"El Estilete" (The Stylet) as he's known and called by the fans of Athletic club, Markel Susaeta, was a youth product of Athletic Bilbao, who, over these years has established himself as one of the main fixtures in the starting XI. Seen as one the leaders in the team, Susaeta has contributed a lot and has stepped up from time to time when his team needed him. He's come leaps and bounds over these past years and has arguably been the most consistent player at the club.
A real fan favorite at the San Mames, the 26-year-old attacking midfielder is a pacey customer and is a danger for any defense. He mainly operates on the right flank and is excellent at stretching the opposition by making good runs. Calm and composed on the ball, he's a quick natural dribbler who does like to cut in from the right flank every now and then, often switching positions.
Some of the major standout qualities he has is his ability to run at defenders and to cross. He's very intelligent in and around the penalty area, this is another unique quality possessed by the Spaniard. Being a set-piece specialist his costless-kicks and his crosses are second to none. He's scored some great costless-kicks over these years. A natural finisher, he's also good at shooting from range and does take his chances when given time and space, be it on his favored right foot or his equally reliable left.
Susaeta is equally a provider and a goal scorer. He's always on the lookout for a killer pass; picking out a teammate via a cutback or laying off someone for a shot. His passes in the final third are very accurate as well. His pace, dribbling ability and his quality crosses are one of the main assets on which his team depends on.
Unlike many players who are often criticized for not playing their defensive part, Susaeta does track back from time to time and is not afraid of making a tackle or two. The 2011-12 campaign proved out to be his best season with 13 goals and 15 assists.
Last season, in a total of 34 appearances (in all comps), Susaeta had six goals and 12 assists to his name in all competitions. He's a consistent player indeed. In the summer of 2012 , Susaeta was linked to many clubs like Arsenal, Manchester United and Chelsea as he was out of contract the following year.
The feeling in Spain was that he was going to leave for pastures new, but he signed a contract extension after a few months. It would've been brilliant to see a player of his quality in the Premier League but it just wasn't in the script. He'll be able to showcase his abilities on the biggest platform if Athletic Bilbao were to progress through the Champions League play-offs and reach the group stage.
At 26 years of age, Markel Susaeta is a gem of a player entering the peak of his powers. 'El Estilete' is rightly considered as a quality forward in Spain. His performances justify that.