Unai López


Unai López Cabrera is a Spanish professional footballer who plays as a defensive midfielder for La Liga club Rayo Vallecano.

Club career

Born in Errenteria, Gipuzkoa, López joined Athletic Bilbao's youth system in 2011 at the age of 14 from neighbouring Real Sociedad, after starting out at Antiguoko. He made his debut as a senior with the farm team in the 2012–13 season in the Tercera División, and in July 2013 was promoted to the reserves in the Segunda División B.
López was called up to the main squad by manager Ernesto Valverde on 2 July 2014, for pre-season matches. In August, he was also included in a B list for that campaign's UEFA Champions League.
On 27 August 2014, López was named on the bench for the Champions League play-off match against SSC Napoli. He made his first-team debut the following day, coming on as a substitute for Markel Susaeta in the 72nd minute of a 3–1 home win and also providing an assist to Ibai Gómez in the last goal. His La Liga bow took place on the 30th, when he featured 23 minutes in the 3–0 defeat of Levante UD also at the San Mamés Stadium.
On 26 July 2016, after a season back at the B side in the Segunda División, López was loaned to CD Leganés for one year. On 1 August of the following year, he moved to second tier club Rayo Vallecano on a one-year loan deal.
López scored his first competitive goal for Athletic on 8 March 2020, from a free kick to open a 4–1 away league victory over Real Valladolid. He featured regularly during the 2019–20 campaign, but subsequently fell down the pecking order after the emergence of newer youth prospects such as Oihan Sancet, Unai Vencedor and Oier Zarraga.
On 31 August 2021, López returned to Rayo on a three-year contract; Athletic retained a first refusal clause on any future transfer, while also receiving "a series of economic compensations".

International career

López represented Spain at under-16, under-18, under-19 and under-21 levels. He made his debut for the last of those age groups on 9 September 2014, in a 1–1 home draw against Austria for the 2015 UEFA European Championship qualifiers.

Honours

Rayo Vallecano
Athletic Bilbao