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Álvaro Carreras

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(Redirected from Álvaro Fernandez)

In this Spanish name, the first or paternal surname is Fernández and the second or maternal family name is Carreras.
Álvaro Carreras
Carreras with Benfica in 2024
Personal information
Full name Álvaro Fernández Carreras[1]
Date of birth (2003-03-23) 23 March 2003 (age 21)
Place of birth Ferrol, Spain[1]
Height 1.86 m (6 ft 1 in)[1]
Position(s) Left-back
Team information
Current team
 Benfica
Number 3
Youth career
2007–2012 Racing de Ferrol
2012–2017 Deportivo de La Coruña
2017–2020 Real Madrid
2020–2022 Manchester United
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2022–2024 Manchester United 0 (0)
2022–2023 → Preston North End (loan) 39 (0)
2023–2024 → Granada (loan) 13 (0)
2024 → Benfica (loan) 11 (1)
2024– Benfica 14 (2)
International career‡
2021 Spain U19 2 (0)
2023– Spain U21 9 (0)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 22:21, 23 December 2024 (UTC)
‡ National team caps and goals, correct as of 03:58, 16 October 2024 (UTC)

Álvaro Fernández Carreras (born 23 March 2003) is a Spanish professional footballer who plays as a left-back for Primeira Liga club Benfica.

Club career

[edit]

Real Madrid

[edit]

Born in Ferrol, Carreras started his career with Galicia de Caranza, before joining his hometown club Racing de Ferrol in 2007. During his time with the club, he played as a forward, scoring 100 goals in a season in the youth ranks. He joined Deportivo de La Coruña's youth ranks in 2012, where he was converted to a left-back, before moving to Real Madrid in 2017.[2][3][4][5]

Manchester United

[edit]

Carreras signed for Manchester United from Real Madrid in September 2020 on a four-year contract,[6][7] amid interest from other European clubs such as Barcelona and Manchester City.[8] He began training with the first team during the early stages of the 2021–22 season.[9]

Carreras was a regular for the under-23 team in his first season at Manchester United, making 20 league appearances and one in the EFL Trophy, as well as seven for the under-18s, and two in the FA Youth Cup. He then played 21 times in the league in 2021–22, all as a starter, as well as playing in all three EFL Trophy matches and six of the seven in the UEFA Youth League. He received his first call-up to the Manchester United first team in April 2022, when he was named on the bench for the Premier League match at home to Chelsea.[10] He was also named on the bench against Brighton & Hove Albion.[11]

On 11 May 2022, Carreras was named Manchester United's U23 Player of the Year.[12] He departed the club in 2024 before making his debut for the senior team.

Preston North End (loan)

[edit]

On 26 July 2022, Carreras joined EFL Championship club Preston North End on loan for the duration of the 2022–23 season.[13][14] He made his debut on 30 July 2022, coming on as a 72nd-minute substitute for Robbie Brady in a 0–0 draw away at Wigan Athletic.[15]

Granada (loan)

[edit]

On 1 September 2023, Carreras joined La Liga club Granada on a season-long loan.[16] On 14 January 2024, he was recalled by Manchester United.[17]

Benfica

[edit]

On 17 January 2024, Manchester United sent Carreras on loan to Primeira Liga club Benfica until the end of the 2023–24 season.[18] The loan deal included an optional buy-clause, reported to be €6 million, which became mandatory if he started 50% of Benfica's remaining games during the loan spell.[19]

Seven days later, Carreras made his debut for Benfica, coming on as a second-half substitute in the Taça da Liga semi-final against Estoril; the game ended 1–1, with Benfica being subsequently eliminated by penalty shootout.[20] On 4 February, he made his Primeira Liga debut, coming off the bench to replace Morato during the second half of a 3–0 victory over Gil Vicente at the Estádio da Luz.[21]

On 26 May 2024, Manchester United announced that Benfica had exercised the €6 million buy option in Carreras' loan contract, which included €3 million in potential add-ons.[22][23] Subsequently, he signed a new contract with Benfica until 2029.[24]

International career

[edit]

Carreras has played youth international football for Spain at under-19 and under-21 levels.[25] He made his debut for the under-19 team on 26 October 2021, when he started in a friendly match against Israel.[26]

Personal life

[edit]

Originally known as Álvaro Fernández, he later adopted his maternal surname, Carreras, in his career. However, Manchester United listed him under his paternal surname, Fernández, for the group stage of the 2021–22 UEFA Youth League. According to Álvaro, this decision made "both his mother and father happy".[3][4][5]

Career statistics

[edit]
As of match played 23 December 2024[27]
Appearances and goals by club, season and competition
Club Season League National cup League cup Europe Other Total
Division Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals
Manchester United U21 2020–21[28] — — — — — 1[a] 0 1 0
2021–22[29] — — — — — 3[a] 0 3 0
Total 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 4 0 4 0
Preston North End (loan) 2022–23[30] Championship 39 0 2 0 1 0 — — 42 0
Granada (loan) 2023–24[31] La Liga 13 0 1 0 — — — 14 0
Benfica (loan) 2023–24 Primeira Liga 11 1 1 0 1 0 3[b] 0 — 16 1
Benfica 2024–25 Primeira Liga 14 2 2 0 1 0 6[c] 0 0 0 23 0
Total 25 1 3 0 2 0 9 0 0 0 39 1
Career total 77 1 6 0 3 0 9 0 4 0 99 1
  1. ^ a b Appearance(s) in EFL Trophy
  2. ^ Appearances in UEFA Europa League
  3. ^ Appearances in UEFA Champions League

