Imanol Machuca

Imanol Machuca

Personal information
Full name	Imanol Javier Machuca[1]
Date of birth	(2000-01-15) 15 January 2000 (age 25)
Place of birth	Roldán, Argentina
Height	1.70 m (5 ft 7 in)
Position(s)	Attacking midfielder[2]
Team information
Current team	Vélez Sarsfield (on loan from Fortaleza)
Number	39
Youth career
	San Lorenzo (R)
	El Porvenir del Norte
	Sportivo Matienzo
	Talleres
2018–2020	Unión Santa Fe
Senior career*
Years	Team	Apps	(Gls)
2020–2023	Unión Santa Fe	58	(9)
2023–2025	Fortaleza	65	(6)
2025–	→ Vélez Sarsfield (loan)	1	(0)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 18:02, 25 January 2025 (UTC)

Imanol Javier Machuca (born 15 January 2000) is an Argentine professional footballer who plays as an attacking midfielder for Vélez Sarsfield, on loan from Fortaleza.[3][4]

Career

Early career

Machuca started his career in Roldán with San Lorenzo.[5] Spells soon followed with El Porvenir del Norte and Sportivo Matienzo, which preceded him joining the system of Talleres.[5]

Unión Santa Fé

In 2018, after a trial with Vélez Sarsfield, Machuca completed a move to Unión Santa Fe.[6] After two years in the reserves, he was promoted into the first-team squad in October 2020 under manager Juan Manuel Azconzábal; penning pro terms on 28 October.[7][8][9]

Machuca made his senior debut on 29 October during a Copa Sudamericana second stage first leg home defeat to Emelec, as he replaced Juan Manuel García with two minutes left.[3]

Fortaleza

On 29 July 2023, Campeonato Brasileiro Série A side Fortaleza announced the signing of Machuca on a four-year deal, having acquired 50% of the player's economic rights[10] for a reported fee of $2.5 million.[11]

Machuca arrived at Leão do Pici in 2023, when he played just 22 games, scoring two goals. In the 2024 season, the striker played 43 games, scoring four goals and providing five assists.[12]

Vélez Sarsfield

On 13 January 2025, Machuca joined Argentine Primera División side Vélez Sarsfield on loan until the end of the year, with an option to buy.[13]

Career statistics

As of 3 September 2021.[3][14]

Appearances and goals by club, season and competition

Club	Season	League			Cup		League Cup		Continental		Other		Total
		Division	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals
Unión Santa Fe	2019–20	Primera División	—		—		0	0	—		—		0	0
	2020–21[nb 1]		1	0	—		—		1[a]	0	—		2	0
	2021		21	2	—		—		—		—		21	2
	2022		33	3	2	0	—		8[a]	0	—		43	3
	2023		22	4	1	1	—		—		—		23	5
	Total		77	9	3	1	0	0	9	0	0	0	81	10
Fortaleza	2023	Série A	5	1	—		—		3[a]	0	—		8	1
Career total			82	10	3	1	0	0	12	0	0	0	89	11

1. Appearance(s) in the Copa Sudamericana.

Notes

1. Soccerway counts Copa de la Liga Profesional appearances as league appearances.

Honours

Fortaleza

• Copa do Nordeste: 2024

References

1. "boletin jugadores 11-2018.pdf" (PDF). AFA. Retrieved 4 January 2021.
2. "Imanol Machuca: el sueño de jugar en Primera". Fibranet. 28 October 2020. Retrieved 4 January 2021.
3. "Argentina - I. Machuca". Soccerway. Retrieved 4 January 2021.
4. "Imanol Machuca". World Football. Retrieved 4 January 2021.
5. "Quién es el próximo futbolista roldanense que podría debutar en Primera División". El Roldanense. 16 February 2017. Retrieved 4 January 2021.
6. "Imanol Machuca fue fichado por Unión de Santa Fe y se suma al plantel de Reserva". El Roldanense. 4 January 2018. Retrieved 4 January 2021.
7. "Reserva: Jugada "Maradoniana" de Machuca en Unión". SOL 91.5. 25 October 2019. Retrieved 4 January 2021.
8. "Unión firmó contrato con cuatro jóvenes valores de inferiores". Santa Fe Deportivo. 29 October 2020. Retrieved 4 January 2021.
9. "El roldanense Imanol Machuca firmó su primer contrato como jugador profesional". El Roldanense. 29 October 2020. Retrieved 4 January 2021.
10. "Dia #1: Imanol Machuca chega ao Fortaleza e faz primeiro treino com o elenco" [Day #1: Imanol Machuca arrives at Fortaleza and undergoes first training with the squad]. Fortaleza Esporte Clube (in Brazilian Portuguese). 29 July 2023. Retrieved 31 July 2023.
11. "Fortaleza anuncia atacante argentino Imanol Machuca" [Fortaleza announces Argentinian forward Imanol Machuca]. Globo Esporte (in Brazilian Portuguese). 28 July 2023. Retrieved 31 July 2023.
12. https://ge.globo.com/pe/futebol/noticia/2024/12/26/resumo-da-central-palmeiras-quer-destaque-do-cruzeiro-gremio-de-olho-sueco-e-adeus-a-gatito.ghtml
13. "Bienvenido Imanol / Vélez Sarsfield". C. A. Vélez Sarsfield (in Spanish). 13 January 2025. Retrieved 25 January 2025.
14. "Ficha Estadistica de IMANOL MACHUCA". BDFA. Retrieved 4 January 2021.

External links

• Imanol Machuca at Soccerway