Žan Celar (born 14 March 1999) is a Slovenian professional footballer who plays as a forward for EFL Championship club Queens Park Rangers and the Slovenia national team.
| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Date of birth | 14 March 1999 | ||
| Place of birth | Kranj, Slovenia[1] | ||
| Height | 1.86 m (6 ft 1 in)[1] | ||
| Position(s) | Forward | ||
| Team information | |||
Current team | Queens Park Rangers | ||
| Number | 18 | ||
| Youth career | |||
| –2012 | Šenčur | ||
| 2013–2014 | Triglav Kranj | ||
| 2014–2017 | Maribor | ||
| 2017–2019 | Roma Primavera | ||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
| 2016–2017 | Maribor | 1 | (0) |
| 2018–2021 | Roma | 1 | (0) |
| 2019–2020 | → Cittadella (loan) | 10 | (1) |
| 2020–2021 | → Cremonese (loan) | 38 | (4) |
| 2021–2024 | Lugano | 95 | (40) |
| 2024– | Queens Park Rangers | 4 | (0) |
| International career‡ | |||
| 2014 | Slovenia U16 | 4 | (1) |
| 2015–2016 | Slovenia U17 | 16 | (6) |
| 2016–2017 | Slovenia U18 | 11 | (4) |
| 2017 | Slovenia U19 | 5 | (5) |
| 2019–2021 | Slovenia U21 | 10 | (1) |
| 2021– | Slovenia | 17 | (0) |
|
*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 30 August 2024 ‡ National team caps and goals, correct as of 14 November 2024 | |||
Club career
editCelar made his Serie A debut for Roma on 11 March 2019 in a game against Empoli, as an 86th-minute substitute for Patrik Schick.[2]
On 10 July 2019, Celar joined Serie B club Cittadella on loan until January 2020.[3] On 30 January 2020, he moved on loan to Cremonese.[4] After scoring two goals in eleven appearances during the 2019–20 Serie B season, his loan was extended for another season in August 2020.[5][6]
In the summer of 2021, Celar joined Swiss Super League club Lugano on a contract until 2025, joining his countryman Sandi Lovrić. He was given the number 19 jersey.[7] In his first season with the club, Celar won the 2021–22 Swiss Cup, and also scored in the final against St. Gallen as Lugano won 4–1.[8] Overall, he scored 40 goals in 95 appearances in the Swiss Super League over the course of three seasons, and was also the league's top scorer in the 2023–24 season.[9]
On 19 July 2024, Celar transferred to the EFL Championship side Queens Park Rangers for an undisclosed fee.[9][10] He made his debut for the club on 10 August in a 3–1 loss against West Bromwich Albion.[11]
International career
editBetween 2014 and 2021, Celar played for all Slovenian youth teams from under-16 to under-21, making 46 appearances for all teams combined and scoring 17 goals.[12]
On 14 November 2021, Celar debuted for the senior team in a World Cup qualifying match against Cyprus.[13]
Career statistics
editClub
edit- As of 3 June 2024[14]
| Club | Season | League | National cup | Continental | Total | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Division | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | ||
| Maribor | 2015–16 | PrvaLiga | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| Roma | 2018–19 | Serie A | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| Cittadella (loan) | 2019–20 | Serie B | 10 | 1 | 3 | 2 | — | 13 | 3 | |
| Cremonese (loan) | 2019–20 | Serie B | 11 | 2 | — | — | 11 | 2 | ||
| 2020–21 | 27 | 2 | 2 | 0 | — | 29 | 2 | |||
| Total | 38 | 4 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 40 | 4 | ||
| Lugano | 2021–22 | Swiss Super League | 29 | 10 | 5 | 4 | — | 34 | 14 | |
| 2022–23 | 30 | 16 | 3 | 0 | 1[a] | 0 | 34 | 16 | ||
| 2023–24 | 36 | 14 | 5 | 6 | 7[b] | 1 | 48 | 21 | ||
| Total | 95 | 40 | 13 | 10 | 8 | 1 | 116 | 51 | ||
| Career total | 145 | 45 | 18 | 12 | 8 | 1 | 171 | 58 | ||
- ^ Appearance in UEFA Europa Conference League
- ^ Two appearances in UEFA Europa League, five appearances and one goal in UEFA Europa Conference League
Honours
editLugano
Individual
- Swiss Super League top scorer: 2023–24[9]
References
edit- ^ a b "Žan Celar". worldfootball.net. Retrieved 17 March 2021.
- ^ "Roma vs. Empoli – 11 March 2019". Soccerway. 11 March 2019. Retrieved 17 March 2021.
- ^ "Cittadella, arriva il centravanti Celar dalla Roma". tuttomercatoweb.com (in Italian). 11 July 2019. Retrieved 12 July 2019.
- ^ "Celar nuovo attaccante grigiorosso" (Press release) (in Italian). U.S. Cremonese. 30 January 2020. Retrieved 30 January 2020.
- ^ "Celar ancora in grigiorosso" (Press release) (in Italian). U.S. Cremonese. 12 August 2020. Retrieved 18 August 2020.
- ^ "Ufficiale: la Cremonese rinnova il prestito di Zan Celar". IlRomanista.eu (in Italian). 12 August 2020. Retrieved 14 August 2020.
- ^ "Lovrić in Celar bosta soigralca" (in Slovenian). Siol. 27 August 2021. Retrieved 27 August 2021.
- ^ a b Mlakar, Anže (15 May 2022). "Celar poskrbel za lovoriko Lugana". Slovenski nogometni portal (in Slovenian). Retrieved 15 May 2022.
- ^ a b c "Striker Žan Celar signs for the R's". Queens Park Rangers F.C. 19 July 2024. Retrieved 19 July 2024.
- ^ "QPR sign Slovenia striker Zan Celar from Lugano". BBC Sport. 19 July 2024. Retrieved 19 July 2024.
- ^ "Queens Park Rangers 1–3 West Bromwich Albion: Josh Maja hits hat-trick as Baggies secure opening win". Sky Sports. 10 August 2024. Retrieved 12 August 2024.
- ^ "Žan Celar – Nogometna zveza Slovenije" (in Slovenian). Football Association of Slovenia. Retrieved 30 November 2021.
- ^ "Slovenija za konec nogometnih kvalifikacij premagala Ciper". Dnevnik (in Slovenian). 14 November 2021. Retrieved 22 July 2024.
- ^ Žan Celar at Soccerway