Maroan Sannadi

Key strength: Link-up play

Target man

In a club fiercely defined by its Basque-only identity, 25-year-old Moroccan striker Maroan Sannadi represents Athletic Bilbao's quiet evolution. With Los Leones climbing from the relegation zone through a LLDWW resurgence, Sannadi has emerged as Valverde's unlikely super-sub. Operating behind club legend Gorka Guruzeta, Sannadi has maximized his limited opportunities with ruthless efficiency—contributing 1 goal and 2 assists in just 334 minutes across 9 appearances. That's a direct goal involvement every 111 minutes, a strike rate that demands more playing time. As a classic target man, his aerial presence and link-up play offer Bilbao a tactical alternative when their intricate Basque passing breaks down. At €5m market value, he's already proven shrewd business, complementing the explosive wide running of 83-rated star Nico Williams and Oihan Sancet's creative midfield work. While his minutes remain limited, Sannadi's contributions have been clutch in tight contests. As Athletic navigate a congested winter schedule fighting for mid-table security, this Moroccan outlier symbolizes how football's most traditional club is subtly expanding its horizons without betraying its soul.