Samuel Sáiz Explained

Samuel Sáiz
Fullname:Samuel Sáiz Alonso[1]
Birth Date:22 January 1991[2]
Birth Place:Madrid, Spain
Height:1.74 m
Position:Attacking midfielder, forward
Currentclub:Eyüpspor
Clubnumber:10
Youthclubs1:Omega CF
Youthyears2:1999–2008
Youthclubs2:Real Madrid
Years1:2008–2011
Caps1:35
Goals1:5
Years2:2009–2010
Caps2:23
Goals2:5
Years3:2010–2011
Clubs3:Sevilla B (loan)
Caps3:15
Goals3:3
Years4:2011–2012
Caps4:16
Goals4:1
Years5:2012–2013
Caps5:44
Goals5:11
Years6:2012
Caps6:1
Goals6:0
Years7:2013–2014
Caps7:9
Goals7:0
Years8:2014–2015
Caps8:45
Goals8:13
Years9:2015–2016
Caps9:0
Goals9:0
Years10:2015–2016
Clubs10:Huesca (loan)
Caps10:29
Goals10:3
Years11:2016–2017
Caps11:40
Goals11:12
Years12:2017–2019
Caps12:53
Goals12:5
Years13:2019
Clubs13:Getafe (loan)
Caps13:10
Goals13:1
Years14:2019–2023
Caps14:104
Goals14:10
Years15:2023–2024
Caps15:31
Goals15:9
Years16:2024–
Caps16:9
Goals16:1
Nationalyears1:2009
Nationalcaps1:3
Nationalgoals1:0
Club-Update:16:11, 15 June 2024 (UTC)

Samuel Sáiz Alonso (born 22 January 1991) is a Spanish professional footballer who plays as an attacking midfielder or a forward for Turkish club Eyüpspor.[3] [4]

He spent most of his career in the Spanish lower leagues, amassing Segunda División totals of 165 games and 23 goals with Huesca and Girona after signing with the former club at the age of 24. In La Liga, he appeared in 11 matches for Getafe over two separate spells and eight for Girona, and also spent one and a half years in the English Championship with Leeds United.

Club career

Real Madrid

Born in Madrid, Sáiz arrived in Real Madrid's youth system at the age of eight. He made his senior debut late into 2008–09 – one game – as the B team competed in the Segunda División B. In the following season, spent in the same level, he contributed more solidly, but they could only rank in eighth position, thus failing to reach the promotion playoff stage.[5]

For the 2010–11 campaign, Sáiz was loaned to Sevilla FC's reserves also in division three, in a season-long move. In the following transfer window, however, he returned to Real Madrid, being assigned to its C side in the Tercera División.[6]

Melilla and Getafe

On 17 August 2011, Sáiz returned to the third tier and joined UD Melilla, with Real retaining a buyback option on the player.[7] Late into the following transfer window, however, he terminated his contract and signed with Getafe CF's reserves in the same league.[8] He made his first-team – and La Liga – debut on 1 April 2012, coming on as a substitute for Jaime Gavilán for the last 12 minutes of a 3–0 away loss against Atlético Madrid.[9]

Almería and Atlético

Sáiz signed with UD Almería B on 8 July 2013.[10] In January of the following year he moved teams again, joining Atlético Madrid B also in the third division.[11] [12]

Occasionally called for training with Atlético's main squad under manager Diego Simeone, Sáiz was also an unused substitute in a league match against Villarreal CF.[13] [14]

Huesca

On 5 August 2015, Sáiz joined SD Huesca from Segunda División in a season-long move.[15] [16] He scored his first professional goal 17 days later, but in a 3–2 home defeat to Deportivo Alavés.[17] He netted a further two times in his first year, from 30 overall appearances.[18]

Sáiz signed a permanent contract with the Aragonese club in late March 2016, until June 2018.[19] In the following campaign he scored a career-best 12 goals,[20] as his team was ousted in the promotion play-offs.[21]

Leeds United

On 10 July 2017, Huesca and Leeds United reached an agreement for the transfer of Sáiz.[22] Three days later, the latter club announced the signing of a four-year contract after a successful medical.[23] He made his competitive debut on 9 August, scoring a hat-trick in a 4–1 victory over Port Vale in the EFL Cup;[24] in doing so, he became their first player to achieve the feat in his first game since Carl Shutt in 1989.[25] His first Championship appearance took place three days later, in a 0–0 home draw against Preston North End.[26]

Sáiz opened his league scoring account on 19 August 2017, contributing to the 2–0 win at Sunderland.[27] The following 7 January, he was involved in an off-the-ball incident and was shown a red card for allegedly spitting at an opposition player during the 2–1 defeat to Newport County in the FA Cup.[28] He returned from his six-match suspension on 21 February in a 2–2 draw against Derby County, providing an assist for Ezgjan Alioski.[29]

