Erik Morán · Biography

On 28 November 2012, away to Hapoel Kiryat Shmona in a UEFA Europa League group-stage match, Erik Morán Arribas (Portugalete, Biscay, 25 May 1991) played for Athletic Club’s first team for the first time. He started, played the full 90 minutes and Athletic won 2-0 with goals from Fernando Llorente and Gaizka Toquero. Five academy players made their debuts that night, Aymeric Laporte among them. A defensive midfielder, Morán went on to build his career in the Spanish first and second divisions, the Greek Super League and the Spanish third tier, Primera Federación.

Athletic academy years

He joined Athletic’s youth ranks in 2004. He worked his way through the Lezama teams up to CD Basconia, the club’s second reserve side, where he made 29 appearances and scored 7 goals between 2009 and 2010. In that same period he stepped up to Bilbao Athletic, playing 78 league games for the reserves between 2009 and 2013. Along the way he represented Spain at youth level: two caps for the under-17s in 2008, three for the under-18s in 2009 and one for the under-19s that same year.

La Liga debut and the first team

Four and a half months after his European bow came his league debut. It arrived on 14 April 2013 at the old San Mamés against Real Madrid: he replaced Iker Muniain in the 80th minute of a 3-0 home defeat. In August 2013 he was promoted to the senior squad for good and handed the number 5 shirt. Unable to secure a regular place in Athletic’s midfield, he was sent out to find minutes elsewhere in the January 2015 window.

Leganés and Real Zaragoza

On 29 January 2015 Athletic loaned him to second-division CD Leganés until the end of the season; he made 17 league appearances. On 23 July 2015 he joined Real Zaragoza, also in the second tier, on a one-year loan. On 1 July 2016, after Athletic chose not to recall him, he signed permanently with the Aragonese club. On 31 January 2017 he returned to Leganés, then playing their first season in La Liga. Between 2017 and the first days of 2018 he made 18 league appearances for the Madrid-area side.

The AEK Athens spell

On 3 January 2018 he signed for AEK Athens. He made seven Super League appearances in those six months as AEK were crowned Greek champions in 2018. On 7 November 2018 he made his Champions League debut away to Bayern Munich, a 2-0 defeat. On 29 January 2019 the Greek club loaned him to second-division Málaga CF, where he played 8 league games until the end of the campaign. In December 2019 he terminated his contract with AEK, having played 19 competitive matches for the club.

Numancia and Ponferradina

On 9 January 2020 he signed for CD Numancia in the Spanish second division. He played 13 league games, but the Soria club were relegated that summer. On 28 August 2020 he joined SD Ponferradina, also in the second tier. In his first season at El Toralín he made 35 league appearances, 28 of them as a starter. He stayed with the club until 2023, finishing with 97 league games and one goal.

Amorebieta, Andorra and a return to Ponferrada

On 4 July 2023 he moved to SD Amorebieta, newly promoted to the second division, and made 32 league appearances for the Biscay club. On 9 July 2024 he left for FC Andorra in Primera Federación, where he was part of the promotion to the second division in 2025. He later left Andorra after both parties agreed to terminate his contract. On 8 January 2026 Ponferradina, by then in Primera Federación, announced him as their first signing of the winter window, five and a half years after his first arrival in El Bierzo.