Real Sociedad are facing something of a gauntlet this summer in terms of holding on to their best talent, and it looks as if one of their promises will be on the way out. Creative midfielder Robert Navarro has never quite settled in the first team at La Real, and will cross the divide next year.
Navarro has made 34 appearances for La Real, but spent last season on loan at Cadiz, where he gradually won a place in the team, and was an important player for the Yellow Submarine by the end of the campaign. With a year left on his deal though, Relevo say he has decided against renewing his contract.
The reason being that the 22-year-old has decided to move to Basque rivals Athletic Club in the summer of 2025. La Real are aware of this, and were keen for Navarro to accept one of the offers on the table for him. However Navarro is set on Bilbao, and Real Sociedad are hoping they can get an offer from Athletic this summer.
Los Leones have no intention of spending on a player that will arrive for free next summer though, and the possibility of a loan is mentioned, as happened with Andoni Gorosabel this past season at Alaves, as a bridge between the two clubs.
Navarro is a talented player, but at 22, has found minutes hard to come by in his favoured number 10 role. However at Cadiz he started to show evidence that he could be effective out wide, and Athletic will no doubt feel that his ceiling is worth taking a risk on. With Iker Muniain gone, and Alex Berenguer ageing, a move for Navarro makes plenty of sense.