After ending the season with nine goals and seven assists,[30] Sáiz was nominated as one of four players for Leeds' Player of The Year award on 16 April 2018.[31] For the following campaign, he was given the number 14 shirt.[32]

On 17 December 2018, Sáiz was loaned to his former club Getafe for six months.[33] He made his debut on 6 January 2019, playing 16 minutes in a 2–1 home loss against FC Barcelona.[34] He scored his first goal in the Spanish top flight on 28 April, but in a defeat at Real Sociedad by the same scoreline.[35]

Girona

Sáiz joined Girona FC on 18 July 2019, for an undisclosed fee.[36] He contributed three goals from 40 games in the 2021–22 season, in a return to the top tier after three years;[37] on 1 April 2022, however, as he was being replaced in the first half of the league fixture against Málaga CF (eventual 1–0 home win), he called manager Míchel a "clown" and threw away his shirt.[38]

On 27 January 2023, Sáiz left the Estadi Montilivi after 120 official matches and 12 goals.[39]

Sivasspor

Sáiz signed a year-and-a-half contract with Sivasspor of the Turkish Süper Lig immediately after leaving Girona.[40]

International career

Sáiz represented Spain at under-19 level.[41]

Career statistics

Club

Appearances and goals by club, season and competition
ClubSeasonLeagueNational cupLeague cupOtherTotal
DivisionAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoals
Real Madrid Castilla2008–09Segunda División B100010
2009–1022500225
Total265000000265
Sevilla Atlético2010–11Segunda División B15300153
Melilla2011–12Segunda División B1611000171
Getafe2011–12La Liga10000010
Getafe B2011–12Segunda División B13200132
2012–1331900319
Total44110000004411
Almería B2013–14Segunda División B900090
Atlético Madrid B2013–14Segunda División B12522147
2014–1533800338
Total45130000224715
Huesca2015–16Segunda División2931000303
2016–17401220204412
Total69153000207415
Leeds United2017–18Championship345102400379
2018–19190002100211
Total5351045005810
Getafe (loan)2018–19La Liga1012000121
Girona2019–20Segunda División3021041353
2020–213032010333
2021–223633140434
2022–23La Liga82100092
Total1041071009112012
Career total392641414513342373

