Muniain signs former Athletic Academy teammate for Salamanca

Iker Muniain is building his new project at Salamanca UDS in Segunda RFEF with familiar faces. The club confirmed the signing of Luis Bilbao, a 21-year-old left winger who trained at Lezama alongside the former Athletic player.

Bilbao never made an official debut for the senior squad but featured in five friendlies for the Basque side: four during the 2022-23 preseason and one in 2023-24, both under Valverde. Earlier, he was called up three times under Marcelino, twice in league matches and once in the Copa del Rey. After joining the academy in 2013, he progressed through the ranks, spending time at Bilbao Athletic before loans to Cultural Leonesa and Barakaldo. A year ago he was transferred to Celta to play for their reserve team in Segunda RFEF, accumulating 440 minutes, according to Mundo Deportivo.

Bilbao won't be Muniain's only northern connection. Defender Javier Murua, who played for Bilbao Athletic between 2018 and 2020, will also work under the coach. Additionally, Aimar Vicandi, who left Athletic a year ago to sign for Espanyol, has joined the project. The Segunda RFEF season kicks off the first weekend of September.