Jonny Otto Explained

Jonny
Full Name:Jonathan Castro Otto[1]
Birth Date:3 March 1994[2]
Birth Place:Vigo, Spain
Height:1.75 m
Position:Full-back
Currentclub:PAOK
Clubnumber:19
Youthclubs1:Celta
Years1:2011–2012
Caps1:23
Goals1:0
Years2:2012–2018
Caps2:183
Goals2:3
Years3:2018–2019
Caps3:0
Goals3:0
Years4:2018–2019
Clubs4:Wolverhampton Wanderers (loan)
Caps4:20
Goals4:1
Years5:2019–2024
Caps5:87
Goals5:5
Years6:2024–
Caps6:12
Goals6:0
Nationalyears1:2012
Nationalcaps1:2
Nationalgoals1:0
Nationalyears2:2012
Nationalcaps2:10
Nationalgoals2:0
Nationalyears3:2013
Nationalcaps3:4
Nationalgoals3:0
Nationalyears4:2014–2017
Nationalcaps4:18
Nationalgoals4:0
Nationalyears5:2018
Nationalcaps5:3
Nationalgoals5:0
Club-Update:11:46, 16 May 2024 (UTC)

Jonathan Castro Otto (born 3 March 1994), commonly known as Jonny, is a Spanish professional footballer who plays as a right or left-back for Super League Greece club PAOK.

He began his career with Celta, making his debut with the first team at the age of 18 and going on to appear in 221 matches in all competitions.[3] In 2018 he signed with Wolverhampton Wanderers, initially on loan.

Jonny made three appearances for the Spain national team in 2018.

Club career

Celta

Born in Vigo, Galicia, Jonny played youth football with his hometown club Celta.[4] He spent his first season as a senior with the reserves in the Segunda División B, featuring regularly but suffering relegation.[5]

Jonny made his La Liga debut for the main squad on 1 September 2012, starting in a 2–0 home win against Osasuna.[6] On 5 November, he renewed his contract with until 2017.[7]

Jonny was definitively promoted to the first team at the start of 2013–14 after the arrival of Luis Enrique as coach, and appeared in 26 matches during that campaign. On 19 January 2015, he further extended his link until 2019.[8]

Jonny scored his first professional goal on 20 February 2016, the second in a 3–2 home victory over Eibar.[9] He finished the season with 36 league appearances, helping the side to finish sixth and qualify for the UEFA Europa League.[10]

On 18 January 2017, Jonny scored the 2–1 winner away against Real Madrid in the quarter-finals of the Copa del Rey (eventual 4–3 aggregate triumph).[11]

Wolverhampton Wanderers

On 25 July 2018, Jonny joined Atlético Madrid for an undisclosed fee, signing a six-year contract but moving immediately to English club Wolverhampton Wanderers on a season-long loan.[12] His maiden appearance in the Premier League took place on 11 August, when he played the entire 2–2 home draw against Everton.[13]

Jonny scored his first league goal on 29 September 2018, in a 2–0 home win over Southampton.[14] On 18 November, he suffered a knee ligament injury while playing for Spain, being initially sidelined until the end of the year[15] but recovering a few weeks later.[16]

Having been a regular first-team player during the first half of the campaign, Jonny agreed to a permanent four-and-a-half-year deal at Molineux on 31 January 2019 for an undisclosed fee, reported to be £15 million.[17] In August 2020, during a Europa League tie against Olympiacos, he suffered an anterior cruciate ligament injury that sidelined him for six months.[18]

Jonny returned to action on 7 February 2021, playing the first half of the 0–0 league draw against Leicester City.[19] He signed a new contract shortly after, until 2025.[20]

On 4 April 2021, Jonny suffered another serious ACL injury to the same knee while training for the upcoming fixture against West Ham United, which ruled him out for the rest of that season and the bulk of the following one.[21] He made his return on 24 February 2022, as a second-half substitute in a Premier League game at Arsenal.[22]

Jonny marked his 100th competitive appearance for Wolves on 18 March 2022 by scoring the first goal in the 3–2 home loss to Leeds United, his first goal since July 2020.[23] He repeated the feat in the subsequent match, a 2–1 home defeat of local rivals Aston Villa.[24]

On 31 March 2023, Jonny was awarded with the Premier League Goal of the Month, courtesy of his 41-yard shot in the 4–2 home loss to Leeds thirteen days earlier.[25] This also represented the first occasion a club player had won the accolade since its creation in 2016.

