Léo Chú Explained

Léo Chú
Fullname:Leonardo Alves Chú Franco[1]
Birth Date:6 April 2000
Birth Place:Porto Alegre, Brazil
Height:1.78 m
Position:Winger
Currentclub:Seattle Sounders FC
Clubnumber:23
Youthyears1:2010–2019
Youthclubs1:Grêmio
Years1:2020–2021
Clubs1:Grêmio
Caps1:4
Goals1:0
Years2:2020–2021
Clubs2:Ceará (loan)
Caps2:22
Goals2:3
Years3:2021–
Clubs3:Seattle Sounders FC
Caps3:54
Goals3:4
Club-Update:04:30, 11 July 2023 (UTC)

Leonardo Alves Chú Franco (born 6 April 2000), known as Léo Chú, is a Brazilian professional footballer who plays as a winger for Major League Soccer club Seattle Sounders FC.

Club career

Grêmio

Léo Chú was born in Porto Alegre, Rio Grande do Sul, and joined Grêmio's youth setup at the age of ten. On 5 February 2020, he renewed his contract until the end of 2024.[2]

Ceará (loan)

On 10 February 2020, Léo Chú was loaned to fellow Série A side Ceará until the end of the season.[3] He made his senior debut twelve days later, coming on as a second-half substitute for Wescley in a 1–0 Campeonato Cearense home win against Caucaia.[4]

Léo Chú made his top tier debut occurred on 12 October 2020, as he started in a 2–1 home success over Corinthians.[5] He scored his first goal in the category on 25 November, netting the equalizer in a 1–1 home draw against São Paulo.

2021 season

Back to Grêmio for the 2021 campaign, Léo Chú made his debut for the club on 14 March, starting in a 2–0 Campeonato Gaúcho away win against Esportivo.[6] Late in the month, he scored the equalizer in a 2–2 draw at São Luiz-RS.[7]

Seattle Sounders FC

On August 5, 2021, Léo Chú signed with Seattle Sounders FC of Major League Soccer.[8] He made his debut for the club on September 14, coming on as a substitute and providing an assist to Raúl Ruidíaz's goal in stoppage time to win a Leagues Cup semifinal against Santos Laguna. Chú made his MLS debut on September 29 against the San Jose Earthquakes with another substitute appearance.[9]

He set a club record with four assists—all to Jordan Morris—in a 4–1 defeat of Sporting Kansas City in March 2023.[10]

Career statistics

ClubSeasonLeagueState LeagueCupContinentalOtherTotal
DivisionAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoals
Ceará2020Série A22320501[11] 0303
Grêmio2021Série A0092003[12] 0122
Seattle Sounders FC2021MLS811000081
2022MLS250250
2023MLS315315
Career total86911260301010611

Honours

Grêmio

2021

2021

Seattle Sounders FC

2022

External links

Notes and References

  1. Web site: FIFA Club World Cup Morocco 2022™: List of Players: Seattle Sounders FC . FIFA . 6 . 7 February 2023 . 18 February 2023 . https://web.archive.org/web/20230212205323/https://fdp.fifa.org/assetspublic/ce71/pdf/SquadLists-English.pdf . 12 February 2023 . live.
  2. Web site: Promessa da base, Léo Chú renova com o Grêmio e será emprestado ao Ceará. Youth prospect, Léo Chú renews with Grêmio and will be loaned to Ceará. Gaúcha ZH. pt-BR. 5 February 2020. 6 November 2020.
  3. Web site: Atacante Léo Chú é o novo contratado do Ceará para a temporada 2020. Forward Léo Chú is the new signing of Ceará for the 2020 season. Ceará SC. pt-BR. 10 February 2020. 6 November 2020.
  4. Web site: Rodrigão marca de cabeça e Ceará vence o Caucaia pelo Campeonato Cearense. Rodrigão scores from a header and Ceará defeat Caucaia for the Campeonato Cearense. Ceará SC. pt-BR. 22 February 2020. 6 November 2020.
  5. Web site: Léo Chu agradece chance dada por Guto e se diz ansioso por primeiro gol no profissional. Léo Chu thanks chance given by Guto and says he is anxious for his first professional goal. O Povo. pt-BR. 14 October 2020. 6 November 2020.
  6. Web site: Léo Chú lembra início sem chuteiras e vibra com nova chance no Grêmio: "Só o começo". Léo Chú remembers beginnings without boots and vibrates with new chance at Grêmio: "Only the beginning". GloboEsporte.com. pt-BR. 16 March 2021. 17 May 2021.
  7. Web site: Após primeiro gol pelo Grêmio, Léo Chú se emociona: "Que seja início de uma trajetória linda". After first goal for Grêmio, Léo Chú gets emotional: "May it be the beginning of a beautiful path". GloboEsporte.com. pt-BR. 1 April 2021. 17 May 2021.
  8. News: August 5, 2021 . Sounders FC adds Brazilian attacker Léo Chú and French winger Nicolas Benezet on transfer deadline day . Seattle Sounders FC . August 5, 2021.
  9. News: Krasnoo . Ryan . September 30, 2021 . Leó Chú showcases potential in MLS debut against San Jose . SoundersFC.com . October 9, 2021.
  10. News: Evans . Jayda . April 21, 2023 . How a 'hunger' and team-first approach have earned Leo Chu a Sounders starting spot . . April 26, 2023.
  11. Appearance(s) in Copa do Nordeste
  12. Two appearances in Copa Libertadores, one appearance in Copa Sudamericana