Emiliano Insúa

This name uses Spanish naming customs: the first or paternal family name is Insúa and the second or maternal family name is Zapata.
Emiliano Insúa

Insúa with Liverpool in 2009
Personal information
Full nameEmiliano Adrián Insúa Zapata
Date of birth7 January 1989
Place of birthBuenos Aires, Argentina
Height1.79 m (5 ft 10 12 in)[1]
Playing positionLeft back
Club information
Current team
Rayo Vallecano (on loan from Atlético Madrid)
Number14
Youth career
Boca Juniors
Senior career*
YearsTeamApps(Gls)
2007Boca Juniors0(0)
2007Liverpool (loan)2(0)
2007–2011Liverpool46(1)
2010–2011→ Galatasaray (loan)16(0)
2011–2013Sporting CP37(2)
2013–Atlético Madrid9(0)
2014–Rayo Vallecano (loan)19(0)
National team
2006–2009Argentina U2019(0)
2008Argentina U231(0)
2009–Argentina4(0)
* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only and correct as of 19 April 2015.

† Appearances (Goals).

‡ National team caps and goals correct as of 8 June 2011

Emiliano Adrián Insúa Zapata (born 7 January 1989) is an Argentine footballer who plays for Spanish club Rayo Vallecano, on loan from Atlético Madrid, as a left back.

Insúa is a European Union citizen due to one of his grandparents being a Spanish citizen.[2]

Career

Early career

Insúa began his football career with youth team Pinocho in Villa Urquiza, Argentina, later moving to, Buenos Aires-based team, Boca Juniors.[3] The left back did not break into the first-team at La Bombonera when he caught the attention of scouts Frank Mc Parland and Paddy Murphy from Liverpool.[4] After some solid performances for the Argentinian U17s, many clubs were desperate to sign him, a player who rarely had appearances for his then club, and Boca were also very keen to get a profit from this young prodigy which led to negotiations between Liverpool and Boca. The defender agreed to an 18-month loan deal with the Merseyside club on 28 November 2006, beginning his loan period in January.[5]

Liverpool

Insúa made his first-team debut against Portsmouth on 28 April 2007,[4] but made only one more league appearance that season.[6] His loan deal was made permanent in August 2007 in the deal which saw Gabriel Paletta move to Boca Juniors.[7]

The following season Insúa made only three more first-team league appearances but found success with Gary Ablett's Premier Reserve League winning team; along with other Liverpool youngsters.[8] His performances impressed manager Rafael Benítez enough to offer him a new three-year deal at the club.[9] In December 2008 Insua got a run of games in the Liverpool first team, due to an injury to Fábio Aurélio and also due to the form of Andrea Dossena. Insúa found himself starting in Liverpool's opening six Premier League games and the first tie of their UEFA Champions League campaign. He scored his first goal for the club in a Football League Cup match against Arsenal at the Emirates Stadium on 28 October 2009.[10]

In July 2010, despite being Liverpool's only senior left back available, a fee was agreed for him to join Fiorentina, although a contract was never signed.[11]

Galatasaray

On 31 August 2010 he joined Galatasaray on a one year loan deal with an option to transfer permanently next year on 30 June, when the deal expired. He wore the number 6 shirt.[12][13] It was rumoured that Insúa would be returning to Liverpool in the January transfer window after Galatasaray manager Gheorghe Hagi stated that he did not want loan players in his squad[14] and Insúa had reportedly expressed his desire to play for Liverpool under new manager Kenny Dalglish.[15]

Return to Liverpool

Insua with Liverpool in August 2009

Insúa returned to Liverpool for pre-season training following his loan spell. After being denied entry into China for passport reasons, Insua rejoined the Liverpool squad in Malaysia. He featured in Liverpool's 6–3 win over a Malaysian select team, coming on as a second-half substitute and scoring a goal.

Sporting Clube de Portugal

On 27 August 2011, Sporting Clube de Portugal announced that Insúa had signed for the club in a five-year deal for an undisclosed fee. He was given the number 48.[16]

Insúa made his debut for Sporting on 15 September 2011 in the UEFA Europa League, scoring the first goal in a 2–0 victory over FC Zurich.[17] On 29 September 2011, Insúa scored the second goal in a 2–1 victory against SS Lazio, again in the Europa League. He was sent off later in the match after earning a second yellow card.[18]

Atlético Madrid

On 25 January 2013, Atlético Madrid announced that they have reached an agreement with Sporting Clube de Portugal for the transfer of Insúa,[19] reportedly for €3.5 million.[20]

On 1 September 2014 Insúa was loaned to fellow league team Rayo Vallecano, in a season-long deal.[21]

