Last weekend, Oihan Sancet yet again emphatically underlined why he’s one of the most exciting midfielders in Europe by propelling Athletic Club to victory over Rayo Vallecano by virtue of his brilliant brace.
Coming off the bench in the 56th minute with his team down 1-0, Sancet, who’s been battling an ankle injury, impressively rose to the occasion to power his team to a crucial 1-2 win.
“Oihan has been very successful and we are happy. He is very focused, we want him to continue like this. He is making a great effort because he has a problem with his ankle and is playing with some pain,” explained Athletic manager Ernesto Valverde.
The player himself was equally delighted with his contribution and knows his team can achieve great things this term if they can keep up their momentum. “Everything went well, I scored two goals to win. I’m happy, we’re near the top of the table. I’m happy to help with goals. I hope I can continue like this,” insisted the 24-year-old.
“The goal is to finish as high as possible, we are going to dream of the Champions League, but we are still in December. We don’t set limits for ourselves, we have to take it game by game, but there’s no reason we can’t fight for the top spots.”
Bringing his goal tally up to eight on the season (seven in LaLiga, one in the Europa League), not only has he already surpassed his tally from last term (six), but he’s also the highest scoring midfielder in LaLiga and joint-second for goals among midfielders in Europe’s top five leagues behind only Cole Palmer.
Carrying on his exceptional rise, where he’s especially shone in the last two-and-a-half campaigns, the Spanish international and 2023/2024 Copa del Rey winner’s been a joy to watch.
Such a uniquely skilled player and one who brings so much to the table on both sides of the ball, there’s no denying what a key driving force he is for Valverde’s expertly coached Athletic.
An instrumental figure in connecting the midfield and attack from his hybrid No. 8 / No. 10 role within Valverde’s base 4-2-3-1/4-3-3, his presence is vital in helping his team progress upfield in many ways.
A master at recognising and exposing weaknesses in opposition structures, it’s always notable how successfully he exploits space between the lines and in the half spaces. Moreover, how he drops deep into central midfield to form numerical and positional superiorities is another important string to his bow.
Helping give his team control when checking towards the ball, another thing that warrants mention is how he coalesces smoothly with his colleagues to help manufacture space by drawing opponents and executing rotations, as the above is integral at unbalancing defensive shapes.
Reading the play intelligently and awake to gaps to attack in behind and into the box, his surges into depth amplify his effectiveness while adding verticality and directness.
As can be seen by his shot map, it’s clear how superbly he times and angles his runs into the area to be an option, which, in combination with his instinctive finishing, makes him a tremendous threat in and around the box.
Standing a towering 188 cm and using his hulking frame to his advantage, this sees him act as an ideal target man and outlet when his team need to go long to beat the press or quickly clear. Picking up the ball’s trajectory swiftly and timing his leap well, his aerial prowess is extremely beneficial to help his team win second balls via headed flick-ons or knock-downs.
Furthermore, his ability to hold the ball up with his back to goal while remaining balanced and maintaining his composure enables him to bring others into play, lure out markers and win fouls in quality zones.
A fantastic reference point and always on hand for teammates to utilise in transition and measured build-up, his presence ensures Los Leones can hurt opponents in a variety of manners.
Accompanying the aforementioned with his incisive passing, he’s showcased on countless occasions how valuable he conjures chances for teammates. Be it obliging runners with considered through balls, linking play with slick combination play, switching the angle of attacks with aplomb or breaking the lines with precision, he has a pass for most situations even if his numbers are down on last season at this stage.
Additionally, the way he flexes his muscles on the dribble to maraud upfield enhances his impact, for he’s so tough to stop when in full flight and crucially can outfox opponents with power and finesse.
Mightily effective on the defensive end as well, Sancet enjoys hunting down opponents and leading Valverde’s fierce high-press. Combative, disruptive and boasting an enviable work rate, watching him frequently regain possession for his team is definitely an endearing factor of his game.
Robust in the tackle, knowing when to drop off, shift across or push up and excellent at blocking passing lanes behind him, getting these details spot on duly accentuates what a complete package he is.
One of a number of talented generation from the Basque Country and Athletic’s Lezama academy in particular, such as fellow national team regulars Unai Simón, Kepa Arrizabalaga, Aymeric Laporte and Nico Williams, it was intriguing hearing his thoughts on his development.
“In the north, football is taught very well,” he asserted after his first Spain call-up that saw him reunite with his former Spain U18 and U21 coach in Luis de la Fuente. “There is a high level, the people of the Basque Country really like to play football. Reaching the national selection is the dream of every player. You train and fight to be at the top, so of course it is a dream and an objective achieved.”
Phenomenally talented and destined to achieve huge things in the beautiful game, it’s little wonder the Spanish ace is attracting interest from a host of elite clubs such as Manchester City, Liverpool, Inter Milan and Aston Villa.
He won’t come cheap, however, given his talent and that Athletic typically demand hefty sums for their stars due to their recruitment policy of only signing Basque players.
Furthermore, the fact he signed a remarkable contract extension until 2032 last year, and it’s understandable why the reported fee to acquire his services is believed to be in the region of €80 million.
All that talk will have to wait for now, though, for the multifaceted Sancet’s firmly focused on improving his game in his pursuit to reach the top of the sport and to keep along his sharp upward trajectory.
(Cover image from IMAGO)
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