| Paolo Fernandes | |
| Fullname: | Paolo Fernandes Cantin[1] |
| Birth Date: | 19 August 1998 |
| Birth Place: | Zaragoza, Spain |
| Height: | 1.67 m |
| Position: | Right-winger |
| Currentclub: | AEK Athens |
| Clubnumber: | 22 |
| Youthyears1: | 2010–2013 |
| Youthclubs1: | Zaragoza |
| Youthyears2: | 2013–2017 |
| Youthclubs2: | Manchester City |
| Years1: | 2017–2020 |
| Clubs1: | Manchester City |
| Caps1: | 0 |
| Goals1: | 0 |
| Years2: | 2017–2019 |
| Clubs2: | → NAC Breda (loan) |
| Caps2: | 33 |
| Goals2: | 2 |
| Years3: | 2019–2020 |
| Clubs3: | → Perugia (loan) |
| Caps3: | 13 |
| Goals3: | 0 |
| Years4: | 2020–2021 |
| Clubs4: | Castellón |
| Caps4: | 10 |
| Goals4: | 0 |
| Years5: | 2021–2022 |
| Clubs5: | Volos |
| Caps5: | 31 |
| Goals5: | 6 |
| Years6: | 2022– |
| Clubs6: | AEK Athens |
| Caps6: | 27 |
| Goals6: | 2 |
| Years7: | 2022 |
| Clubs7: | → Volos (loan) |
| Caps7: | 9 |
| Goals7: | 2 |
| Club-Update: | 23:00, 30 November 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.
Born in Zaragoza, Aragon to a Capeverdean father,[2] [3] Fernandes started his career at Real Zaragoza. In 2013, aged 15, he joined Manchester City after being invited to train for the squad.[4] Zaragoza later claimed to the Royal Spanish Football Federation that the player was not allowed to join City,[5] and the English club agreed to pay a compensation fee for the move (rumoured to be € 180,000);[6] despite still training at City, he was only registered in August 2014 when he reached the age of 16.[7]
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.
On 24 June 2017, after finishing his formation, Fernandes, Thierry Ambrose and fellow compatriot Pablo Marí were loaned to Eredivisie side Breda.[8] 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,[9] but only contributed with eight league appearances.
On 17 July 2019, Fernandes joined Serie B side Perugia on loan for the 2019–20 season.[10] He appeared in 16 league matches overall, totalling ten starts.
Fernandes joined Segunda División newcomers Castellón on 3 September 2020, signing a three-year contract.[11]
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.[12] On 19 September 2021, he scored his first goal in a 3–1 away win against Apollon Smyrnis.[13]
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.[14]
| 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 | 3 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 3 | 0 | — | 7 | 1 | ||||
| Total | 25 | 2 | 7 | 1 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 35 | 3 | |||
| Career total | 121 | 12 | 18 | 3 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 142 | 15 | |||
AEK Athens