Borja Sainz Eguskiza (born 1 February 2001) is a Spanish professional footballer who plays as a left winger for EFL Championship club Norwich City.
| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | Borja Sainz Eguskiza | ||
| Date of birth | 1 February 2001 | ||
| Place of birth | Leioa, Spain | ||
| Height | 1.78 m (5 ft 10 in) | ||
| Position(s) | Winger | ||
| Team information | |||
Current team | Norwich City | ||
| Number | 7 | ||
| Youth career | |||
| Lagun Artea | |||
| 2012–2017 | Athletic Bilbao | ||
| 2017–2018 | Alavés | ||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
| 2018–2020 | Alavés B | 24 | (6) |
| 2019–2022 | Alavés | 40 | (2) |
| 2021–2022 | → Zaragoza (loan) | 32 | (3) |
| 2022–2023 | Giresunspor | 32 | (9) |
| 2023– | Norwich City | 46 | (17) |
| International career | |||
| 2019–2020 | Spain U19 | 5 | (3) |
| *Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 19:02, 3 November 2024 (UTC) | |||
Club career
editBorn in Leioa, Biscay, Basque Country, Sainz joined Athletic Bilbao's Lezama in 2012, from lowly locals AD Lagun Artea. In August 2017, he signed for Deportivo Alavés after refusing a contract renewal from the Lions.[1]
On 2 September 2018, Sainz made his senior debut with the reserves at the age of just 17, playing the last three minutes in a 3–0 Tercera División home win against SD San Pedro. He scored his first senior goal on 7 October in a 2–0 home defeat of SD Beasain,[2] and finished the campaign with five goals in 18 appearances.
Sainz made his first team – and La Liga – debut on 25 August 2019, coming on as a second-half substitute for Luis Rioja in a 0–0 home draw against RCD Espanyol;[3] by doing so, he became the first player of the 21st century to appear for the senior side.[4] He scored his first goal in the category on 18 June of the following year, netting the opener in a 2–0 home defeat of Real Sociedad.
On 5 August 2021, Sainz was loaned to Segunda División side Real Zaragoza for the season.[5] On 28 July of the following year, he moved abroad for the first time in his career after signing for Giresunspor in Turkey.[6]
Norwich City
editOn 30 June 2023, Sainz signed for Championship club Norwich City on a three-year contract following his departure from Giresunspor.[7][8] Sainz scored on his debut for Norwich in an EFL Cup tie against Fulham on 27 September 2023.[9] Sainz also scored for Norwich in an FA Cup tie against Liverpool on 28 January 2024.[10]
Following a strong start to the 2024–25 season, scoring four goals in three matches, including a hat-trick against Derby County, he was named EFL Championship Player of the Month for September 2024.[11] He won the award for a second consecutive month following a further four goals and two assists.[12]
Career statistics
edit- As of match played 3 November 2024[13]
| Club | Season | League | National cup[a] | League cup[b] | Other | Total | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Division | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | ||
| Alavés B | 2018–19 | Tercera División | 18 | 5 | — | — | 4[c] | 0 | 22 | 5 | ||
| 2019–20 | Segunda División B | 6 | 1 | — | — | — | 6 | 1 | ||||
| Total | 24 | 6 | 0 | 0 | — | 4 | 0 | 28 | 6 | |||
| Alavés | 2019–20 | La Liga | 19 | 1 | 1 | 0 | — | — | 20 | 1 | ||
| 2020–21 | La Liga | 21 | 1 | 3 | 0 | — | — | 24 | 1 | |||
| Total | 40 | 2 | 4 | 0 | — | 0 | 0 | 44 | 2 | |||
| Real Zaragoza | 2021–22 | Segunda División | 32 | 3 | 3 | 0 | — | — | 35 | 3 | ||
| Giresunspor | 2022–23 | Süper Lig | 32 | 9 | 2 | 1 | — | — | 34 | 10 | ||
| Norwich | 2023–24 | Championship | 33 | 6 | 3 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 2[d] | 0 | 39 | 8 |
| 2024–25 | Championship | 13 | 11 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 1 | — | 15 | 12 | ||
| Total | 46 | 17 | 3 | 1 | 3 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 54 | 20 | ||
| Career total | 174 | 37 | 12 | 2 | 3 | 2 | 6 | 0 | 195 | 41 | ||
- ^ Includes Copa del Rey, Turkish Cup, FA Cup
- ^ Includes EFL Cup
- ^ Appearances in Tercera División promotion play-offs
- ^ Appearances in Championship play-offs
Honours
editIndividual
- EFL Championship Player of the Month: September 2024,[11] October 2024[12]
References
edit- ^ "El Alavés arrebata otro canterano al Athletic" [Alavés take another youth prospect from Athletic] (in Spanish). El Correo. 1 August 2017. Retrieved 29 August 2019.
- ^ "El filial vuelve a sonreír" [The reserves smile again] (in Spanish). Noticias de Álava. 8 October 2018. Archived from the original on 29 August 2019. Retrieved 29 August 2019.
- ^ "Diego López evita en el descuento la victoria del Alavés" [Diego López prevents the victory of Alavés in the stoppage time] (in Spanish). Diario AS. 25 August 2019. Retrieved 29 August 2019.
- ^ "Borja Sainz, un juvenil en Primera" [Borja Sainz, a youngster in Primera] (in Spanish). Marca. 25 August 2019. Retrieved 29 August 2019.
- ^ "Borja Sainz jugará cedido en el Real Zaragoza" [Borja Sainz will play on loan at Real Zaragoza] (in Spanish). Deportivo Alavés. 5 August 2021. Retrieved 6 August 2021.
- ^ "Borja Sainz, primera salida del Deportivo Alavés" [Borja Sainz, first departure of Deportivo Alavés] (in Spanish). Deportivo Alavés. 28 July 2022. Retrieved 30 July 2022.
- ^ "Sainz signs for City". www.canaries.co.uk. 30 June 2023. Retrieved 30 June 2023.
- ^ "Canaries clinch signing of Spanish winger Sainz" – via www.bbc.co.uk.
- ^ "Fulham 2-1 Norwich". BBC. 27 September 2023. Retrieved 14 December 2023.
- ^ "Entertaining victory clinches Reds' place in FA Cup fifth round". BBC. 28 January 2024. Retrieved 29 January 2024.
- ^ a b "Sky Bet Championship Manager & Player of the Month September winners". www.efl.com. 11 October 2024. Retrieved 11 October 2024.
- ^ a b "Sky Bet Championship: Manager & Player of the Month October winners". www.efl.com. 8 November 2024. Retrieved 8 November 2024.
- ^ Borja Sainz at Soccerway
External links
edit- Borja Sainz at Athletic Bilbao
- Borja Sainz at BDFutbol
- Borja Sainz at LaPreferente.com (in Spanish)
- Borja Sainz at Soccerway