Despite being placed on the transfer list at the beginning of the 2023–24 season, Jonny rejected offers to return to Spain; he then informed his team's hierarchy that he wanted to 'fight for his place.'[26] However, having made only three appearances up until that point, on 4 December it was revealed that the week before a match against Arsenal at the Emirates, he was excluded from the squad after swinging an elbow at under-21 player Tawanda Chirewa and spitting at coaching staff during a training session.[27] [28] Four days later, sporting director Matt Hobbs announced that the player would not train with the main squad until the end of January,[29] while manager Gary O'Neil said that he could eventually make his return in case he was not transferred during the winter transfer window;[30] however, after five and a half years at Wolverhampton, on 26 January 2024 his contract was cancelled by mutual consent.[31]

PAOK

On 29 January 2024, Jonny signed a one-and-a-half-year deal with Super League Greece club PAOK.[32]

International career

After playing for Spain at under-18, under-19, under-20 and under-21 levels, Jonny was called up to the full side on 26 May 2015, for a friendly with Costa Rica and a UEFA Euro 2016 qualifier against Belarus.[33] He did not take part in any of those matches, however.

Jonny won his first cap for his country on 11 October 2018, contributing to a 4–1 friendly defeat of Wales at the Millennium Stadium after replacing César Azpilicueta in the 63rd minute.[34]

Career statistics

Club

Appearances and goals by club, season and competition
ClubSeasonLeagueNational cupLeague cupContinentalTotal
DivisionAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoals
Celta B2011–12Segunda División B230230
Celta2012–13La Liga19010200
2013–1426020280
2014–1536030390
2015–1636181442
2016–1730081120501
2017–1836240402
Total183326212!02215
Atlético Madrid2018–19La Liga00000000
Wolverhampton Wanderers2018–19Premier League3315010391
2019–203522000110482
2020–2170100080
2021–221320000132
2022–231812030231
2023–2410002030
Total1076100601101346
PAOK2023–24Super League Greece1202040180
Career total32583826027039610

International

Honours

PAOK

2023–24[36]

Spain U19

2012[37]

Spain U21

Individual

March 2023[39]

