Pol Valentín

In this Spanish name, the first or paternal surname is Valentín and the second or maternal family name is Sancho.
Pol Valentín
Personal information
Full name Pol Valentín Sancho
Date of birth (1997-02-21) 21 February 1997 (age 27)
Place of birth Avinyonet, Spain
Height 1.81 m (5 ft 11 in)
Position(s) Right back
Team information
Current team
 Sheffield Wednesday
Number 14
Youth career
Figueres
2015–2016 Gimnàstic
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2014–2015 Figueres 12 (0)
2016–2018 Pobla Mafumet 46 (1)
2018–2020 Gimnàstic 27 (1)
2020 Valencia B 6 (0)
2020–2022 Fuenlabrada 55 (0)
2022–2023 Sporting Gijón 22 (0)
2023– Sheffield Wednesday 58 (1)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 16:59, 4 January 2025 (UTC)

Pol Valentín Sancho (born 21 February 1997) is a Spanish professional footballer who plays as a right back for EFL Championship club Sheffield Wednesday.

Club career

Born in Avinyonet de Puigventós, Girona, Catalonia, Valentín represented UE Figueres as a youth. On 6 December 2014, aged 17, he made his first team debut by coming on as a late substitute in a 1–0 Tercera División away win against FC Vilafranca.[1]

On 3 July 2015, Valentín signed a three-year deal with Gimnàstic de Tarragona, returning to youth football.[2] He was promoted to the farm team ahead of the 2016–17 season, and scored his first senior goal on 28 August 2016 in a 1–4 loss at Palamós CF; he was also sent off during the match.[3]

Valentín was called up to the 2017 pre-season of the first team by new manager Lluís Carreras, being promoted in late July mainly as Otar Kakabadze's backup.[4] On 7 August of that year, he renewed his contract until 2020.[5]

Valentín made his professional debut on 13 January 2018, starting in a 1–1 away draw against UD Almería in the Segunda División.[6] He was definitely promoted for the main squad for the 2018–19 season, which ended in relegation.

On 31 January 2020, Valentín was transferred to Valencia CF, being assigned to the reserves also in the third division.[7] On 29 August, he returned to the second tier after agreeing to a two-year contract with CF Fuenlabrada.[8]

On 11 July 2022, after Fuenla's relegation, Valentín signed a two-year contract with Sporting de Gijón also in division two.[9]

On 27 July 2023, he joined EFL Championship club Sheffield Wednesday for an undisclosed fee.[10][11] He made his Sheffield Wednesday debut in the EFL Cup against Stockport County.[12] He scored his first goal against Grimsby Town on 27 August 2024.[13]

Personal life

Valentín's elder brother, Gerard, is also a footballer and a right back. He was also trained at Figueres.[14] Their father Albert was also a right back, and also played for Figueres.[15]

Career statistics

As of 4 January 2025.[16]
Club Division Season League National Cup League Cup Other Total
Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals
Figueres Tercera División 2014–15[17] 12 0 — — — 12 0
Pobla Mafumet Tercera División 2016–17[17] 21 1 — — — 21 1
2017–18[17] 25 0 — — — 25 0
Total 46 1 — — — 46 1
Gimnàstic Segunda División 2017–18[18] 1 0 0 0 — — 1 0
2018–19[19] 10 0 1 0 — — 11 0
Segunda División B 2019–20[20] 16 1 1 0 — — 17 1
Total 27 1 2 0 — — 29 1
Valencia Mestalla Segunda División B 2019–20[21] 6 0 — — — 6 0
Fuenlabrada Segunda División 2020–21[22] 23 0 3 0 — — 26 0
2021–22[23] 32 0 1 0 — — 33 0
Total 55 0 4 0 — — 59 0
Sporting Gijón Segunda División 2022–23[24] 22 0 2 0 — — 24 0
Sheffield Wednesday EFL Championship 2023–24[25] 36 0 2 0 2 0 — 40 0
2024–25[26] 22 1 0 0 3 1 — 25 2
Total 58 1 2 0 5 1 — 65 2
Career Total 226 3 10 0 5 1 0 0 241 4

