 Ñíguez playing withValencia in 2009 | |||
| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | Aarón Ñíguez Esclápez[1] | ||
| Date of birth | (1989-04-26)26 April 1989 (age 36)[1] | ||
| Place of birth | Elche, Spain | ||
| Height | 1.70 m (5 ft 7 in)[1] | ||
| Position | Winger | ||
| Youth career | |||
| Caja de Elche | |||
| 2000–2006 | Valencia | ||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
| 2006–2007 | Valencia B | 29 | (4) |
| 2006–2011 | Valencia | 0 | (0) |
| 2007 | →Xerez (loan) | 8 | (0) |
| 2008 | →Iraklis (loan) | 12 | (3) |
| 2008–2009 | →Rangers (loan) | 3 | (0) |
| 2009–2010 | →Celta (loan) | 11 | (0) |
| 2010–2011 | →Recreativo (loan) | 28 | (5) |
| 2011–2013 | Almería | 47 | (4) |
| 2013–2015 | Elche | 59 | (1) |
| 2015–2016 | Braga | 12 | (0) |
| 2016–2017 | Tenerife | 36 | (4) |
| 2017–2018 | Oviedo | 44 | (5) |
| 2018–2019 | Johor Darul Ta'zim | 3 | (0) |
| 2020 | Málaga | 0 | (0) |
| 2021 | La Nucía | 0 | (0) |
| 2021–2022 | Eldense | 17 | (2) |
| 2022– | Club Costa City | 51 | (11) |
| Total | 309 | (28) | |
| International career | |||
| 2004–2005 | Spain U16 | 4 | (3) |
| 2005–2006 | Spain U17 | 10 | (6) |
| 2006–2008 | Spain U19 | 23 | (8) |
| 2009 | Spain U20 | 11 | (7) |
| 2008–2009 | Spain U21 | 4 | (1) |
| * Club domestic league appearances and goals | |||
Aarón Ñíguez Esclápez (born 26 April 1989) is a Spanish former professionalfootballer who played as awinger.
AValencia youth graduate, he wascapped bySpain at various youth levels, and competed mainly inSegunda División during his career, also having brief abroad spells in Greece, Scotland, Portugal and Malaysia.
Born inElche,Alicante,Valencian Community, Ñíguez was a product ofValencia CF's youth system. He made his first-team debut on 5 December 2006 againstA.S. Roma inthe group stage of theUEFA Champions League, starting and playing 27 minutes in the 1–0 away loss,[2] and spent hisfirst professional year withthe reserves in theSegunda División B, featuring regularly but suffering relegation.
After starting the2007–08 season on loan withSegunda División sideXerez CD, Ñíguez switched in the Januarytransfer window toIraklis F.C. from Greece. He scored his first goal for the team on 16 March 2008, through apenalty kick in a 1–0 win overPanionios F.C. after his acrobaticbicycle kick was blocked by an opponent's hand.
Ñíguez signed a two-year loan contract withScottish Premier League clubRangers on 13 August 2008, with an option to buy.[3] He made his official debut in the 7–1 defeat ofHamilton Academical on 6 December, coming on as a second-halfsubstitute and immediately creating a goal for compatriotNacho Novo.[4] He scored his first competitive goal for his new team in aScottish Cup tie againstThird Division sideForfar Athletic, and wasbooked for removing his shirt in celebration.[5] His second also came inthe domestic cup, against Hamilton from the penalty spot, in what was his first start.[6]
On 7 June 2009, it was announced that the two-year loan would be terminated, and Ñíguez returned to Valencia late in the month.[7]
On 30 August 2009, still on loan from Valencia, Ñíguez joinedRC Celta de Vigo of division two, playing less than one third of the matches duringthe campaign due to a seriousanterior cruciate ligament injury.[8] For2010–11, also on loan, he moved to another club in that tier,Recreativo de Huelva.[9]
In July 2011, Ñíguez cut ties with Valencia and signed a five-year deal with another side in the second division,UD Almería.[10] On 7 January 2013, just hours after being released by theAndalusians, he joined another team in the same league,Elche CF, until June 2017.[11] He appeared in 16 games for the latter, whichwere promoted toLa Liga after a 25-year absence.[12]
Ñíguez made his debut in theSpanish top flight on 19 August 2013, starting and being booked in a 3–0 away loss againstRayo Vallecano.[13] On 31 October he scored his first goal in the competition, in a 2–2 draw atAthletic Bilbao.[14]
On 12 August 2015, Ñíguez left Elche.[15]
Ñíguez moved to a third foreign league in late August 2015, signing forS.C. Braga of the PortuguesePrimeira Liga.[16] After only 15 appearances in all competitions, he left the club.
