salinas was born in bilbao, biscay, joining athletic bilbao's youth academy at the age of 11. in 1983–84 he won the second division's pichichi trophy award, as he helped the reserves finish runners-up to castilla cf. during two seasons he also played 13 games for the first team, scoring his first la liga goal on 26 march 1983 in a 4–0 home win over celta de vigo as the basques captured back-to-back league titles and added the 1984 copa del rey.