External links

Notes and References

  1. Web site: 2018/19 Premier League squads confirmed. Premier League. 3 September 2018. 4 September 2018.
  2. Web site: Jonny Castro. Eurosport. 13 January 2021.
  3. Web site: Adiós al hombre que pudo batir todos los récords. Farewell to the man who could have broken every record. El Desmarque. Bravo. Alberto. es. 25 July 2018. 6 April 2023.
  4. News: Los contados casos de canteranos del Celta que triunfan fuera. The rare cases of Celta youth players that make it big abroad. La Voz de Galicia. es. 23 June 2021. 15 October 2021.
  5. News: El Celta renueva a Pichi Lucas. Celta renew Pichi Lucas. Faro de Vigo. es. 20 June 2012. 15 October 2021.
  6. Web site: First win for Celta. ESPN FC. 1 September 2012. 9 November 2012.
  7. News: Borja Oubiña renueva y Túñez y Jonny amplían su contrato. Borja Oubiña renews and Túñez and Jonny extend their contracts. Diario AS. es. 5 November 2012. 24 March 2015.
  8. Web site: El canterano Jonny Castro, celeste hasta 2019. Youth player Jonny Castro, sky blue until 2019. Celta Vigo. es. 19 January 2015. 24 March 2015. dead. https://web.archive.org/web/20150403010244/http://www.celtavigo.net/es/primer-equipo/noticias/8701-el-canterano-jonny-castro-celeste-hasta-2019. 3 April 2015.
  9. Web site: El Eibar pierde el duelo por Europa ante el Celta. Eibar lose duel for Europe against Celta. EITB. es. 20 February 2016. 31 May 2016.
  10. Web site: Jonny llega a los 150 partidos oficiales. Jonny reaches 150 official matches. El Desmarque. Bravo. Alberto. es. 12 December 2016. 31 January 2019.
  11. Web site: Real Madrid 1–2 Celta Vigo. BBC Sport. 18 January 2017. 19 January 2017.
  12. Web site: Agreement with Celta de Vigo over the transfer of Jonny. Atlético Madrid. 25 July 2018. 25 July 2018.
  13. Web site: Wolverhampton Wanderers 2–2 Everton. BBC Sport. Hafez. Shamoon. 11 August 2018. 14 August 2018.
  14. Web site: Wolverhampton Wanderers 2–0 Southampton. BBC Sport. Poole. Harry. 29 September 2018. 30 September 2018.
  15. News: Wolves' Jonny Castro Otto sidelined for up to six weeks. Express & Star. Spiers. Tim. 19 November 2018. 25 November 2018.
  16. News: Nuno delighted with Jonny Castro Otto's swift Wolves recovery. Shropshire Star. Edwards. Joe. 17 December 2018. 30 January 2019.
  17. Web site: Jonny Castro Otto: Wolves complete £15m deal with Atletico Madrid. BBC Sport. Stone. Simon. 31 January 2019. 31 January 2019.
  18. Web site: Jonny: Wolves defender to miss Europa League with serious knee injury. BBC Sport. 8 August 2020. 8 August 2020.
  19. Web site: Wolverhampton Wanderers 0–0 Leicester City: Foxes' title hopes suffer blow. BBC Sport. Hafez. Shamoon. 7 February 2021. 7 February 2021.
  20. Web site: Jonny commits future to Wolves. Wolverhampton Wanderers F.C.. 10 February 2021. 10 February 2021.
  21. Web site: Jonny Otto: Wolves defender out for season after suffering ACL injury. Sky Sports. 5 April 2021. 7 April 2021.
  22. Web site: Arsenal 2–1 Wolverhampton Wanderers: Late own goal from visiting goalkeeper Jose Sa gives hosts dramatic win. BBC Sport. Sutcliffe. Steve. 24 February 2022. 25 February 2022.
  23. Web site: Wolves 2–3 Leeds: Visitors fight back against 10 men to earn bruising win. BBC Sport. Stone. Simon. 18 March 2022. 19 March 2022.
  24. Web site: Wolverhampton Wanderers 2–1 Aston Villa: Steven Gerrard unhappy as Wolves boost European hopes. BBC Sport. Emons. Michael. 2 April 2022. 2 April 2022.
  25. Web site: Jonny wins Premier League award. Wolverhampton Wanderers F.C.. 31 March 2023. 31 March 2023.
  26. News: Jonny Castro Otto to stay at Wolves and fight for place. Express & Star. Keen. Liam. 1 September 2023. 1 September 2023.
  27. Web site: Jonny Otto: Wolves defender unavailable following 'training ground incident'. BBC Sport. 4 December 2023. 4 December 2023.
  28. Web site: Jonny exiled by Wolves after aiming elbow at youth-team player, spitting at staff member. The Athletic. Steve. Madeley. 12 December 2023. 20 January 2024.
  29. Web site: Hobbs Decision made on Jonny. Wolverhampton Wanderers F.C.. 8 December 2023. 8 December 2023.
  30. Web site: Jonny Otto: Wolves defender could play for club again if he stays beyond January, says Gary O'Neil. BBC Sport. Simon. Stone. 19 January 2024. 20 January 2024.
  31. Web site: Jonny makes Wolves departure. Wolverhampton Wanderers F.C.. 26 January 2024. 26 January 2024.
  32. Web site: Jonny joins PAOK. PAOK FC. 29 January 2024. 29 January 2024.
  33. Web site: Jonny y Nolito representan al Celta en la Selección Española. Jonny and Nolito represent Celta at the Spanish national team. Celta Vigo. es. 26 May 2015. 7 September 2015. dead. https://web.archive.org/web/20150923060433/http://www.celtavigo.net/es/club/noticias/9230-jonny-y-nolito-representan-al-celta-en-la-seleccion-espanola. 23 September 2015.
  34. Web site: Paco Alcacer scores twice as dominant Spain demolish Wales in Cardiff. ESPN. 11 October 2018. 12 October 2018.
  35. Web site: Jonny Castro. European Football. 31 January 2019.
  36. Web site: ΠΑΟΚ 4Χ4 και... 1,2, 4 ως αουτσάιντερ: από 75–68 το έκανε 78–80!. PAOK 4X4 and... 1,2, 4 as outsiders: they went from 75–68 to 78–80!. Gazzetta. Seretis. Yannis. el. 19 May 2024. 19 May 2024.
  37. Web site: Spain make it six of the best in Estonia. UEFA. 16 July 2012. 13 January 2021.
  38. Web site: Germany U21 1–0 Spain U21. BBC Sport. 30 June 2017. 5 September 2019.
  39. Web site: Jonny volley voted Budweiser Goal of the Month. Premier League. 31 March 2023. 2 May 2023.