Luka Krajnc

Luka Krajnc
Personal information
Full name Luka Krajnc
Date of birth (1994-09-19) 19 September 1994
Place of birth Ptuj, Slovenia
Height 1.87 m (6 ft 2 in)
Playing position Defender
Club information
Current team
 Cagliari
Number 15
Youth career
2002–2010 Maribor
2011–2013 Genoa Primavera
Senior career*
Years Team Apps† (Gls)†
2010–2011 Maribor 1 (0)
2011–2015 Genoa 3 (0)
2013–2015 → Cesena (loan) 48 (1)
2015– Cagliari 2 (0)
National team‡
2010–2011 Slovenia U17 7 (0)
2011–2012 Slovenia U19 12 (1)
2012– Slovenia U21 15 (1)
2015– Slovenia 1 (0)

* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only and correct as of 20 October 2015.
† Appearances (goals)

‡ National team caps and goals correct as of 20 October 2015

Luka Krajnc (born 19 September 1994 in Ptuj) is a Slovenian football defender who plays for the Italian club Cagliari.

Club career

He began his football career at the age of eight when his father took him on a trial with the Slovenian football club Maribor.[1] Krajnc, who is left footed, primarily plays in central defence and is praised for his pace, strength, passing and ability on the ball.[2] He signed his first professional contract with Maribor at the age of 16 and played for the main squad on couple of friendly matches. On 29 May 2011, he played his first and only Slovenian first division, 1.SNL, match for Maribor to date in the last round of the 2010–11 season.[3] Maribor were already crowned champions two rounds before and gave the chance to its talented youngster to leave the club in big fashion. At the time of his debut Krajnc was the youngest player ever with an appearance for Maribor in a 1. SNL match. A record which lasted until 25 March 2012.[4]

On 3 April 2011, Krajnc signed a pre contract with the Italian Serie A club Genoa.[5] The transfer fee paid by Genoa was undisclosed, but it is believed to be close to one million euros and Krajnc joined his new club on 1 July 2011.[6][7] He began his career at Genoa with their Primavera side which he also captained, before making a debut for the main squad on 27 October 2012 at San Siro stadium on a league match against Milan.[8] With 18 years, one month and 14 days he became the youngest Slovenian player ever with an appearances in the Italian top division, Serie A.[7]

On 3 July 2013 he moved to A.C. Cesena in temporary co-ownership deal.[9] In June 2015 Genoa bought out Cesena contract and became the sole owner of the players rights.[10]

International career

He has represented Slovenia at youth levels. On 30 March 2015 he made his senior international debut, replacing Dominic Maroh after 65 minutes of an eventual 0–1 friendly defeat to Qatar at the Jassim Bin Hamad Stadium in Doha.[11]

Personal life

Krajnc is from Kapla na Kozjaku in the hilly region of northeastern Slovenia (Styria) near the Austrian border, roughly 37 km from the city of Maribor.[1] Before moving to Maribor he usually had to study and do his homework on the back seat of his father's car, traveling to and from training.[1][8]

References

  1. 1 2 3 NK Maribor. "Osebni karton: Luka Krajnc" (in Slovenian). NK Maribor official website. Retrieved 4 April 2011.
  2. ↑ "Blues to have first refusal on Slovenian starlet". theshedender.com. Retrieved 4 April 2011.
  3. ↑ "15 Luka Krajnc" (in Slovenian). PrvaLiga official website. Retrieved 4 April 2011.
  4. ↑ NK Maribor (26 March 2012). "Soigralci in navijači odnesli tremo" (in Slovenian). NK Maribor official website. Retrieved 26 March 2012.
  5. ↑ "Luka Krajnc pri 16 letih iz Maribora v Genoo" (in Slovenian). RTV Slovenija. Retrieved 4 April 2011.
  6. ↑ "Kako je Genoa Chelseaju speljala Krajnca?" (in Slovenian). Siol. Retrieved 7 April 2011.
  7. 1 2 Rok Plestenjak (29 October 2012). "Tako mlad ni debitiral še nihče" (in Slovenian). Siol. Retrieved 30 October 2012.
  8. 1 2 T.O. (30 October 2012). "Na San Siru kot v kinu, slike ni pokvaril niti sporen gol" (in Slovenian). RTV Slovenija. Retrieved 30 October 2012.
  9. ↑ "Luka Kranjc è un giocatore del Cesena" (in Italian). AC Cesena. 3 July 2013. Retrieved 5 July 2013.
  10. ↑ Peter Dominko (25 June 2015). "Genoa odkupila Krajnca" (in Slovenian). SNPortal.si. Retrieved 25 June 2015.
  11. ↑ "Qatar 1-0 Slovenia". European Football. Retrieved 1 April 2015.

External links

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