Moving from Athletic Club to Real Sociedad is never just a transfer. In the Basque Country it's a choice people notice, and Mikel Goti made it in 2023. Three years on, the left-footed midfielder from Gorliz is 24. He's back at Real Sociedad after a loan at Córdoba and facing the question every academy graduate eventually meets: is he a top-flight regular in waiting, or a good player whose best years will come somewhere else?
He isn't a household name, and that's partly why he's interesting. Goti's career has been built in reserve football and short senior spells, which makes him the kind of player committed fans like to argue about. Here's what we know, what can only be estimated, and where his career looks headed.
Mikel Goti by the Numbers
| Detail | Information |
|---|---|
| Full name | Mikel Goti López |
| Born | May 23, 2002, in Gorliz, Bizkaia, Spain |
| Age in 2026 | 24 |
| Nationality | Spanish |
| Position | Attacking midfielder, can also play centrally |
| Preferred foot | Left |
| Height | About 1.85 m (6 ft 1 in) |
| Club | Real Sociedad, after a 2026 loan at Córdoba CF |
| Contract | Reported to run until June 2028 |
| Estimated net worth | US$1 million to US$2 million (Icon Polls estimate) |
| Estimated salary | Around €250,000 gross a year, not officially confirmed |
| Estimated transfer value | Around €1 million to €1.4 million |
Raised by Athletic, Then a Change of Colours
Gorliz is a small coastal town in Bizkaia, and Goti's football education started close to home. He joined Athletic Club's youth ranks as a child and worked his way up one of the most respected development systems in Spain. The senior steps came at Basconia, Athletic's feeder side, and then two seasons with Bilbao Athletic, the reserve team.
Plenty of players in that position wait for a first-team door that never quite opens. Goti chose a different path. In 2023 he moved to Real Sociedad, a club with its own fierce identity and a strong record of promoting players from its B team. For a young midfielder, the logic was simple: find the clearest route to senior football, even if it meant crossing a regional rivalry to get there.
What He Does With the Ball
Goti is most at home as an attacking midfielder, receiving between the lines and turning to face goal. His left foot is the centrepiece of his game. It lets him open his body, slide passes into the final third and shoot when he arrives around the edge of the box. He can drift into central or wider attacking roles when a system asks for it.
What he isn't is a ball-winning holding midfielder. His value lies in connecting play and giving an attack another technical option. The honest critique is that creative players at his level live and die by end product, and he still needs more goals, assists and physical consistency to convince coaches he belongs in the starting XI week after week.
Reserve Goals, Cup Minutes and a Spell in Andalusia
The productive phase of his career so far came with Real Sociedad B, where he scored roughly 15 goals across more than 60 appearances. For a midfielder, that's a respectable return, and it pushed him closer to the first team.
The senior picture through 2025 and into 2026 was tougher. He made appearances for Real Sociedad and scored in cup competition, but top-level football gives a creative midfielder very little time on the ball, and minutes were hard to come by. In January 2026 he went on loan to Córdoba, where he played 16 matches and scored once.
One goal in 16 games won't make headlines. That's not really the point of a loan like this, though. The value was in regular competitive football, pressure, travel and the rhythm of playing every week, things training alone can't replicate. If you're reading his record, look past the goal tally to starts, minutes and how often coaches trusted him when the result mattered.
The Money Question
Goti has never disclosed his personal finances, so any figure you see online is a guess. Icon Polls estimates his net worth in 2026 at between US$1 million and US$2 million. That range reflects several years as a professional in Spain, his first-team involvement, his contract and the modest commercial opportunities open to a player at his stage.
His salary isn't public either. Salary databases have put his fixed pay somewhere in the low to mid six figures in euros, with around €250,000 gross a year often used as a working figure. Treat that as an estimate only. Bonuses, appearance payments, loan terms and tax can all shift the real number considerably.
One common mix-up deserves clearing up: transfer value is not net worth. A transfer value is what a club might pay to sign him. Net worth is what he personally holds after earnings, taxes and costs. A cautious range is far more honest than a dramatic headline number for a player still building his career.
Market Value and a Deal That Runs to 2028
Real-world estimates place his transfer value at around €1 million to €1.4 million in 2026. Video game databases sometimes list him higher, because they weigh age and potential differently. In the real market, minutes, form, contract length and club need move the number fastest.
His contract has been reported to run until June 2028, which gives Real Sociedad breathing room. There's no pressure to sell, but there's also no guarantee of a role. The choice ahead is fairly stark: win enough minutes in the first-team squad, or take another loan where he is clearly central to the plan.
A 69 in FC 26, With Room Left
In EA SPORTS FC 26, Goti is commonly listed as a 69-rated CAM with a potential of around 76. He's left-footed, and his secondary positions reflect his ability to play centrally or on the right of midfield.
For Career Mode, he's a sensible development project rather than a quick fix. Sign him for a mid-table side, give him minutes and he should grow into a useful technical option. The rating mirrors his real situation quite closely: experienced enough to contribute, not yet proven at the top.
What Has to Happen Next
Our view is that 2026 and 2027 will decide which version of Goti we get. If he turns his Córdoba minutes into a real role at Real Sociedad, his decision to leave Athletic will look shrewd. If not, he still has the technique to become a valued player elsewhere in Spain, which is hardly a failure.
Players like Goti are a reminder that most careers are built slowly, not in a single breakout season. And if you've got opinions on who sits at the very top of the game, cast your vote in our poll on the best football players of all time.
Three Things Readers Ask
How old is Mikel Goti?
He was born on May 23, 2002, which makes him 24 in 2026.
Which club does he belong to?
He is a Real Sociedad player. He returned to the club after his 2026 loan at Córdoba, and his contract is reported to run until June 2028.
Is he worth signing in FC 26 Career Mode?
Yes, if you want a left-footed attacking midfielder to develop. With a 69 overall and potential around 76, he suits a patient project better than a side chasing instant results.
