Manu Nieto
Spanish footballer
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Manuel "Manu" Nieto Sánchez (born 29 March 1998) is a Spanish professional footballer who plays as a forward for Segunda División club CD Eldense.
| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | Manuel Nieto Sánchez | ||
| Date of birth | 29 March 1998 | ||
| Place of birth | Villa del Río, Spain | ||
| Height | 1.82 m (6 ft 0 in) | ||
| Position | Forward | ||
| Team information | |||
Current team | Eldense | ||
| Youth career | |||
| Séneca | |||
| 2014–2017 | Betis | ||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
| 2015–2019 | Betis B | 49 | (8) |
| 2018 | → Alcalá (loan) | 13 | (2) |
| 2019–2021 | Cádiz B | 44 | (9) |
| 2021–2022 | Cádiz | 2 | (0) |
| 2021–2022 | → Andorra (loan) | 25 | (4) |
| 2022–2026 | Andorra | 88 | (22) |
| 2022–2023 | → Eldense (loan) | 35 | (6) |
| 2024 | → Elche (loan) | 11 | (0) |
| 2026– | Eldense | 0 | (0) |
| * Club domestic league appearances and goals as of 9 June 2026 | |||
Club career
Nieto was born in Villa del Río, Córdoba, Andalusia, and joined Real Betis' youth setup in 2014, from Séneca CF.[1] He made his senior debut with the reserves at the age of 17 on 27 September 2015, starting in a 0–1 Segunda División B away loss against UD Melilla.[2]
Nieto scored his first senior goal on 2 October 2016, netting the fifth of a 5–0 home routing of CD San Roque de Lepe in the Tercera División.[3] On 31 January 2018, after featuring sparingly, he was loaned to fourth division side CD Alcalá for the remainder of the season.[4]
Upon returning, Nieto started to feature more regularly for the B-side before signing a two-year contract with Cádiz CF on 30 August 2019; he was assigned to the B-team in the third tier.[5] On 17 January 2021, he renewed his contract until 2023.[6]
Nieto made his first team – and La Liga – debut on 23 January 2021, coming on as a late substitute for Anthony Lozano in a 0–3 loss at Sevilla FC.[7] On 28 June, he was loaned to Primera División RFEF side FC Andorra, for one year.[8]
On 9 July 2022, after contributing with Andorra's first-ever promotion to Segunda División, Nieto signed a permanent two-year contract with the club.[9] On 14 August, however, he was loaned to CD Eldense in the third division.[10]
A regular starter for the Valencians, Nieto scored ten goals during the campaign (four only in the promotion play-offs) as Eldense returned to Segunda División after 59 years.[11] He returned to the Tricolors in July 2023,[12] and scored his first professional goals on 18 August, netting a hat-trick in a 3–2 home win over FC Cartagena.[13]
On 7 January 2024, Nieto was loaned to fellow second division side Elche CF for the remainder of the season; he also renewed with the Tricolors until 2026.[14] On 19 June 2026, he returned to Eldense on a permanent two-year deal.[15]