Athletic Club Signs Young Talent Efe Korkut

Athletic Club has finalized the signing of Efe Korkut, a 19-year-old offensive player previously with Stuttgart’s reserve team. He is the son of former Real Sociedad player Tayfun Korkut, and the announcement comes just hours before the derby between Athletic and Real Sociedad at San Mamés. Efe, who was born in San Sebastián after his father left the txuriurdin club, has inked a contract that extends until 2028, with the possibility of a two-year extension. Although the exact transfer fee has not been disclosed, it is estimated to be around €500,000 with performance-related bonuses.

In their announcement of the transfer, Athletic Club emphasized that Efe Korkut is a versatile midfielder with offensive potential and excellent technical skills. He developed in the youth ranks of various German clubs and was signed by VFB Stuttgart from FC Nurnberg in 2022. During the current season, he has participated in 16 matches with Stuttgart II and has also been involved in friendly matches with the first team.

Korkut holds both Spanish and Turkish nationality, due to his father’s heritage. He has previously played for Turkey’s youth national teams, although he has not been called up for the last eight matches of the U19 squad, with his last appearance in March. Familiar with Lezama, he will train with the Athletic reserve team this week and could make his debut next Saturday against Tenerife.

Athletic has outlined a clear path for Tayfun’s son within the club: he will play with Bilbao Athletic this season, with discussions about his potential inclusion in the first team’s preseason during the summer. After that, it will be assessed whether he will remain with the squad or be sent out on loan. Similar to the situation with Gift a few months ago, it is expected that Korkut will be invited to train with the Athletic first team in the coming weeks. His future in the reserve team is projected to extend no later than 2027.