Paolo Fernandes

In this Spanish name, the first or paternal surname is Fernandes and the second or maternal family name is Cantin.
Paolo Fernandes
Fernandes with Manchester City in 2017
Personal information
Full name Paolo Fernandes Cantin[1]
Date of birth (1998-08-19) 19 August 1998 (age 26)
Place of birth Zaragoza, Spain
Height 1.67 m (5 ft 6 in)
Position(s) Right-winger
Team information
Current team
 AEK Athens
Number 22
Youth career
2010–2013 Zaragoza
2013–2017 Manchester City
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2017–2020 Manchester City 0 (0)
2017–2019 → NAC Breda (loan) 33 (2)
2019–2020 → Perugia (loan) 13 (0)
2020–2021 Castellón 10 (0)
2021–2022 Volos 31 (6)
2022– AEK Athens 24 (1)
2022 → Volos (loan) 9 (2)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 23:00, 22 September 2024 (UTC)

Paolo Fernandes Cantin (born 19 August 1998) is a Spanish professional footballer who plays for Greek Super League club AEK Athens. Mainly a left winger, he also plays as an attacking midfielder.[2]

Club career

Manchester City

Born in Zaragoza, Aragon to a Capeverdean father,[3][4] Fernandes started his career at Real Zaragoza. In 2013, aged 15, he joined Manchester City after being invited to train for the squad.[5] Zaragoza later claimed to the Royal Spanish Football Federation that the player was not allowed to join City,[6] and the English club agreed to pay a compensation fee for the move (rumoured to be € 180,000);[7] despite still training at City, he was only registered in August 2014 when he reached the age of 16.[8]

Initially assigned to the under-18 squad, Fernandes progressed through the EDS and represented the under-21s and under-23s. With the latter side he scored 11 goals in 22 appearances in the 2016–17 Premier League 2 Division 1.

Loan to NAC Breda

On 24 June 2017, after finishing his formation, Fernandes, Thierry Ambrose and fellow compatriot Pablo Marí were loaned to Eredivisie side Breda.[9] He made his professional debut on 12 August, coming on as a half-time substitute for Giovanni Korte in a 1–4 away loss against Vitesse.

Fernandes scored his first professional goal on 3 December 2017, netting his team's third in a 3–1 home win against Excelsior. The following 12 July, his loan was extended for a further season,[10] but only contributed with eight league appearances.

Loan to Perugia

On 17 July 2019, Fernandes joined Serie B side Perugia on loan for the 2019–20 season.[11] He appeared in 16 league matches overall, totalling ten starts.

Castellón

Fernandes joined Segunda División newcomers Castellón on 3 September 2020, signing a three-year contract.[12]

Volos

On 29 June 2021, he was announced from the Greek Super League club Volos as their newest addition, their 7th transfer for the upcoming season, until now, with a brief announcement that does not disclose the duration of the contract signed.[13] On 19 September 2021, he scored his first goal in a 3–1 away win against Apollon Smyrnis.[14]

AEK Athens

On 15 September 2022, Fernandes signed a four-year contract with Greek Super League club AEK Athens. The player will join the club permanently on 1 January 2023.[15]

Career statistics

As of match played 26 July 2024[2]
Club Season League Cup Continental Other Total
Division Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals
NAC Breda (loan) 2017–18 Eredivisie 25 2 0 0 — — 25 2
2018–19 8 0 1 0 — — 9 0
Total 33 2 1 0 — — 34 2
Perugia (loan) 2019–20 Serie B 13 0 3 0 — — 16 0
Castellón 2020–21 Segunda División 10 0 2 1 — — 12 1
Volos 2021–22 Superleague Greece 27 5 3 1 — — 30 6
2022–23 4 1 0 0 — — 4 1
Total 31 6 3 1 — — 34 7
Volos (loan) 2022–23 Superleague Greece 9 2 2 0 — — 11 2
AEK Athens 2022–23 14 1 5 1 — — 19 2
2023–24 8 0 1 0 — — 9 0
2024–25 0 0 0 0 1 0 — 1 0
Total 22 1 6 1 1 0 0 0 29 2
Career total 118 11 17 3 1 0 0 0 136 14

Honours

AEK Athens

References

  1. ^ "Updated squads for 2017/18 Premier League confirmed". Premier League. 2 February 2018. Retrieved 12 February 2018.
  2. ^ a b Paolo Fernandes at Soccerway. Retrieved 9 October 2017.
  3. ^ Brennan, Stuart (27 June 2017). "Is Man City youngster Paolo Fernandes about to become a Dutch sensation?".
  4. ^ "Criolos no Estrangeiro: Paolo Fernandes emprestado ao NAC Breda pelo Manchester City" [Criolos in the foreign lands: Paolo Fernandes loaned to NAC Breda by Manchester City] (in Portuguese). Criolo Sports. 30 July 2017. Retrieved 4 September 2020.
  5. ^ "Un aragonés en la corte de Pep" [An Aragonese in Pep's court] (in Spanish). Heraldo de Aragón. 29 November 2016. Retrieved 4 September 2020.
  6. ^ "Lío con el futbolista cadete Paolo Fernandes" [Trouble with cadete footballer Paolo Fernandes] (in Spanish). El Periódico de Aragón. 18 September 2013. Retrieved 4 September 2020.
  7. ^ "Los ingresos que volaron" [The incomes that flew away] (in Spanish). El Periódico de Aragón. 26 February 2017. Retrieved 4 September 2020.
  8. ^ "El City ya ha pagado por el cadete Paolo Fernandes" [City already paid for cadete Paolo Fernandes] (in Spanish). El Periódico de Aragón. 21 February 2014. Retrieved 4 September 2020.
  9. ^ "Man City trio complete loan moves to NAC Breda". Goal.com. 24 June 2017. Retrieved 4 September 2020.
  10. ^ "Paolo Fernandes blijft bij NAC" [Paolo Fernandes stays with NAC] (in Dutch). NAC Breda. 12 July 2018. Archived from the original on 12 July 2018. Retrieved 12 July 2018.
  11. ^ "Paolo Fernandes è biancorosso" [Paolo Fernandes is red and white]. AC Perugia Calcio (in Italian). 17 July 2019. Archived from the original on 17 July 2019. Retrieved 17 July 2019.
  12. ^ "FICHAJE: Paolo Fernandes, nuevo jugador del CD Castellón" [SIGNING: Paolo Fernandes, new CD Castellón player] (in Spanish). CD Castellén. 3 September 2020. Retrieved 3 September 2020.
  13. ^ "Φερνάντες ο… έβδομος για τον Βόλο" [Fernandes... the seventh of Volos]. www.sport-fm.gr (in Greek). 29 June 2021. Retrieved 29 June 2021.
  14. ^ "Απόλλων Σμύρνης - Βόλος 1-3: Πέρασαν με τριάρα από τη Ριζούπολη και έκαναν το δύο στα δύο οι Θεσσαλοί". www.sport24.gr. 19 September 2021.
  15. ^ "AEK FC signs Paolo Fernandes!". aekfc.gr. Online. Retrieved 16 September 2022.