Albert Luque
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| Albert Luque | ||
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| Personal information | ||
|---|---|---|
| Full name | Albert Luque Martos | |
| Date of birth | March 11, 1978 | |
| Place of birth | Terrassa, Spain | |
| Height | 1.83 m (6 ft 0 in) | |
| Playing position | Forward, Left winger | |
| Club information | ||
| Current club | Ajax | |
| Number | 10 | |
| Youth clubs | ||
| 1996–1997 | FC Barcelona B | |
| Senior clubs1 | ||
| Years | Club | App (Gls)* |
| 1998–2002 1999–2000 2002–2005 2005–2007 2007- |
Real Mallorca → Málaga CF (loan) Deportivo La Coruña Newcastle United AFC Ajax |
80 (29) 24 (3) 100 (25) 20 (1) 16 (4) |
| National team2 | ||
| 2002-2005 | Spain | 16 (3) |
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1 Senior club appearances and goals |
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Albert Luque Martos (born March 11, 1978 in Terrassa, Catalonia, Spain) is a football player from Spain. He can play as either an attacking midfielder (left) or a striker. He is currently with Dutch side AFC Ajax.
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[edit] La Liga History
A lifelong supporter of Barcelona, he started out in football on trial with them, but he was released by FC Barcelona B at the age of 19.
He was taken on by Real Mallorca's B-team in 1998, but broke through to the first team after a successful loan spell at Málaga CF the following year, where he made 23 La Liga appearances and scored 5 goals. Later, he scored 9 goals for Mallorca in the 2000-2001 season helping them qualify for the UEFA Champions League pre-round for the first time in their history by finishing third. Luque’s extra-time goal in the qualifying round against Hajduk Split in the summer of 2001 that carried Mallorca into the first group stage.
He was transferred from RCD Mallorca to Deportivo de La Coruña in 2002, in a deal worth €15 million (approximately £10 million), along with strikers José "Turu" Flores and Walter Pandiani (on loan).
In his first season at Deportivo, he scored the winning goal against his former club Málaga with a bicycle kick. That season Luque scored other winners against Athletic Bilbao, Racing de Santander and RCD Espanyol. He scored a total of 12 goals in that season, although mostly from substitute appearances.
The 2003-2004 season saw Luque's real breakthrough into Deportivo's first team. He scored the winner against Rosenborg B.K. in the Champions League qualifying round that summer. He also scored important goals against PSV Eindhoven, Juventus and AC Milan.
[edit] Newcastle United
In August 2005, Luque was sold to Newcastle United for a fee of €14 million (£9.5 Million), signing a 5 year contract. Albert Luque made his debut against Manchester United at St. James Park, which included having a goal ruled out for offside. However, in his next game, he suffered a hamstring injury while playing against Fulham. On his return from injury, he was used in a number of roles for Newcastle United, including left midfield, failing to live up to his large price tag.
On the 17 April 2006, Luque scored his first goal for United in the much anticipated Tyne-Wear derby football match when he broke free from the Sunderland defence and calmly chipped the goalkeeper. He commented after the game that he hoped to score two or three more goals before the end of the season and thanked the Newcastle United physio for bringing him back to full fitness after the hamstring injury that has hindered his debut Newcastle season. However, Luque played no part in Newcastle's remaining fixtures.
On 11 May, although not in a competitive game, Luque scored a volley in Alan Shearer's sold-out testimonial match against Celtic at St James' Park, which Newcastle won 3-2. This was followed with his first competitive home goal against Lillestrom at the start of Newcastle's Intertoto Cup tournament.
On 3 October 2006 Luque scored two goals against Liverpool F.C reserves in a 4-1 win in Newcastle's favour. Despite his low status in the pecking order, a number of injuries meant that Luque was awarded a start against then Serie A Table-toppers Palermo on 2 November 2006 in the UEFA Cup and rewarded Roeder's apparent forced choice with scoring the only goal with a header in a 1-0 win. However since then, any appearances made had little impact, due to his poor form, and by now found himself behind the likes of Matty Pattison, a reserve/first team fringe player.
In the January 2007 transfer window Luque was even linked with a loan move to PSV Eindhoven, but the deal fell through, reportedly due to high wage demands.[1]
On 23 June 2007, new Newcastle manager, Sam Allardyce revealed that he would be willing to give Luque a proper chance to impress. However, this has not stopped him awarding Luque's number 7 shirt to new signing Joey Barton, initially leaving Luque without a squad number.[2] [3] He was eventually given the number 19 jersey that he had worn throughout his career with Deportivo, previously worn at Newcastle by defender Titus Bramble.
His transfer from Deportivo de La Coruña to Newcastle United in August 2005 is one of those about which the Stevens inquiry report in June 2007 expressed concerns:
“There remains inconsistencies in evidence provided by Graeme Souness - a former manager of the club - and Kenneth Shepherd - apparently acting in an undefined role but not as a club official - as to their respective roles in transfer negotiations.”
“The inquiry still has unanswered questions relating to possible payments made by agent Francis Martin, who Newcastle officials believed was working for the selling club.”[4].
On July 26th 2007, Luque was on the scoresheet twice for Newcastle in a 4-1 win over Celtic in a pre-season friendly, thus suggesting his goalscoring capabilities. In the next preseason friendly against Juventus he scored again only to pick up a knock a few minutes later. Ajax agreed a fee to sign Luque in August 2007.[5]
[edit] Ajax
On August 25, 2007, Ajax Amsterdam confirmed that they had signed Luque until 2010.[6] On September 25, 2007, Luque scored his first two goals for Ajax. He scored the equaliser in the 16th minute and made Ajax take the lead in the 18th against VVV Venlo. In the 22nd minute Luque came off with an injury.
He was fined after a game against Feyenoord in November 2007 for a half time altercation in the changing rooms with team mate Luis Suarez, which caused manager Adrie Koster to substitute them both off at half time.[7]
Recently, there has been speculation that Albert Luque may be on his way back to Spain. Ongoing rumours claim that Villareal are tracking the winger and are negotiating a move for the player in the summer transfer window of 2008.
[edit] International
Luque played for Spain in the 2000 Sydney Olympics, winning a silver medal.
The following year he scored 14 goals and earned himself a place in Spain's World Cup squad.
He made his international debut on 12 June 2002 and appeared twice as a substitute in the Far East, coming on in the matches against South Africa and the Republic of Ireland. He made a brief appearance, out of position on the right-wing for Spain in Euro 2004.
[edit] Honours
- Silver Medal in 2000 Sydney | Football
- 2006 UEFA Intertoto Cup
[edit] Notes and references
- ^ PSV pull out of Luque loan deal
- ^ Luque to get Toon liefeline
- ^ Sky Sports | Football | Premier League | Newcastle United
- ^ "What Stevens said about each club", www.telegraph.co.uk, 2007-06-16. Retrieved on 2007-06-17.
- ^ "Ajax & Newcastle agree Luque fee", BBC Sport, 2007-08-25. Retrieved on 2007-08-25.
- ^ "Ajax sign Albert Luque Martos", Official Ajax Amsterdam, 2007-08-25. Retrieved on 2007-08-25.
- ^ "Ajax fine Suarez and Luque", Official Ajax Amsterdam, 2007-11-12. Retrieved on 2007-11-13.
[edit] External links
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