Athletic Bilbao's teenage prospect Christian Imga has taken a key career step by signing with the Lian Sports agency, a move that precedes the renewal of his contract with the Basque club, which currently runs until 2031. The 17-year-old forward, who scored on his senior debut against Prat, is seen as a key asset for the future.
Mikel González, Athletic's football director, has known the player since his earliest days. "He is like a son to me. I have known him since he was a youth player," explained González, who previously worked with Imga during his time in the Alavés youth system. The club is clear that it must secure the talent with a new deal and a high release clause before he turns 18 next February.
A historic debut
Imga made his first-team debut on October 25 in the 4-0 LaLiga win over Getafe, becoming the third youngest player this century to debut for Athletic. Just nine days later, in the cup rout of Prat, he scored his first official goal in the 87th minute with an assist from Conde. Standing 1.90 meters tall and still not 18, the left-footed attacker from Zumarraga is a Spain under-17 and under-18 international. His progress was halted by an injury in a Bilbao Athletic match, but his return is expected to bolster a squad sitting seventh in the standings, with 15 points from ten games, having recorded four wins and three draws. The team heads to Pamplona this Saturday having won two of their last three league matches, showing an upturn in form, though their record across the last five fixtures is one win, one draw and three losses.
Athletic's most recent victory came last Sunday, November 1, in the derby against Real Sociedad, a 2-1 win where Álex Berenguer, the team's top scorer this season with four goals, netted the winning goal from the penalty spot. This result improves the team's scoring record, having netted 14 goals and conceded 10 in the league. However, the Basque side finds itself 15 points behind the leaders, Barcelona.
Representation strategy
The switch to Lian Sports, an Irish agency with a strong presence in the European market, connects Imga with two dressing-room teammates: Álex Berenguer and Jesús Areso are also represented by them. Berenguer, the team's top scorer this season with four goals, is an example of the path the club wants for its academy product. Athletic, who travel to Pamplona to face Osasuna this Saturday November 7, an opponent sitting 15th in the table, see Imga as a piece to solidify their project. His next step, once fit, will be to sign the renewal that reflects his rising value and secures his place at San Mamés for the coming years. The club projects Imga to reach 2,000 minutes of first-team playing time under the new deal.
The report in full is at marca.com