References

  1. ^ "Triomf dels de pic i pala (0–1)" [Victory of peak and shovel (0–1)] (in Catalan). UE Figueres. 6 December 2014. Retrieved 18 August 2017.
  2. ^ "Pol Valentin, nova incorporació per a les categories inferiors del Nàstic" [Pol Valentín, new addition for the youth setup of Nàstic] (in Catalan). Gimnàstic de Tarragona. 3 July 2015. Retrieved 18 August 2017.
  3. ^ "Toque de atención a la Pobla (Palamós 4–1 Pobla)" [Wake-up call to Pobla (Palamós 4–1 Pobla)] (in Spanish). Diari de Tarragona. 29 August 2016. Retrieved 17 August 2017.
  4. ^ "Pol Valentín deslumbra en la pretemporada del Nàstic" [Pol Valentín shines on Nàstic's pre-season] (in Spanish). Diari de Tarragona. 29 July 2017. Retrieved 18 August 2017.
  5. ^ "Pol, Perales, Roger i De Nova amplien el seu contracte com a granes" [Pol, Perales, Roger and De Nova extend their contract with the grana] (in Catalan). Gimnàstic Tarragona. 7 August 2017. Archived from the original on 13 September 2018. Retrieved 18 August 2017.
  6. ^ "Empate que sabe a poco para Almería y Nàstic" [Draw which leaves a bad taste in the mouth for Almería and Nàstic] (in Spanish). Marca. 13 January 2018. Retrieved 13 January 2018.
  7. ^ "Pol Valentín marcha traspasado al Valencia Mestalla" [Pol Valentín is transferred to Valencia Mestalla] (in Spanish). Gimnàstic Tarragona. 31 January 2020. Retrieved 28 June 2020.
  8. ^ "Pol Valentín, contundencia para la defensa" [Pol Valentín, strength for the defense] (in Spanish). CF Fuenlabrada. 29 August 2020. Retrieved 29 August 2020.
  9. ^ "El Sporting oficializa la incorporación de Pol Valentín por dos temporadas" [Sporting turn official the signing of Pol Valentín for two seasons] (in Spanish). La Nueva España. 11 July 2022. Retrieved 31 July 2023.
  10. ^ "Pol Valentín completes Owls switch". Sheffield Wednesday FC. 27 July 2023. Retrieved 27 July 2023.
  11. ^ "Sheffield Wednesday sign Sporting Gijon defender". BBC. 28 July 2023. Retrieved 28 July 2023.
  12. ^ "Shootout victory sends Wednesday through". Sheffield Wednesday FC. Retrieved 8 August 2023.
  13. ^ "Grimsby 1-5 Wednesday". Sheffield Wednesday FC. 28 August 2024. Retrieved 28 August 2024.
  14. ^ "El germà del defensa Gerard Valentín arriba al Nàstic per tres temporades" [The brother of defender Gerard Valentín arrives at Nàstic for three seasons] (in Catalan). Camp d'Esports. 4 July 2015. Retrieved 24 April 2016.
  15. ^ "Vaya lío de familia a cuenta del ascenso" [Big family fuss at the expense of a promotion] (in Spanish). Heraldo de Aragón. 8 May 2016. Retrieved 29 August 2020.
  16. ^ Pol Valentín at Soccerway. Retrieved 7 August 2016.
  17. ^ a b c Pol Valentín at LaPreferente.com (in Spanish). Retrieved 31 July 2023.
  18. ^ "Matches Pol Valentín, 2017–18 season". BDFutbol. Retrieved 31 July 2023.
  19. ^ "Matches Pol Valentín, 2018–19 season". BDFutbol. Retrieved 31 July 2023.
  20. ^ "Matches Pol Valentín, 2019–20 season". BDFutbol. Retrieved 31 July 2023.
  21. ^ "Matches Pol Valentín, 2019–20 season". BDFutbol. Retrieved 31 July 2023.
  22. ^ "Matches Pol Valentín, 2020–21 season". BDFutbol. Retrieved 31 July 2023.
  23. ^ "Matches Pol Valentín, 2021–22 season". BDFutbol. Retrieved 31 July 2023.
  24. ^ "Matches Pol Valentín, 2022–23 season". BDFutbol. Retrieved 31 July 2023.
  25. ^ "Games played by Pol Valentín in 2023/2024". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 14 August 2020.
  26. ^ "Games played by Pol Valentín in 2024/2025". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 14 August 2020.