Athletic Bilbao defender Yeray Alvarez has taken to social media to 'thank his well-wishers' after being diagnosed with testicular cancer.

On Friday, Bilbao president Josu Urrutia revealed that first-team defender Alvarez, 21, had testicular cancer and would undergo an operation to remove the tumour this week.

The Spaniard has since taken to Instagram to comment on the support that has arrived as he prepares to undergo surgery.

"Thanks to everyone for their messages and their support, I'm very grateful. I'm certain that everything is going to go well and that I will return stronger," Alvarez wrote on his personal account.

Alvarez came through the youth system at San Mames, representing the club's second team before earning promotion to the senior set-up before the start of the 2016-17 campaign. The defender's La Liga debut arrived in Bilbao's 2-1 victory over Valencia on September 18.