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Alejo Véliz (footballer)

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Alejo Véliz
Véliz training for Argentina U20 in 2023
Personal information
Full name Alejo Véliz[1]
Date of birth (2003-09-19) 19 September 2003 (age 21)[1]
Place of birth Gödeken [es], Argentina
Height 1.86 m (6 ft 1 in)[1]
Position(s) Striker
Team information
Current team
 Espanyol
(on loan from Tottenham Hotspur)
Number 9
Youth career
2006–2009 MCSD Gödeken
2009–2019 Club UDC
2019–2021 Rosario Central
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2021–2023 Rosario Central 59 (19)
2023– Tottenham Hotspur 8 (1)
2024 → Sevilla (loan) 6 (0)
2024– → Espanyol (loan) 11 (4)
International career
2023 Argentina U20 8 (3)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 06:58, 29 May 2024 (UTC)

Alejo Véliz (born 19 September 2003) is an Argentine professional footballer who plays as a striker for La Liga club Espanyol, on loan from Premier League club Tottenham Hotspur.

Early life

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Alejo Véliz was born in Gödeken, a small town in the Province of Santa Fe, about 120 km from the city of Rosario. When he was only three years old, he started playing football with his hometown club but at the age of six he moved with his family to Bernardo de Irigoyen, another town in Santa Fe, where he soon started playing at the Club Unión Deportivo y Cultural and continued there until he reached 16 years old.[2]

Club career

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Rosario Central

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In late 2019 Véliz had his first trials with Rosario Central,[2][3] but he only started playing for the club more than a year later as youth competitions had been halted by the COVID-19 pandemic.[4] Véliz made his professional debut for Rosario Central on 23 July 2021, replacing Alan Marinelli during a 1–0 home victory against Venezuelan side Deportivo Táchira in the round of 16 of the Copa Sudamericana.[2][3]

He played only a small number of games in the Primera División that season but it was during the next that he made a breakthrough, scoring his first goal on 2 May 2022 during the 2–1 away Copa de la Liga loss to Club Atlético Huracán.[2][3] He scored his second in the next game, a 3–1 victory against Estudiantes, in a match that was also the last one of his idol and mentor, Marco Ruben, at the Rosario Central Stadium.[3][5][6]

On 21 July 2022, Véliz scored the only goal of Rosario Central's Primera División victory against Newell's Old Boys in the historic Clásico Rosarino.[2][3][7][8][9]

In July 2023, after performing well at the U-20 World Cup and playing effectively at Club Central, Alejo attracted the attention of many European clubs. These clubs are looking to sign Alejo to their team in the future.[10] On August 2, 2023, it was reported by various media outlets that Rosario Central had accepted an offer from Tottenham Hotspur for $17 million, plus $6 million in additional bonuses and a 10% sell-on clause for the Rosario club. With a total of $23 million in revenue, the sale of Alejo Véliz breaks the record for the most expensive sale by Rosario Central, surpassing the $11.5 million for Facundo Buonanotte to Brighton & Hove Albion of England in 2022, and the $8 million for Ángel Di María to Benfica of Portugal in 2007.[11][12]

Tottenham Hotspur

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On 8 August 2023, Véliz signed a six-year deal with English Premier League club Tottenham Hotspur in a transfer estimated to be worth £13 million.[13][14] He made his debut for the club in a 2–1 home win against Liverpool, coming on as a substitute in the 90th minute.[15][16] On 28 December 2023, Véliz scored his first goal for Tottenham in a 4–2 defeat to Brighton & Hove Albion.[17][18]

Loan to Sevilla

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On 2 February 2024, Sevilla announced a six-month loan deal for a new player. Upon arrival, he was given the number 10 shirt, previously worn by Diego Maradona during the 1992–93 season.[19][20][21]

Loan to Espanyol

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On 7 August 2024, Véliz went on loan to La Liga club Espanyol for the 2024–25 season.[22] He scored his first goal for the club against Rayo Vallecano in the 96th minute to give Espanyol their first win of the season.

International career

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Véliz was first called up for the Argentina national under-20 team by Fernando Batista in October 2021.[9] He was selected again by the new U20 head coach Javier Mascherano in February 2022[23] and during the following spring.[24]

Véliz was once again called to the U20 squad under Mascherano in January 2023 for the South American U-20 Championship in Colombia in which Argentina was eliminated on the first round.[25] There he played all 4 matches, starting against Paraguay and Peru.

In May 2023, he was included in the Argentine squad that took part in the 2023 FIFA U-20 World Cup tournament, hosted by Argentina.[26] On 20 May he scored his first goal of the competition in the 2–1 victory over Uzbekistan.[27] Three days later he scored again, this time in a 3–0 win against Guatemala.[28]

Career statistics

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As of match played 31 Aug 2024
Appearances and goals by club, season and competition
Club Season League National Cup League Cup Continental Other Total
Division Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals
Rosario Central 2021 Primera División 4 0 0 0 0 0 1[a] 0 — 5 0
2022 26 6 2[b] 0 6[c] 2 0 0 — 34 8
2023 23 11 1[d] 0 0 0 0 0 — 24 11
Total 53 17 3 0 6 2 1 0 0 0 63 19
Tottenham Hotspur 2023-24 Premier League 8 1 0 0 2[e] 1 — — 10 2
Sevilla (loan) 2023–24 La Liga 6 0 0 0 — — — 6 0
Espanyol (loan) 2024–25 La Liga 4 1 0 0 — — — 4 1
Total 71 19 3 0 8 3 1 0 0 0 83 22
  1. ^ Appearance(s) in Copa Sudamericana
  2. ^ Appearance(s) in Copa Argentina
  3. ^ Appearance(s) in Copa de la Liga Profesional
  4. ^ Appearance(s) in Copa Argentina
  5. ^ Appearance(s) in EFL Trophy