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Club list of registered players: As at 19th May 2018: Leeds United. English Football League. 21. 17 June 2018.
  2. News: Samuel Sáiz. Diario AS. 28 January 2023.
  3. News: VIDEO: Potential Leeds United signing Samuel in action. Yorkshire Evening Post. Alex. Evans. 23 June 2017. 25 June 2017.
  4. Web site: Samu Sáiz y el Leeds United, muy cerca de llegar a un acuerdo. Samu Sáiz and Leeds United, very close to reaching an agreement. Sport Huesca. Antonio. Escar. es. 24 June 2017. 25 June 2017.
  5. News: Getafe: Samu Saiz, el jugador de las cinco canteras. Getafe: Samu Saiz, the player of the five youth systems. Marca. es. 19 December 2018. 28 January 2023.
  6. News: Samu Saiz: "El objetivo es volver a Primera". Samu Saiz: "The goal is to return to Primera". Diario AS. Marc. Bernad Suelves. es. 18 July 2019. 28 January 2023.
  7. Web site: Samuel Saiz ficha por el Melilla. Samuel Saiz signs for Melilla. Best!. es. 17 August 2011. 5 April 2012.
  8. News: El delantero Samu rescinde contrato con Melilla para firmar por el Getafe B. Forward Samu terminates contract with Melilla to sign for Getafe B. ABC. es. 20 January 2012. 14 May 2019.
  9. Web site: Diego enjoys Atleti return. https://archive.today/20120715111046/http://soccernet.espn.go.com/report/_/id/323753?cc=5739. dead. 15 July 2012. ESPN Soccernet. 1 April 2012. 5 April 2012.
  10. Web site: Samu Saiz, primer fichaje del Almería B. Samu Saiz, first signing of Almería B. UD Almería. es. 8 July 2013. 8 July 2013. https://web.archive.org/web/20130712023951/http://www.udalmeriasad.com/uda/index.php/cantera/noticias/5499-samu-saiz-primer-fichaje-del-almeria-b. 12 July 2013.
  11. Web site: Samu Sáiz firma por el Atlético B. Samu Sáiz signs for Atlético B. Vavel. Adrián. Barrios Merillas. es. 31 January 2014. 25 June 2017.
  12. Web site: Samu Sáiz vuelve a Madrid. Samu Sáiz returns to Madrid. El Gol de Madriz. es. 31 January 2014. 2 February 2014.
  13. News: El Atleti defenderá el liderato sin Costa, Arda ni Gabi. Atleti will defend first place without Costa, Arda or Gabi. Marca. es. 4 April 2014. 25 June 2017.
  14. News: El Cholo Simeone trabaja con el futuro Atlético de Madrid. Cholo Simeone works with future Atlético de Madrid. Diario AS. Juan. Casáñez. es. 16 July 2014. 25 June 2017.
  15. Web site: Samuel Sáiz, nuevo fichaje. Samuel Sáiz, new signing. SD Huesca. es. 5 August 2015. 5 August 2015. dead. https://web.archive.org/web/20150924095733/http://www.sdhuesca.es/noticia.php?clave=_4EY0UHBRL. 24 September 2015.
  16. News: Samu Sáiz llega cedido a Huesca. Samu Sáiz arrives to Huesca on loan. Marca. es. 5 August 2015. 25 June 2017.
  17. News: El Deportivo Alavés amarga la vuelta a Segunda del Huesca. Deportivo Alavés bitter Huesca's Segunda return. Marca. Alberto. Laz. es. 22 August 2015. 20 September 2016.
  18. News: Leeds and Leicester transfer battle for striker: Spaniard has bargain release clause. Daily Express. James. Cambridge. 1 July 2016. 20 June 2017.
  19. News: Samu Sáiz renueva hasta el 2018. Samu Sáiz renews until 2018. Marca. es. 23 March 2016. 25 June 2017.
  20. News: La Primera División espera a Samu Sáiz. Primera División awaits Samu Sáiz. Heraldo de Aragón. Rafa. Díaz. es. 20 June 2017. 25 June 2017.
  21. Web site: Hierro departs Real Oviedo. Football España. Colin. Millar. 14 June 2017. 20 June 2017.
  22. Web site: Deal agreed for Sáiz. Leeds United F.C.. 10 July 2017. 10 July 2017.
  23. Web site: Sáiz deal complete. Leeds United F.C.. 13 July 2017. 13 July 2017.
  24. Web site: Leeds United 4–1 Port Vale. BBC Sport. 9 August 2017. 10 August 2017.
  25. News: Leeds United: Hat-trick hero Saiz's 'spit' spat overshadows outstanding debut. Yorkshire Evening Post. Phil. Hay. 9 August 2017. 10 August 2017.
  26. Web site: Leeds United 0–0 Preston North End. BBC Sport. 12 August 2017. 19 August 2017.
  27. Web site: Sunderland 0–2 Leeds United. Sky Sports. 19 August 2017. 21 August 2017.
  28. News: Samuel Saiz: Why Leeds star was sent off against Newport County. Daily Express. Alex. Harris. 7 January 2018. 7 January 2018.
  29. Web site: Derby County 2–2 Leeds United. BBC Sport. 21 February 2018. 28 February 2018.
  30. Web site: Leeds United top scorers. BBC Sport. 17 May 2018.
  31. Web site: Cast your vote for the Player of The Year awards. Leeds United F.C.. 16 April 2018. 17 April 2018.
  32. Web site: 2018/19 squad numbers announced. Leeds United F.C.. 26 July 2018. 26 July 2018.
  33. Web site: Samu Saiz nuevo futbolista azulón. Samu Saiz new blue footballer. Getafe CF. es. 17 December 2018. 20 December 2018.
  34. Web site: Getafe 1–2 Barcelona. BBC Sport. 6 January 2019. 7 January 2019.
  35. News: Samu Saiz, la mejor noticia en Anoeta. Samu Saiz, the best news at Anoeta. Marca. Juancar. Navacerrada. es. 29 April 2019. 29 April 2019.
  36. Web site: Samuel Saiz joins Girona. Leeds United F.C.. 18 July 2019. 18 July 2019.
  37. Web site: Girona return to La Liga after winning promotion playoff. Get Spanish Football News. 20 June 2022. 28 January 2023.
  38. News: “Payaso, que eres un payaso”, el insulto de Samu Saiz a Míchel tras ser sustituido en la primera parte. "Clown, what a clown you are", Samu Saiz's insult to Míchel after being replaced in the first half. La Razón. es. 2 April 2022. 28 January 2023.
  39. Web site: Samu Sáiz deixa el Girona FC. Samu Sáiz leaves Girona FC. Girona FC. ca. 27 January 2023. 27 January 2023.
  40. Web site: Samu Saiz Demir Grup Sivasspor’umuzda. Samu Sáiz joins Demir Grup Sivasspor. Sivasspor. tr. 27 January 2023. 29 January 2023.
  41. Web site: España sub 19, con Óscar Sielva de titular, comenzó el minitorneo con goleada (5–1) ante Macedonia. Spain under 19s, with Óscar Sielva as starter, begin minitournament by thrashing (5–1) Macedonia. Sport Cartagena. es. 4 November 2009. 23 August 2022.