Kuki Zalazar

José Luis "Kuki" Zalazar Martínez (born 5 May 1998) is a Spanish professional footballer who plays as a forward for Real Valladolid Promesas.

In this Spanish name, the first or paternal surname is Zalazar and the second or maternal family name is Martínez.
Kuki Zalazar
Personal information
Full name José Luis Zalazar Martínez
Date of birth (1998-05-05) 5 May 1998
Place of birth Montevideo, Uruguay
Height 1.76 m (5 ft 9 in)
Position(s) Forward
Club information
Current team
 Valladolid B
Number 10
Youth career
Albacete
2012–2015 Málaga
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2014–2018 Málaga B 73 (22)
2017–2018 → Cartagena (loan) 25 (1)
2018– Valladolid B 70 (17)
2018– Valladolid 1 (0)
National team
2014 Spain U16 4 (1)
2014–2015 Spain U17 17 (6)
* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only and correct as of 22 January 2021

Club career

Born in Montevideo, Kuki moved to Spain at early age and started his career with Albacete Balompié's youth setup. On 30 May 2012, aged only 14, he was signed by Málaga CF.[1]

Kuki made his senior debut with the reserves on 31 August 2014, starting in a 0–0 home draw against Atlético Mancha Real for the Tercera División championship.[2] The following March, he was linked to potential moves to Premier League sides Liverpool, Chelsea and Manchester City.[3]

Kuki scored his first senior goal on 30 August 2015, in a 3–3 home draw against CD El Ejido 2012.[4] The following January, he was targeted by FC Barcelona.[5]

On 24 June 2017, Kuki scored a brace in a 4–2 home win against AD Unión Adarve, but his side narrowly missed out promotion in the play-offs.[6] On 8 August, he was loaned to Segunda División B side FC Cartagena, for one year.[7]

On 30 August 2018, Kuki moved to another reserve team, Real Valladolid B in the third division.[8] He made his first-team debut on 31 October, starting in a 2–1 away defeat of RCD Mallorca, for the season's Copa del Rey.[9]

Personal life

Kuki is the son of former Uruguay international footballer José Zalazar, a midfielder who notably represented Albacete.[10] His younger brother Rodrigo Zalazar is also a footballer, and currently plays for Polish club Korona Kielce on loan from Eintracht Frankfurt.[11]

References
  1. "El club ficha al hijo del uruguayo José Luis Zalazar" [The club sign the son of Uruguayan José Luis Zalazar] (in Spanish). Marca. 30 May 2012. Retrieved 4 December 2016.
  2. "El filial logra su primer punto en la difícil Mancha Real (0–0)" [The reserves get their first point in the difficult Mancha Real (0–0)] (in Spanish). Málaga CF. 31 August 2014. Retrieved 4 December 2016.
  3. "Liverpool considering transfer bid for Malaga wonderkid Jose Luis Zalazar". Metro. 30 March 2015. Retrieved 19 November 2017.
  4. "El Atlético Malagueño se deja igualar dos veces contra El Ejido 2012" [Atlético Malagueño let El Ejido 2012 level twice] (in Spanish). Diario Sur. 31 August 2015. Retrieved 4 December 2016.
  5. "El Barcelona sigue de cerca a Kuki Zalazar" [Barcelona follow Kuki Zalazar closely] (in Spanish). Sport. 22 January 2016. Retrieved 19 November 2017.
  6. "Incomplete comeback for Malagueño against Adarve (4–2)". Málaga CF. 24 June 2017. Retrieved 19 November 2017.
  7. "Kuki, hijo del uruguayo Zalazar, se va cedido al Cartagena" [Kuki, son of the Uruguayan Zalazar, goes out on loan to Cartagena] (in Spanish). Diario AS. 8 August 2017. Retrieved 19 November 2017.
  8. "El Promesas se refuerza con Zalazar" [Promesas bolster with Zalazar] (in Spanish). Real Valladolid. 30 August 2018. Retrieved 31 August 2018.
  9. "Verde enciende la luz de Son Moix a base de zurdazos" [Verde lights up Son Moix through left-footed bangers] (in Spanish). Diario AS. 31 October 2018. Retrieved 1 November 2018.
  10. "Kuki Salazar, un diamante de color blanco y azul" [Kuki Salazar, a diamond coloured in blue and white] (in Spanish). Fútbol Carrasco. 2 January 2015. Retrieved 4 December 2016.
  11. "Talented midfielder with an eye for goal". Retrieved 27 July 2019.
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