Manuel "Manu" Nieto Sánchez (born 29 March 1998) is a Spanish professional footballer who plays as a forward for FC Andorra.

Manu Nieto
Personal information
Full name Manuel Nieto Sánchez
Date of birth (1998-03-29) 29 March 1998 (age 26)
Place of birth Villa del Río, Spain
Height 1.82 m (6 ft 0 in)
Position(s) Forward
Team information
Current team
Andorra
Number 9
Youth career
Séneca
2014–2017 Betis
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2015–2019 Betis B 49 (8)
2018Alcalá (loan) 13 (2)
2019–2021 Cádiz B 44 (9)
2021–2022 Cádiz 2 (0)
2021–2022Andorra (loan) 25 (4)
2022– Andorra 32 (4)
2022–2023Eldense (loan) 35 (6)
2024Elche (loan) 11 (0)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 19 November 2024

Club career

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Nieto was born in Villa del Río, Córdoba, Andalusia, and joined Real Betis' youth setup in 2014, from Séneca CF.[1] He made his senior debut with the reserves at the age of 17 on 27 September 2015, starting in a 0–1 Segunda División B away loss against UD Melilla.[2]

Nieto scored his first senior goal on 2 October 2016, netting the fifth of a 5–0 home routing of CD San Roque de Lepe in the Tercera División.[3] On 31 January 2018, after featuring sparingly, he was loaned to fourth division side CD Alcalá for the remainder of the season.[4]

Upon returning, Nieto started to feature more regularly for the B-side before signing a two-year contract with Cádiz CF on 30 August 2019; he was assigned to the B-team in the third tier.[5] On 17 January 2021, he renewed his contract until 2023.[6]

Nieto made his first team – and La Liga – debut on 23 January 2021, coming on as a late substitute for Anthony Lozano in a 0–3 loss at Sevilla FC.[7] On 28 June, he was loaned to Primera División RFEF side FC Andorra, for one year.[8]

On 9 July 2022, after contributing with Andorra's first-ever promotion to Segunda División, Nieto signed a permanent two-year contract with the club.[9] On 14 August, however, he was loaned to CD Eldense in the third division.[10]

A regular starter for the Valencians, Nieto scored ten goals during the campaign (four only in the promotion play-offs) as Eldense returned to Segunda División after 59 years.[11] He returned to the Tricolors in July 2023,[12] and scored his first professional goals on 18 August, netting a hat-trick in a 3–2 home win over FC Cartagena.[13]

On 7 January 2024, Nieto was loaned to fellow second division side Elche CF for the remainder of the season; he also renewed with the Tricolors until 2026.[14]

References

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  1. ^ "¿Quién es Nieto y qué puede aportar?" [Who is Nieto and what he can bring?] (in Spanish). Diario de Cádiz. 30 November 2019. Retrieved 23 January 2021.
  2. ^ "Tercera derrota consecutiva del Betis B (1–0)" [Third consecutive defeat of Betis B (1–0)] (in Spanish). El Desmarque. 27 September 2015. Retrieved 23 January 2021.
  3. ^ "El Betis B golea al San Roque de Lepe (5–0)" [Betis B thrash San Roque de Lepe (5–0)] (in Spanish). ABC. 2 October 2016. Retrieved 23 January 2021.
  4. ^ "Manuel Nieto se marcha cedido al CD Alcalá" [Manuel Nieto moves out on loan to CD Alcalá] (in Spanish). Real Betis. 31 January 2018. Retrieved 23 January 2021.
  5. ^ "El delantero Manuel Nieto llega al Cádiz B" [Forward Manuel Nieto arrives at Cádiz B] (in Spanish). Cádiz CF. 30 August 2019. Retrieved 23 January 2021.
  6. ^ "Manuel Nieto renueva hasta 2023" [Manuel Nieto renews until 2023] (in Spanish). Cádiz CF. 17 January 2021. Retrieved 23 January 2021.
  7. ^ "El show del Pichichi En-Nesyri" [The show of the Pichichi En-Nesyri] (in Spanish). Marca. 23 January 2021. Retrieved 23 January 2021.
  8. ^ "Nieto jugará cedido en el Andorra" [Nieto will play on loan at Andorra] (in Spanish). Cádiz CF. 28 June 2021. Retrieved 1 August 2022.
  9. ^ "Manu Nieto se queda en propiedad" [Manu Nieto remains permanently] (in Spanish). FC Andorra. 9 July 2022. Retrieved 1 August 2022.
  10. ^ "Manu Nieto, se'n va cedit a l'Eldense" [Manu Nieto, moves on loan to Eldense] (in Catalan). FC Andorra. 14 August 2022. Retrieved 14 August 2022.
  11. ^ "Atención a la locura de Manu Nieto: ¡nadie lo había conseguido antes en el playoff!" [Attention to the craziness of Manu Nieto: nobody has ever done it before in the play-offs!] (in Spanish). Golsmedia. 26 June 2023. Retrieved 29 June 2023.
  12. ^ "Manu Nieto, Diego i Moha tornen a la disciplina tricolor" [Manu Nieto, Diego and Moha return to the tricolour squad] (in Catalan). FC Andorra. 29 June 2023. Retrieved 29 June 2023.
  13. ^ "'Hat trick' de Manu Nieto para dar color al Andorra" ['Hat-trick' from Manu Nieto to give colours to Andorra] (in Spanish). Marca. 18 August 2023. Retrieved 18 August 2023.
  14. ^ "Manu Nieto, cedit a l'Elche" [Manu Nieto, loaned to Elche] (in Catalan). FC Andorra. 7 January 2024. Retrieved 9 January 2024.
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