On 30 August 2016, Ñíguez signed a one-year contract withCD Tenerife, returning to Spain and its second tier.[17] The following 3 July, he agreed to a two-year deal withReal Oviedo of the same league.[18]
A regular starter with the latter, Ñíguez lost his starting spot after the arrival ofYoel Bárcenas,[19] and terminated his link on 18 November 2018.[20]
On 19 November 2018, Ñíguez joinedJohor Darul Ta'zim F.C. on a five-year contract.[21] On 21 February 2019, however, he was released and replaced byLeandro Velázquez.[22]
Ñíguez returned to the Spanish second division on 4 March 2020, signing withMálaga CF until 30 June.[23] On 1 September, after Elche achievedpromotion to the top flight, he rejoined the club after activating a clause in his previous contract.[24]
Ñíguez played in the2006 UEFA European Championship for theSpain under-17 team, finishing as the fourth top scorer in the tournament with three goals. He was also a key member of theunder-19 side that wonthe following year's European Championship, beatingGreece in the final.[25][26]
On 18 November 2008, Ñíguez made his debut forthe under-21s, in a 4–1friendly loss toPortugal.[27]
Ñíguez came from a football family: his father,José Antonio, played several years with Elche – including the1984–85 season inLa Liga – as astriker.
His older brotherJonathan (another midfielder) was also developed at Valencia, spending the vast majority of his senior career in the lower leagues. The youngest,Saúl, was brought up atAtlético Madrid.[28][29][30]
| Club | Season | League | National cup | League cup | Continental | Other | Total | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Division | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | ||
| Valencia B | 2006–07[31] | Segunda División B | 29 | 4 | — | — | — | 1[a] | 0 | 30 | 4 | |||
| Valencia | 2006–07[31] | La Liga | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | — | 1[b] | 0 | — | 3 | 0 | ||
| Xerez (loan) | 2007–08[31] | Segunda División | 8 | 0 | 3 | 0 | — | — | — | 11 | 0 | |||
| Iraklis (loan) | 2007–08[32] | Super League Greece | 12 | 3 | 0 | 0 | — | — | — | 12 | 3 | |||
| Rangers (loan) | 2008–09[33] | Premier League | 3 | 0 | 2 | 2 | — | — | — | 5 | 2 | |||
| Celta (loan) | 2009–10[31] | Segunda División | 11 | 0 | 2 | 0 | — | — | — | 13 | 0 | |||
| Recreativo (loan) | 2010–11[31] | Segunda División | 28 | 5 | 0 | 0 | — | — | — | 28 | 5 | |||
| Almería | 2011–12[31] | Segunda División | 30 | 3 | 3 | 0 | — | — | — | 33 | 3 | |||
| 2012–13[31] | 17 | 1 | 3 | 1 | — | — | — | 20 | 2 | |||||
| Total | 47 | 4 | 6 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 53 | 5 | ||
| Elche | 2012–13[31] | Segunda División | 16 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | — | — | 16 | 0 | |||
| 2013–14[31] | La Liga | 22 | 1 | 1 | 0 | — | — | — | 23 | 1 | ||||
| 2014–15[31] | 21 | 0 | 2 | 0 | — | — | — | 22 | 0 | |||||
| Total | 59 | 1 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 62 | 1 | ||
| Braga | 2015–16[32] | Primeira Liga | 12 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 0 | — | — | 15 | 0 | ||
| Tenerife | 2016–17[31] | Segunda División | 36 | 4 | 1 | 0 | — | — | 3[c] | 0 | 40 | 4 | ||
| Oviedo | 2017–18[31] | Segunda División | 35 | 5 | 0 | 0 | — | — | — | 35 | 5 | |||
| 2018–19[31] | 9 | 0 | 1 | 0 | — | — | — | 10 | 0 | |||||
| Total | 44 | 5 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 45 | 5 | ||
| Johor Darul Ta'zim | 2019[33] | Malaysia Super League | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | — | — | 3 | 0 | |||
| Málaga | 2019–20[31] | Segunda División | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | — | — | 0 | 0 | |||
| La Nucía | 2020–21[31] | Segunda División B | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | — | — | — | 1 | 0 | |||
| Career total | 292 | 26 | 23 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 321 | 29 | ||
Braga
Johor Darul Takzim
Spain U19
Spain U20
