Athletic Bilbao's summer planning is already underway, and one of the first major decisions facing new head coach Edin Terzic involves the club's record signing, striker Djaló. The Portuguese forward, who joined from Braga in March 2024 for a fee of 15 million euros, is currently on loan at Al Gharafa in Qatar and has no permanent buyer lined up.
Djaló's transfer made him the third most expensive acquisition in Athletic's history, behind only Yuri's move from PSG and Iñigo Martínez's transfer from Real Sociedad. The 26-year-old, who will turn 27 in August, signed a contract with the Basque club that runs until 2029. This season, he has been playing in the Qatar Stars League, making 29 appearances across four different competitions and scoring two goals for Al Gharafa.
The loan agreement included a purchase option, but the Qatari club has indicated it does not intend to exercise that clause. This leaves Athletic and Terzic with a clear choice to make before the team reconvenes for preseason training. The German manager, who signed a two-year contract, is working closely with the club's director of football, Mikel González, to shape the squad for the upcoming campaign.
Terzic is reportedly keen to avoid a bloated preseason roster. He wants every player who begins preseason with the first team to be a genuine contender for a place in the final squad. This philosophy means that decisions on players like Djaló will be made early, with a preliminary squad cull expected before the first training sessions even begin.
The responsibility for this decision will be shared between Terzic, who has been conducting a thorough analysis of the squad, and Mikel González. González was a key advocate for signing Djaló initially, stating at the time that the market demanded it due to competition from other clubs. However, he also acknowledged last September that the player's integration had not gone as planned.
"The season was really bad and he did not take a step forward," González said regarding the decision to loan Djaló out. "We could not afford a second year in a similar role. We want to help him recover his level." This candid assessment sets the stage for what could be a pivotal summer for the striker's career at San Mamés.
With a long-term contract in place but a disappointing loan spell behind him, Djaló's future is uncertain. The coming weeks will reveal whether Terzic sees a place for him in his plans or if Athletic will seek to move on from their significant investment. Based on reporting from Fútbol // marca.