International career

The player succeeded on the Under-20s international scene, playing three games to finish with the runner-up medal at the 2007 South American Youth Championship, which served as a qualifier for the FIFA U20 World Cup where he played seven games, conceding just 4 goals in the entire tournament and aiding the Argentina Under-20 team to victory against the Czech Republic in the FIFA U20 World Cup final on 22 July 2007.[22]

On 24 August 2009, Liverpool manager Rafael Benítez said that Diego Maradona was monitoring the progress of Insúa and considering calling him up for international duty with Argentina.[23] Maradona eventually did call him up on 26 September 2009, for the crucial World Cup qualifiers against Peru and Uruguay, making his first start in a 2–1 win over Peru.[24]

Career statistics

As of 29 May 2014[25]

Club

Club Season League Cup League Cup Europe Total
AppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoals
Liverpool 2006–07 2000000020
2007–08 3000000030
2008–09 100102000130
2009–10 3102011100441
Total 4603031100621
Galatasaray 2010–11 160300000190
Total 160300000190
Sporting CP 2011–12 2406220124446
2012–13 130100050160
Total 3707220174606
Atlético Madrid 2012-13 3000000030
2013-14 60400040140
Total 90400040170
Career total 1080172513141627

International

Argentina national team
YearAppsGoals
200910
201010
201120
Total40

Honours

Liverpool
Atlético Madrid
Argentina

Personal life

Insúa's younger brother, Emanuel, is also a footballer and left back.[26]

References

  1. http://clubatleticodemadrid.com/jugadores/emiliano-insua-2013-2014
  2. "Insua has eyes for first team". Daily Post (Re–Published by Liverpool FC official site). 19 February 2007. Retrieved 18 July 2010.
  3. Barrett, Tony (2 May 2008). "Emiliano Insua plans to grasp his big Anfield chance". Liverpool Echo. Retrieved 19 July 2008.
  4. 4.0 4.1 "First team squad profiles – Emiliano Insúa". Liverpool F.C. Retrieved 5 August 2014.
  5. "Reds agree Argentine deal". Sky Sports (on Liverpoolfc.tv). October 2006. Retrieved 5 August 2014.
  6. "Emiliano Insúa – All time playing career". Soccerbase. Retrieved 5 August 2014.
  7. Kay, Oliver (27 August 2007). "Lucky escape for Carragher". The Times (London). Archived from the original on 7 September 2011. Retrieved 19 July 2008.
  8. Barrett, Tony (8 May 2008). "Emiliano Insúa aiming high after reserves' night of glory". The Liverpool Echo. Retrieved 19 July 2008.
  9. Eaton, Paul (2 July 2008). "Insua pens new Anfield deal". Liverpool F.C. Retrieved 5 August 2014.
  10. "Maiden Merida goal lights up Arsenal show". ESPNsoccernet. 28 October 2009. Archived from the original on 15 November 2009. Retrieved 28 October 2009.
  11. "Liverpool agree fee to sell Emiliano Insua". BBC Sport. 17 July 2010. Retrieved 28 July 2010.
  12. "Emiliano Insúa joins Galatasaray". Galatasaray.org. 31 August 2010. Retrieved 31 August 2010.
  13. "Full-back seals loan deal Insúa". LiverpoolFC.tv. 31 August 2010. Retrieved 31 August 2010.
  14. "Emiliano Insua expected to make surprise Liverpool FC return in January". Click Liverpool. Retrieved 7 January 2012.
  15. http://www.givemefootball.com/premier-league/liverpool-defender-starlet-linked-with-second-anfi
  16. "Insúa "leão" por cinco anos" (in Portuguese). Sporting Clube de Portugal. 26 August 2011. Retrieved 27 August 2011l.
  17. "UEFA Europa League 2012 – Zürich-Sporting". Uefa.com. Retrieved 7 January 2012.
  18. "UEFA Europa League 2012 – Sporting-Lazio". Uefa.com. Retrieved 7 January 2012.
  19. "El Atlético ficha a Insúa". marca.com. 25 January 2012. Retrieved 25 January 2012.
  20. "Insua had no doubts over move to Atletico Madrid". 30 January 2013. Retrieved 6 February 2013.
  21. "Emiliano Insúa nuevo jugador del Rayo" [Emiliano Insúa new player of Rayo] (in Spanish). Rayo's official website. 1 September 2014. Retrieved 1 September 2014.
  22. "Emiliano Insúa – Record at FIFA tournaments". FIFA. Retrieved 18 July 2008.
  23. "Rafael Benitez: Argentina keeping tabs on Emiliano Insua progress". Soccernet.espn.go.com. 24 August 2009. Retrieved 7 January 2012.
  24. Smyth, Rob (10 October 2009). "Argentina v Peru – as it happened – Rob Smyth". The Guardian (London).
  25. "Insúa, Emiliano". ESPN Soccernet. 24 December 2010.
  26. "Emiliano beat Emanuel". Marca.com. 14 March 2015. Retrieved 19 March 2015.

External links