RB Leipzig have a real gem on their hands following the return of Manchester City-owned Angelino on loan for 2020/21. bundesliga.com has the skinny on one of Europe’s most creative young full-backs…

Angelino

Age: 23
Club: RB Leipzig (on loan from Man City)
Position: Left-back / left wing
Country: Spain (two U21 caps)

Key stats

After a six-year stint in the Deportivo La Coruna youth ranks in his native Spain, Angelino moved to Man City at the age of 16. He played for the club’s U18s and U23 teams, and enjoyed a productive stint in the US with New York City FC, before making his senior debut for his parent club in the 2015/16 FA Cup third round. Further outings in the UEFA Champions League and English League Cup were followed by loan spells in Spain with Girona and Real Mallorca, and Holland with NAC Breda, where he won four Rookie of the Month awards in 2017/18 .

Angelino (1st.r) scored three times for NAC Breda, including this rocket of a free-kick. - imago

Angelino went up a gear after signing a permanent deal with PSV Eindhoven in summer 2019, playing in all 34 of the Dutch giants’ Eredivisie outings and their six Champions League group assignments against Barcelona, Inter Milan and Tottenham Hotspur. He had a direct hand in 13 goals in all competitions - three more than during his career-shaping stay with Breda - as PSV finished runners-up behind Ajax.

Man City were so impressed they exercised a buy-back option on Angelino. He turned out 15 times for the Citizens during the first half of 2019/20, making his Premier League debut and chipping in with three assists in 15 outings at home and abroad. He was an instant hit in Leipzig after joining on loan for the second half of that campaign, quickly becoming a first-team regular on the left wing and chipping in with a goal and two assists in 13 Bundesliga appearances.

Julian Nagelsmann liked what he saw and requested the player return on loan for 2020/21, with an option to make the deal permanent. The pint-sized wide man, who stands at 1.71m (5'6"), carried on where he left off and scored in victories over Schalke and Augsburg that took Die Roten Bullen to the top of the standings early in the season. Angelino also grabbed a brace as Leipzig began their 2020/21 Champions League campaign with victory over Basaksehir.

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Plays a bit like: Juan Bernat

Angelino is a tenacious defender, but an even more spirited attacker, who’s at his best in the final third. He loves a cross and has the assist count to show for it; if you didn’t know anything about the guy you’d be forgiven for thinking he was related to Paris Saint-Germain, Spain and former Bayern Munich left-back, Juan Bernat.

Did you know?

Angelino’s career-best 10 assists of 2018/19 put him level fourth in the Eredivisie-wide rankings. Only Hakim Ziyech (15), Steven Berghuis (13), Steven Bergwijn, Martin Odegard, Nasser El Khayati and Dusan Tadic (12) - all attacking players - provided more.

Angelino was an ever-present on the left-hand side of the PSV Eindhoven defence in 2018/19. - getty images

What they're saying

"Angelino is a hugely talented young player and is an accomplished defender with great potential." – Man City director of football Txiki Begiristain

"We brought him back because he did an incredible job at Eindhoven." - Pep Guardiola on Man City’s decision to re-sign Angelino from PSV

"He had a great second half of the season last year, now he is playing really well in a slightly new position. We have the opportunity to extend his time here [from Manchester City]. If he he keeps playing like this, then it'll be good. You can see he's enjoying his football." - Markus Krösche, Leipzig sporting director, speaking to DAZN on Angelino's first-half performance against Basaksehir

About the clubs

RB Leipzig

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