto and player terminated the remaining term on their contract "by mutual consent".[19]
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.[20]
Deportivo edit
On 13 July 2019, free agent Aketxe joined fellow second division side Deportivo de La Coruña on a one-year deal,[21] 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.[22]
Almería edit
On 7 September 2020, after being relegated, Aketxe agreed to a two-year contract with UD Almería in the same league.[23] He again scored in his very first appearance, helping to a 2–0 away win against CD Lugo.[24]
Eibar edit
On 27 July 2021, Aketxe signed a two-year deal with SD Eibar, recently relegated to the second tier.[25] On 7 July 2023, he extended his contract until the summer of 2024.[26]
Personal life edit
Aketxe's older brother, Isaac, is also a footballer; he too was groomed at Athletic Bilbao's youth setup.[27] Their father, known as Isaac Aqueche due to spelling conventions of the time, played as a midfielder in the lower divisions of Spanish football[28][29] including a spell with Athletic's reserves.[30]
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.[31]
Career statistics edit
- As of 11 October 2023[32]
| Club | Season | League | National cup | Continental | Other | Total | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Division | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | ||
| Basconia | 2011–12[33] | Tercera División | 33 | 9 | — | — | — | 33 | 9 | |||
| Athletic Bilbao B | 2012–13 | Segunda División B | 27 | 5 | — | — | 3[a] | 0 | 30 | 5 | ||
| 2013–14[33] | 38 | 6 | — | — | — | 38 | 6 | |||||
| 2015–16[33] | Segunda División | 21 | 8 | — | — | — | 21 | 8 | ||||
| Total | 86 | 19 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 89 | 19 | ||
| Athletic Bilbao | 2014–15[34] | La Liga | 8 | 1 | 3 | 0 | 1[b] | 0 | — | 12 | 0 | |
| 2015–16[34] | 3 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 6[c] | 0 | — | 10 | 0 | |||
| 2017–18[34] | 3 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 7[d] | 0 | — | 12 | 0 | |||
| Total | 14 | 1 | 6 | 0 | 14 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 34 | 1 | ||
| Cádiz (loan) | 2016–17[33] | Segunda División | 16 | 4 | 0 | 0 | — | 2[e] | 1 | 18 | 5 | |
| Toronto FC | 2018[35] | Major League Soccer | 11 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3[f] | 0 | — | 14 | 0 | |
| Cádiz (loan) | 2018–19[33] | Segunda División | 15 | 1 | 2 | 0 | — | — | 15 | 1 | ||
| Cádiz | 2018–19[33] | Segunda División | 18 | 3 | 0 | 0 | — | — | 18 | 3 | ||
| Deportivo | 2019–20[33] | Segunda División | 39 | 7 | 2 | 0 | — | — | 41 | 7 | ||
| Almería | 2020–21[33] | Segunda División | 25 | 4 | 2 | 2 | — | 2[e] | 0 | 29 | 6 | |
| Eibar | 2021–22[33] | Segunda División | 24 | 1 | 2 | 0 | — | 2[e] | 1 | 28 | 2 | |
| 2022–23[33] | Segunda División | 23 | 2 | 1 | 0 | — | — | 24 | 2 | |||
| 2023–24[33] | Segunda División | 8 | 4 | 0 | 0 | — | — | 8 | 4 | |||
| Total | 312 | 13 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 60 | 8 | ||
| Career total | 281 | 49 | 14 | 2 | 17 | 0 | 9 | 2 | 351 | 58 | ||
- ^ Appearances in Segunda División B promotion play-offs
- ^ Appearances in the 2014–15 UEFA Champions League
- ^ Appearances in the 2015–16 UEFA Europa League
- ^ Appearances in the 2017–18 UEFA Europa League
- ^ a b c Appearances in Segunda División promotion play-offs
- ^ Appearances in the 2018 CONCACAF Champions League
Honours edit
Athletic Bilbao
References edit
- ^ a b c "Aketxe". Diario AS (in Spanish). Retrieved 11 January 2023.
- ^ "Athletic Club and CD Basconia extend partnership agreement through 2023". Inside Athletic. 17 January 2020. Retrieved 6 July 2020.
- ^ . Athletic Bilbao. 30 May 2012. Archived from the original on 7 November 2013. Retrieved 27 October 2014.
- ^ "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.
- ^ Aitken, Nick (17 September 2014). "Honours even as Athletic hold Shakhtar Donetsk". UEFA. Retrieved 29 September 2022.
- ^ "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.
- ^ Rincón, Jaime (17 May 2015). "Williams señala a Europa" [Williams points to Europe]. Marca (in Spanish). Retrieved 18 May 2015.
- ^ Velasco, Juanma (4 January 2016). "Aketxe se recalifica en el filial" [Aketxe undergoes makeover in reserves]. Marca (in Spanish). Retrieved 6 January 2016.
- ^ "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.
- ^ "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.
- ^ "Cesión de Ager Aketxe" [Ager Aketxe loan]. Athletic Bilbao. 31 January 2017. Retrieved 1 February 2017.
- ^ "Athletic Bilbao clear Ager Aketxe to complete move to MLS". ESPN. 16 February 2018. Retrieved 18 February 2018.
- ^ "Toronto FC signs former Athletic Bilbao midfielder Ager Aketxe". ESPN. 23 February 2018. Retrieved 23 February 2018.
- ^ "Toronto FC sign Spanish midfielder Ager Aketxe". Toronto FC. 23 February 2018. Retrieved 23 February 2018.
- ^ Molinaro, John (27 February 2018). "TFC takes care of business against Colorado in Champions League". Sportsnet. Retrieved 27 February 2018.
- ^ Molinaro, John (3 March 2018). "Toronto FC squander chances as Crew spoil historic party". Sportsnet. Retrieved 4 March 2018.
- ^ 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.
- ^ . Pro Soccer USA. 10 July 2018. Archived from the original on 6 March 2019. Retrieved 11 July 2018.
- ^ Molinaro, John (27 November 2018). "Toronto FC decline contract options on Irwin, Ricketts". Sportsnet. Retrieved 27 November 2018.
- ^ 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.
- ^ "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.
- ^ "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.
- ^ "Almeria signs top-notch left-footed Aketxe on two-year deal". UD Almería. 7 September 2020. Retrieved 7 September 2020.
- ^ 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.
- ^ "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.
- ^ "Se acabó el 'culebrón': Aketxe renueva como armero". MARCA (in Spanish). 7 July 2023. Retrieved 11 October 2023.
- ^ 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.
- ^ "Aqueche: Isaac Aqueche Aranceta". BDFutbol. Retrieved 18 February 2018.
- ^ "Aqueche, 112 partidos" [Aqueche, 112 matches] (in Spanish). Miranda Deportiva. 13 March 2013. Retrieved 18 February 2018.
- ^ "Isaac Aketxe Aranceta". Athletic Bilbao. Retrieved 20 March 2018.
- ^ 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.
- ^ Ager Aketxe at Soccerway
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j k Ager Aketxe at BDFutbol
- ^ a b c Ager Aketxe at Athletic Bilbao
- ^ Ager Aketxe at WorldFootball.net
- ^ [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 edit
- Ager Aketxe at Athletic Bilbao
- Ager Aketxe at BDFutbol
- Ager Aketxe at Soccerway