Transfers
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Espanyol secure Bryan Zaragoza from Bayern Munich on loan deal
The Spanish attacker, who has spent recent seasons on loan spells across Europe, joins Espanyol from Bayern München in a move confirmed on 26 August 2026, with no transfer fee reported.
Bryan Zaragoza Martínez has completed a loan switch to Espanyol from Bayern München, with the deal officially registered on 26 August 2026 and no transfer fee disclosed. The 24-year-old Spanish attacker, who has spent the last two seasons cycling through loan spells, will now try to nail down regular minutes in La Liga.
At a glance
- Age: 24 (born 25 April 2001, Málaga)
- Position: Attacker | Squad number: 15
- Deal: Loan from Bayern München to Espanyol, 26 August 2026, fee undisclosed
Career context
Zaragoza’s path over the past three years has been defined by short-term moves. He signed permanently with Bayern München from Granada CF in July 2024 for a reported €13M, then immediately dropped back down to the Segunda División side on loan. After a return in February 2024, he was loaned to Osasuna in August 2024, then to Celta Vigo in July 2025, and briefly to AS Roma in February 2026. Each stint ended with a return to Bayern, suggesting the German giants viewed him as a squad player rather than a regular starter. Espanyol now represent his first move away from Bayern on a permanent loan basis without a subsequent return clause listed.
His trophy cabinet includes two Segunda División titles — one from the 2022/2023 season and another undated — both won during his time in Spain.
How he fits at his new club
Listed as an Attacker and wearing the number 15 shirt, Zaragoza arrives at Espanyol as an attacking option capable of playing across the front line. His API-Football attributes show a creativity rating of 78 and technique of 79, with a notably low defensive attribute of 17, suggesting he is primarily used in advanced, ball-progressing roles. His strongest suit statistically is duels, where he recorded a 43% win rate across 198 attempted, and he averaged 39% success on 102 dribble attempts during the 2025 season.
Espanyol, a Spanish side competing in La Liga, will likely deploy him in a wide or secondary striker role. His 79 pass accuracy and 32 key passes over 33 appearances suggest he can contribute to build-up play, while his 5 assists indicate a willingness to combine rather than operate as a pure finisher.
Apps
Goals
Assists
Minutes
Rating
Recent numbers
During the 2025 season, Zaragoza made 33 appearances across all competitions, starting 20 and coming on as a substitute in 23. He played 1,647 minutes, scored 2 goals, and registered 5 assists. His overall rating was 6.89.
Breaking it down by club and competition:
- Bayern München (FIFA Club World Cup): 1 appearance, 30 minutes, 0 goals, 0 assists, rating 6.20
- Celta Vigo (UEFA Europa League): 7 appearances, 291 minutes, 1 goal, 3 assists, rating 7.00
- AS Roma (UEFA Europa League): 2 appearances, 56 minutes, 0 goals, 0 assists, rating 6.55
- Celta Vigo (La Liga): 19 appearances, 1,135 minutes, 1 goal, 1 assist, rating 6.90
- AS Roma (Serie A): 4 appearances, 135 minutes, 0 goals, 1 assist, rating 7.00
His most productive spell was clearly with Celta Vigo in the Europa League, where he contributed 3 assists in just 291 minutes, and in La Liga where he started 13 matches and played over 1,100 minutes.
Key takeaways
| Metric | Celta Vigo (La Liga) | AS Roma (Serie A) |
|---|---|---|
| Appearances | 19 | 4 |
| Minutes | 1,135 | 135 |
| Goals | 1 | 0 |
| Assists | 1 | 1 |
| Rating | 6.90 | 7.00 |
| Duels won | 55/129 | 12/25 |
- Zaragoza has logged significant minutes at the highest level — 1,135 in La Liga alone last season — proving he can handle top-flight demands.
- His assist output (5 in 33 apps) suggests he adds value beyond goalscoring, particularly in transition and set-piece situations.
- The loan to Espanyol gives him a fresh opportunity to establish himself in a familiar league, having previously thrived in Spain’s top flight with Celta Vigo.
- His injury history includes a thigh injury (March–April 2025), a foot injury (December 2024–January 2025), and shorter spells with illness/virus in 2023–24, which may have limited his ability to secure a permanent role at Bayern.
- At 24, Zaragoza is entering his peak years and will need to convert his creativity (78 attribute rating) into more consistent goal contributions to justify Espanyol’s faith.
Espanyol will be hoping that this loan marks the end of Zaragoza’s nomadic journey and the beginning of a settled, productive spell in Catalonia.