Nico Serrano

Key strength: Pace and dribbling

Wide creator

In the rugged Basque Country, where Athletic Bilbao's cantera tradition demands patience as much as talent, 22-year-old Nico Serrano navigates the delicate apprenticeship of a Lezama graduate. The Lions sit 5th in La Liga with an erratic LDLLW form line—a team oscillating between European ambition and frustrating inconsistency—yet these turbulent waters are precisely where academy products learn to swim. Serrano, a €1.5m-rated left winger, has clocked 639 minutes across 22 appearances this season, chipping in 2 goals while still searching for his first assist. His 55-rated profile and inside-forward instincts suggest a player refining that final ball at San Mamés. But standing between him and the starting berth is Nico Williams—an 83-rated Spain international who owns that left flank with devastating authority. Among teammates like midfield metronome Mikel Jauregizar (78) and creative force Oihan Sancet (70), Serrano's adaptability keeps him relevant. At Athletic, waiting isn't punishment—it's doctrine. For this Basque winger, every substitute appearance is another step toward the day that left wing becomes his alone.