References

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  1. ^ a b c "FIFA U-20 World Cup Argentina 2023™ SQUAD LIST: Argentina (ARG)" (PDF). FIFA. 22 May 2023. p. 1. Retrieved 29 May 2023.
  2. ^ a b c d e "De jugar en el club de su pueblo a ser el héroe de Rosario Central en el clásico: la historia de Alejo Véliz". TyC Sports (in Spanish). 22 July 2022. Retrieved 15 October 2022.
  3. ^ a b c d e "Alejo Veliz entre lágrimas: 'Soñé toda la vida con esto'". Olé (in Spanish). 21 July 2022. Retrieved 15 October 2022.
  4. ^ Sacchi, José Pablo (22 July 2022). "La historia de Alejo Véliz, héroe canalla del clásico: el pibe que bailaba malambo y jugaba en el club del pueblo". Rosario3 (in Spanish). Retrieved 16 October 2022.
  5. ^ "Central ganó y Ruben convirtió en su despedida". Cadena 3 Argentina [es] (in Spanish). 7 May 2022. Retrieved 16 October 2022.
  6. ^ "Véliz: "Mi ídolo es Marco Ruben, nos escribe siempre para saber cómo estamos"". Diario Digital Conclusión (in Spanish). 22 July 2022. Retrieved 16 October 2022.
  7. ^ Lopesino, Juan (27 July 2022). "Babu88". Diario AS (in Spanish). Retrieved 16 October 2022.
  8. ^ "La emoción de Alejo Veliz tras darle el triunfo clásico a Rosario Central". El Gráfico (in Spanish). 21 July 2022. Retrieved 16 October 2022.
  9. ^ a b ""Soñé toda la vida con esto": las lágrimas de Alejo Véliz, autor del gol con el que Central le ganó el clásico de Rosario a Newell's". infobae (in European Spanish). ESPN. 21 July 2022. Retrieved 16 October 2022.
  10. ^ "Los dos clubes europeos que quieren fichar a Alejo Véliz, perla argentina". Fichajes.net (in Spanish). Retrieved 26 March 2024.
  11. ^ "Alejo Véliz fue transferido a un club inglés por una cifra récord con la que superó a dos figuras de la Selección". MdzOnline (in Spanish). Retrieved 26 March 2024.
  12. ^ "Véliz, a la Premier League: venta RÉCORD para Central - TyC Sports". www.tycsports.com (in Spanish). 4 August 2023. Retrieved 26 March 2024.
  13. ^ "Veliz signs from Rosario Central". Tottenham Hotspur. Retrieved 8 August 2023.
  14. ^ "Striker Veliz joins Tottenham". BBC Sport. 8 August 2023. Retrieved 8 August 2023.
  15. ^ "En un partido accidentado, que se definió con un blooper, Alejo Véliz tuvo debut feliz en Premier". Bolavip Argentina (in Spanish). 30 September 2023. Retrieved 26 March 2024.
  16. ^ Lang, Charlie Eccleshare and Jack. "Alejo Veliz: Spurs' new striker may have dancing feet but he's 'fearsome' in the air". The Athletic. Retrieved 26 March 2024.
  17. ^ Matthews, Callum (28 December 2023). "Brighton 4–2 Tottenham". BBC Sport. Retrieved 28 December 2023.
  18. ^ "El ex canalla Alejo Veliz convirtió su primer gol en la derrota de Tottenham ante Brighton". Rosario3 (in Spanish). Retrieved 26 March 2024.
  19. ^ "Alejo Véliz ya se incorporó al Sevilla y está listo para debutar con la 10". Olé (in Spanish). 2 February 2024.
  20. ^ "Alejo Véliz fue presentado en Sevilla y usará la 10 que vistió Diego Maradona". TyC Sports (in Spanish). 2 February 2024.
  21. ^ "Tottenham: Alejo Veliz joins Sevilla as Bryan Gil makes transfer deadline day decision". The Standard. 1 February 2024. Retrieved 2 February 2024.
  22. ^ "Veliz joins Espanyol on loan". BBC Sport. 7 August 2024. Retrieved 7 August 2024.
  23. ^ "Los 23 citados en la primera lista de Mascherano". Olé (in Spanish). 3 February 2022. Retrieved 16 October 2022.
  24. ^ Mendoza, Rodrigo (21 May 2022). "Rosario Central: sin refuerzos, puntapié inicial a la pretemporada". TyC Sports (in Spanish). Retrieved 16 October 2022.
  25. ^ "Lista oficial de convocados de la Selección Sub 20 para el Sudamericano". AFA. 6 January 2023. Retrieved 25 May 2023.
  26. ^ "Lista de convocados para el Mundial Sub 20". AFA. 3 May 2023. Retrieved 23 May 2023.
  27. ^ "La Selección Argentina debutó en el Mundial con un triunfo sobre Uzbekistán por 2 a 1". AFA. 19 May 2023. Retrieved 23 May 2023.
  28. ^ "La Selección Argentina goleó 3–0 a Guatemala y ya está clasificada para la próxima fase". AFA. 23 May 2023. Retrieved 23 May 2023.
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