Enrique Jesús "Kike" Salas Valiente (born 23 April 2002) is a Spanish professional footballer who plays as a central defender for La Liga club Sevilla.
| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | Enrique Jesús Salas Valiente | ||
| Date of birth | 23 April 2002 | ||
| Place of birth | Morón de la Frontera, Spain | ||
| Height | 1.85 m (6 ft 1 in) | ||
| Position(s) | Centre back | ||
| Team information | |||
Current team | Sevilla | ||
| Number | 2 | ||
| Youth career | |||
| 2013–2021 | Sevilla | ||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
| 2021 | Sevilla C | 1 | (0) |
| 2021–2022 | Sevilla B | 31 | (1) |
| 2022– | Sevilla | 22 | (3) |
| 2023 | → Tenerife (loan) | 7 | (0) |
| *Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 30 March 2024 | |||
Club career edit
Born in Morón de la Frontera, Seville, Andalusia, Salas joined Sevilla FC's youth setup in 2013, aged 11.[1] He made his senior debut with the reserves on 10 January 2021, coming on as a half-time substitute for Juan María Alcedo in a 3–1 Segunda División B away loss against Yeclano Deportivo.[2]
On 27 April 2021, while still a youth, Salas renewed his contract until 2024.[3] He subsequently established himself as a regular for the B-side, and scored his first senior goal on 9 January 2022, in a 1–0 Primera División RFEF home win over Real Balompédica Linense.
Salas made his first team – and La Liga – debut on 10 September 2022, starting in a 3–2 away win over RCD Espanyol.[4][5] The following 31 January, he signed a contract extension with Sevilla through to 2026, and joined Segunda División club CD Tenerife on loan for the remainder of the season.[6]
Upon returning, Salas started to feature regularly in the main squad of the Nervionenses, and was definitely promoted to it on 31 January 2024, being assigned the number 2 jersey.[7]
Career statistics edit
Club edit
- As of match played 30 March 2024[8]
| Club | Season | League | Copa del Rey | Continental | Total | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Division | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | ||
| Sevilla | 2022–23 | La Liga | 6 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 2[a] | 0 | 10 | 1 |
| 2023–24 | La Liga | 16 | 2 | 3 | 0 | 2[a] | 0 | 21 | 2 | |
| Total | 22 | 3 | 5 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 31 | 3 | ||
| Tenerife (loan) | 2022–23 | Segunda División | 7 | 0 | — | — | 7 | 0 | ||
| Career total | 29 | 3 | 5 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 38 | 3 | ||
- ^ a b Appearance(s) in UEFA Champions League
Personal life edit
Salas' uncle Víctor was also a footballer.[1][9] A midfielder, he too was groomed at Sevilla.
References edit
- ^ a b "Kike Salas, la última perla de la cantera del Sevilla FC y campeón del mundo de pádel" [Kike Salas, the latest pearl of the youth setup of Sevilla FC and world champion of paddle tennis] (in Spanish). Estadio Deportivo. 11 January 2021. Retrieved 27 September 2022.
- ^ "Kike Salas debuta en 2ªB con el Sevilla Atlético" [Kike Salas debuts in 2ª B with Sevilla Atlético] (in Spanish). Morón Información. 11 January 2021. Retrieved 27 September 2022.
- ^ "Kike Salas, central del División de Honor, renueva hasta 2024" [Kike Salas, División de Honor stopper, renews until 2024] (in Spanish). Sevilla FC. 27 April 2021. Retrieved 27 September 2022.
- ^ "El Sevilla 'salva' la cabeza de Julen" [Sevilla 'save' Julen's head] (in Spanish). Marca. 10 September 2022. Retrieved 27 September 2022.
- ^ "Kike Salas, del pádel a superviviente de Corea del Sur" [Kike Salas, from paddle tennis to surviving in South Korea] (in Spanish). Diario AS. 13 September 2022. Retrieved 27 September 2022.
- ^ "Kike Salas signs contract extension to 2026 and moves on loan to CD Tenerife". Sevilla FC. 31 January 2023. Retrieved 31 January 2023.
- ^ "Kike Salas, con ficha del primer equipo del Sevilla FC" [Kike Salas, with a registration of the first team of Sevilla FC] (in Spanish). Cadena SER. 1 February 2024. Retrieved 2 February 2024.
- ^ Kike Salas at Soccerway
- ^ "Kike Salas, la «coordinación» de un campeón del mundo de pádel" [Kike Salas, the "coordination" of a world champion of paddle tennis] (in Spanish). ABC. 22 September 2022. Retrieved 27 September 2022.
External links edit
- Kike Salas at BDFutbol
- Kike Salas at Soccerway