Martín Merquelanz Castellanos (born 12 June 1995) is a Spanish professional footballer who plays as a left winger for SD Eibar.

Martín Merquelanz
Personal information
Full name Martín Merquelanz Castellanos
Date of birth (1995-06-12) 12 June 1995 (age 29)[1]
Place of birth Irun, Spain
Height 1.76 m (5 ft 9 in)[1]
Position(s) Winger
Team information
Current team
Eibar
Number 18
Youth career
2009–2012 Antiguoko
2012–2014 Real Sociedad
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2014–2018 Real Sociedad B 100 (17)
2018–2024 Real Sociedad 14 (0)
2019–2020Mirandés (loan) 36 (15)
2021–2022Rayo Vallecano (loan) 4 (0)
2024– Eibar 0 (0)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 4 December 2021

Club career

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Born in Irun, Gipuzkoa, Basque Country (Spain), Merquelanz joined Real Sociedad's youth setup in 2012, from Antiguoko.[2] He was promoted to the reserves on 23 June 2014,[3] and made his senior debut on 31 August by coming on as a second-half substitute for Pablo Hervías in a 0–3 Segunda División B away loss against CD Tudelano.

Merquelanz scored his first senior goal on 20 September 2015, netting the second in a 5–0 away routing of CD Mensajero. Roughly one year later, he scored a hat-trick in a 4–0 home thrashing of Gernika Club, and finished the 2016–17 campaign with ten goals in 36 matches.

Merquelanz renewed his contract until 2019 on 17 May 2017,[4] but suffered a serious knee injury in December, which kept him out for the remainder of the campaign.[5] The following 12 January, he extended his contract until 2020.[6]

On 14 August 2018, Merquelanz was definitely promoted to the main squad in La Liga.[7] He made his debut in the category on 31 August, replacing Asier Illarramendi in a 1–2 away loss against SD Eibar, but being taken off three minutes later due to an injury.[8]

On 19 July 2019, after spending the campaign nursing his knee injury, Merquelanz joined Segunda División side CD Mirandés on loan for one year.[9] He scored his first professional goal on 24 August, netting the equalizer in a 1–2 home loss against Cádiz CF. Merquelanz was a regular starter for the Castilian-Leonese side, scoring a career-best 15 goals and helping the club avoid relegation and reach the semi-finals of the Copa del Rey.

Upon returning to Real Sociedad, Merquelanz agreed to a contract extension with the club until 2025 on 8 August 2020.[10] Roughly one year later, after featuring sparingly, he was loaned to fellow top tier side Rayo Vallecano for the season.[11]

In September 2021, Merquelanz suffered another knee injury during a match against Levante UD,[12] being sidelined for the remainder of the campaign. He suffered a setback from his injury in May 2022, which led him to miss the entire 2022–23 season,[13] and underwent a new surgery in June 2023.[14]

Merquelanz returned to trainings in December 2023,[15] but still failed to feature a single minute during the 2023–24 season after being unregistered. He terminated his contract with the Txuri-urdin on 23 July 2024,[16] and agreed to a one-year deal with SD Eibar in the second division the following day, subject to a trial period.[17]

Career statistics

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Club

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As of match played 22 August 2021[18]
Appearances and goals by club, season and competition
Club Season League National Cup Continental Total
Division Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals
Real Sociedad B 2014–15 Segunda División B 17 0 17 0
2015–16 29 2 29 2
2016–17 36 10 36 10
2017–18 18 5 18 5
Total 100 17 0 0 0 0 100 17
Real Sociedad 2018–19 La Liga 1 0 0 0 1 0
2020–21 13 0 2 0 2[a] 0 17 0
Total 14 0 2 0 2 0 18 0
Mirandés (loan) 2019–20 Segunda División 36 15 7 2 43 17
Rayo Vallecano (loan) 2021–22 La Liga 2 0 0 0 2 0
Career total 152 32 9 2 2 0 163 34
  1. ^ Appearance(s) in UEFA Europa League

References

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  1. ^ a b "Martín Merquelanz". Real Sociedad. Retrieved 2 August 2022.
  2. ^ "Una mirada a los comienzos del 'fideo' Martin Merquelanz con Iñigo Santin" [A look at the beginnings of the 'noodle' Martín Merquelanz with Iñigo Santin] (in Spanish). El Desmarque. 12 February 2020. Retrieved 8 August 2020.
  3. ^ "Diez juveniles pasarán al Sanse" [Ten youths will move to Sanse] (in Spanish). Real Sociedad. 23 June 2014. Archived from the original on 1 June 2016. Retrieved 14 August 2018.
  4. ^ "Hasta 2019" [Until 2019] (in Spanish). Real Sociedad. 17 May 2017. Retrieved 14 August 2018.
  5. ^ "Merquelanz, adiós a la temporada" [Merquelanz, goodbye for the season] (in Spanish). Mundo Deportivo. 11 December 2017. Retrieved 14 August 2018.
  6. ^ "Hasta 2020" [Until 2020] (in Spanish). Real Sociedad. 12 January 2018. Retrieved 14 August 2018.
  7. ^ "Sube al primer equipo" [Promoted to the first team] (in Spanish). Real Sociedad. 14 August 2018. Retrieved 14 August 2018.
  8. ^ "Ipurua continua inexpugnable" [Ipurua remains impregnable] (in Spanish). Diario AS. 1 September 2018. Retrieved 1 September 2018.
  9. ^ "Acuerdo para su cesión al Mirandés" [Agreement for their loan to Mirandés] (in Spanish). Real Sociedad. 19 July 2019. Retrieved 22 July 2019.
  10. ^ ""En casa soy muy feliz"" [I am very happy at home] (in Spanish). Real Sociedad. 8 August 2020. Retrieved 8 August 2020.
  11. ^ "Acuerdo para su cesión al Rayo Vallecano" [Agreement for his loan to Rayo Vallecano] (in Spanish). Real Sociedad. 10 August 2021. Retrieved 10 August 2021.
  12. ^ "Merquelanz, operado de la rodilla" [Merquelanz, operated of his knee] (in Spanish). Diario AS. 29 September 2021. Retrieved 12 August 2023.
  13. ^ "El calvario de un canterano de la Real Sociedad: posible adiós a la próxima temporada al completo" [The calvary of a Real Sociedad youth graduate: possible farewell to the entirety of the next season] (in Spanish). El Desmarque. 27 May 2022. Retrieved 12 August 2023.
  14. ^ "El cumpleaños de la esperanza de Merquelanz" [The hopeful birthday of Merquelanz] (in Spanish). Diario AS. 12 June 2023. Retrieved 12 August 2023.
  15. ^ "Martín Merquelanz vuelve a entrenar con el grupo ¡más de dos años después!" [Martín Merquelanz returns to training with the group more than two years later!] (in Spanish). Marca. 7 December 2023. Retrieved 24 July 2024.
  16. ^ "Acuerdo para finalizar la relación contractual" [Agreement to end the contractual relationship] (in Spanish). Real Sociedad. 23 July 2024. Retrieved 24 July 2024.
  17. ^ "Merquelanz se compromete por una temporada con el Eibar, con un periodo previo de prueba" [Merquelanz signs for one season with Eibar, with a previous trial period] (in Spanish). SD Eibar. 24 July 2024. Retrieved 24 July 2024.
  18. ^ Martín Merquelanz at BDFutbol
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