Honours

[edit]

Individual

References

[edit]
  1. ^ a b c Álvaro Carreras at WorldFootball.net
  2. ^ "Álvaro" (in Spanish). Real Madrid CF. Retrieved 31 December 2021.
  3. ^ a b "A full-back who started out as a striker: Álvaro Fernández (or Carreras), the Benfica signing who Ronaldo made fun of for having long hair". 16 January 2024.
  4. ^ a b "Álvaro Fernández: the story of the full-back who trained with CR7 in Manchester". 13 January 2024.
  5. ^ a b "Career at Benfica is highlighted in Spain: from striker to learning from Ronaldo in Manchester". 17 January 2024.
  6. ^ Railston, Steven (22 September 2021). "Who is Alvaro Fernandez? Profile of Manchester united's young talent". Manchester Evening News. Retrieved 8 December 2021.
  7. ^ "Man Utd add three to academy including Alvaro Fernandez Carreras from Real Madrid". Sky Sports. Retrieved 8 December 2021.
  8. ^ "Alvaro Fernandez Carreras: Things to Know About the Exciting Young Defender". 90min.com. Retrieved 8 December 2021.
  9. ^ Marshall, Adam (11 October 2021). "Training update from Carrington". ManUtd.com. Manchester United. Retrieved 4 January 2022.
  10. ^ Robinson, Harry (28 April 2022). "The Academy players in United's matchday squad". ManUtd.com. Manchester United. Retrieved 28 April 2022.
  11. ^ Marshall, Tyrone (6 May 2022). "Man United squad vs Brighton includes Harry Maguire and Alvaro Fernandez". Manchester Evening News. Retrieved 7 May 2022.
  12. ^ "Fernandez named U23s Player of the Year". ManUtd.com. Manchester United. 11 May 2022. Retrieved 16 May 2022.
  13. ^ "Álvaro Fernández Checks In At Deepdale". PNEFC.net. Preston North End. 26 July 2022. Retrieved 26 July 2022.
  14. ^ "Fernandez signs new deal before loan move". ManUtd.com. Manchester United. 26 July 2022. Retrieved 26 July 2022.
  15. ^ "Wigan Athletic 0-0 Preston North End: Latics held by 10-men visitors". BBC Sport. 30 July 2022. Retrieved 26 September 2022.
  16. ^ "Comunicado Oficial | Álvaro Fernández, nuevo jugador del Granada CF" [Official announcement | Álvaro Fernández, new player of Granada CF] (in Spanish). Granada CF. 1 September 2023. Retrieved 2 September 2023.
  17. ^ "Comunicado Oficial | Álvaro Carreras" [Official Announcement | Álvaro Carreras] (in Spanish). Granada CF. 14 January 2024. Retrieved 14 January 2024.
  18. ^ "Álvaro Carreras reforça o Benfica!" [Álvaro Carreras reinforces Benfica!] (in Portuguese). S.L. Benfica. 17 January 2024. Retrieved 17 January 2024.
  19. ^ "Álvaro Fernández no Benfica: o valor do negócio e outras condições" [Álvaro Fernández at Benfica: the value of the deal and other conditions]. O Jogo (in Portuguese). 16 January 2024. Retrieved 17 January 2024.
  20. ^ "Histórico. Estoril Praia na final da Taça da Liga" [Historical. Estoril Praia in the Taça da Liga final]. RTP Desporto (in Portuguese). 24 January 2024. Retrieved 24 January 2024.
  21. ^ Andrade, David (4 February 2024). "Benfica dá prova de força e assume a liderança" [Benfica proves its strength and takes the lead]. Público (in European Portuguese). Retrieved 4 February 2024.
  22. ^ Critchley, Mark; Rai, Guillermo; more. "Man Utd's Fernandez joins Benfica on permanent basis". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 27 May 2024.
  23. ^ "Fernandez joins Benfica on permanent deal". www.manutd.com. Retrieved 27 May 2024.
  24. ^ "Álvaro Carreras signs for Benfica until 2029". S.L. Benfica. 26 May 2024.
  25. ^ "A. Fernández's matches". besoccer.com. Retrieved 24 May 2024.
  26. ^ "Manchester United talent Alvaro Fernandez makes Spain U19 debut". United In Focus. 27 October 2021. Retrieved 8 December 2021.
  27. ^ Álvaro Carreras at Soccerway. Retrieved 6 October 2024.
  28. ^ "Games played by Álvaro Carreras in 2020/2021". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 28 April 2022.
  29. ^ "Games played by Álvaro Carreras in 2021/2022". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 28 April 2022.
  30. ^ "Games played by Álvaro Carreras in 2022/2023". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 11 May 2023.
  31. ^ "Games played by Álvaro Carreras in 2023/2024". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 20 January 2024.
  32. ^ Robinson, Harry (11 May 2022). "Fernandez named Under-23s Player of the Year". ManUtd.com. Manchester United. Retrieved 3 February 2023.
  33. ^ "2023 Player Award Winners". Preston North End. 8 May 2023. Retrieved 2 September 2023.
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