Imanol Agirretxe

Imanol Agirretxe

File:Imanol-Agirretxe.JPG Agirretxe in 2010
Personal information
Full name	Imanol Agirretxe Arruti
Date of birth	(1987-02-24) 24 February 1987
Place of birth	Usurbil, Spain
Height
Position(s)	Striker
Team information
Current team	Real Sociedad
Number	9
Youth career
	Antiguoko
2001–2003	Athletic Bilbao
2003–2004	Real Sociedad
Senior career*
Years	Team	Apps	(Gls)
2004–2008	Real Sociedad B	110	(33)
2005–	Real Sociedad	235	(71)
2007	→ Castellón (loan)	8	(1)
International career
2003	Spain U16	3	(4)
2004–2005	Spain U17	7	(0)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 28 February 2016

This name uses Spanish naming customs: the first or paternal family name is Agirretxe and the second or maternal family name is Arruti.

Imanol Agirretxe Arruti (born 24 February 1987) is a Spanish professional footballer who plays for Real Sociedad as a striker.

Club career

Born in Usurbil, Gipuzkoa, Agirretxe was a product of Real Sociedad's youth system. He first appeared with the first team in 2004–05, amassing three substitute appearances – during his second, a 1–3 home loss against Málaga CF on 15 May 2005, he managed to score after just 16 minutes on the pitch. In the following three seasons combined, however, he only appeared in nine league matches, and also served a six-month loan spell at CD Castellón in the second division.

In 2008–09's second level, Agirretxe appeared regularly for the main squad, mainly due to the serious injury to Iñigo Díaz de Cerio. He netted nine goals in 28 games, but the Basques again failed to return to La Liga.

Again mainly a backup after the signing on loan of Uruguayan Carlos Bueno, Agirretxe scored six times in the following campaign, in 36 matches, as Real finally promoted as champions. In 2011–12, following Raúl Tamudo's departure and the continuous physical problems that bothered Joseba Llorente, he was finally made first-choice, and netted three goals in his first two league games: two against Sporting de Gijón in a 2–1 away win and one against FC Barcelona, helping the hosts come from behind 0–2 for an eventual 2–2 draw; he finished with ten successful strikes, only trailing Carlos Vela in the squad.

On 19 January 2013, Agirretxe came from the bench for the last six minutes of a home fixture against Barcelona, and scored in the last minute to help Real Sociedad seal a 3–2 comeback (they trailed 0–2 in the 40th minute) and end the Catalans' unbeaten domestic run. At the season's end he again finished second in team scoring (13), again only behind the Mexican.

Club statistics

As of 13 March 2016

Club	Season	League		Cup		Continental		Other		Total
		Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals
Real Sociedad B	2004–05	23	7	–	–	–	–	–	–	23	7
	2005–06	34	12	–	–	–	–	–	–	34	12
	2006–07	12	3	–	–	–	–	–	–	12	3
	2007–08	30	9	–	–	–	–	–	–	30	9
	2008–09	7	1	–	–	–	–	–	–	7	1
	Total	110	33	0	0	0	0	0	0	110	33
Castellón	2006–07	8	1	–	–	–	–	–	–	23	7
Real Sociedad	2004–05	3	1	–	–	–	–	–	–	3	1
	2005–06	1	0	1	0	–	–	–	–	2	0
	2006–07	6	0	–	–	–	–	–	–	6	0
	2007–08	2	0	–	–	–	–	–	–	2	0
	2008–09	28	9	–	–	–	–	–	–	28	9
	2009–10	36	6	1	0	–	–	–	–	37	6
	2010–11	11	3	2	1	–	–	–	–	13	4
	2011–12	36	10	3	2	–	–	–	–	39	12
	2012–13	34	14	2	1	–	–	–	–	36	15
	2013–14	31	8	3	0	6	0	–	–	40	8
	2014–15	31	7	2	0	4	0	–	–	37	7
	2015–16	16	13	0	0	0	0	–	–	16	13
	Total	235	71	14	4	10	0	0	0	260	75
Career total		353	105	14	4	10	0	0	0	392	115

External links

• Real Sociedad official profile (Spanish)
• Imanol Agirretxe profile at BDFutbol