Achraf Lazaar
{{short description|Moroccan footballer}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=September 2024}}
{{Infobox football biography
| name = Achraf Lazaar
| fullname =
| image =Achraf Lazaar.jpg
| birth_date = {{birth date and age|1992|1|22|df=y}}
| birth_place = Casablanca, Morocco
| height = 184 cm
| position = Left back
| currentclub =
| clubnumber =
| youthclubs1 = Raja Casablanca
| youthclubs2 = Varese
| youthyears1 =
| youthyears2 = 2009–2012
| years1 = 2012–2014 | clubs1 = Varese | caps1 = 37 | goals1 = 0
| years2 = 2014–2016 | clubs2 = Palermo | caps2 = 66 | goals2 = 3
| years3 = 2016–2021 | clubs3 = Newcastle United | caps3 = 4 | goals3 = 0
| years4 = 2017–2018 | clubs4 = → Benevento (loan) | caps4 = 9 | goals4 = 1
| years5 = 2019 | clubs5 = → Sheffield Wednesday (loan) | caps5 = 4 | goals5 = 0
| years6 = 2019–2020 | clubs6 = → Cosenza (loan) | caps6 = 9 | goals6 = 1
| years7 = 2021 | clubs7 = Watford | caps7 = 5 | goals7 = 0
| years8 = 2021–2022 | clubs8 = Portimonense | caps8 = 4 | goals8 = 0
| years9 = 2023 | clubs9 = Novara | caps9 = 6 | goals9 = 0
| years10 = 2024 | clubs10 = Al-Ittifaq | caps10 = | goals10 =
| years11 = 2024 | clubs11 = → Dubai City (loan) | caps11 = | goals11 =
| years12 = 2025– | clubs12 = Preston Lions | caps12 = 0 | goals12 = 0
| nationalyears1 = 2014–2018
| nationalteam1 = Morocco
| nationalcaps1 = 19
| nationalgoals1 = 0
| club-update = 28 July 2024
| nationalteam-update =
}}
Achraf Lazaar ({{langx|ar|أشرف لزعر}}; born 22 January 1992) is a Moroccan international footballer who plays as a left midfielder or left back for National Premier Leagues Victoria club Preston Lions in Australia.[https://x.com/tmklevio/status/1879896323182461378?s=46&t=D0nGJaYR0_yD6gtsUkFrTA]
Club career
Born in Casablanca, Lazaar moved to Italy with his parents in 2003. He began his football career with Varese's youth system, at the age of fifteen. He went on to make his senior debut with the team in Serie B, in 2012, immediately emerging as one of the most interesting prospects from the small Lombardian team.{{cite news |url=http://www3.varesenews.it/sport/lazaar-corre-per-realizzare-il-suo-sogno-in-a-con-il-varese-271601.html |publisher=Varese News |accessdate=13 March 2014 |language=Italian |title=Lazaar corre per realizzare il suo sogno: "In A con il Varese" |trans-title=Lazaar runs to realize his dream: "Serie A with Varese" |date=19 September 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140119001952/http://www3.varesenews.it/sport/lazaar-corre-per-realizzare-il-suo-sogno-in-a-con-il-varese-271601.html |archive-date=2014-01-19 |url-status=dead }}
In January 2014, he was signed by top of Serie B Palermo, on loan with the option to make the move permanent by the end of the season. Initially signed as an understudy to the more experienced Fabio Daprelà, Lazaar immediately gained a starting spot thanks to his impressive performances. He was later permanently signed by Palermo and confirmed as part of the club's 2014–15 squad.
On 28 August 2016, Lazaar joined Newcastle United on a five-year deal.{{cite web|url=http://www.nufc.co.uk/articles/20160828/lazaar-arrives-at-st-james-park_2281670_5842956|title=Lazaar Arrives At St. James' Park|work=nufc.co.uk|date=28 August 2016}} He made his debut in a 2–0 win in the EFL Cup against Wolverhampton Wanderers on 20 September 2016.{{cite news |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/37346000| title=Newcastle 2–0 Wolves |publisher=BBC Sport|date=20 September 2016 |accessdate=21 September 2016}} His league debut took place when he came on as a 72nd-minute substitute for Yoan Gouffran against Brentford on 15 October 2016.{{Cite web|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/37593786|title=Newcastle United 3–1 Brentford|publisher=BBC Sport|date=15 October 2016|access-date=17 July 2017}} On 31 August 2017 Lazaar returned to Italy with a loan to Benevento.{{Cite web|url=http://www.goal.com/it/notizie/calciomercato-benevento-doppio-colpo-sul-gong-lazaar-e/1cizvuefcrs1t1dsv80ixj7grd|title=Lazaar a Benevento|website=goal.com|date=31 August 2017|accessdate= 31 August 2017}} On 31 January 2019 Lazaar joined Sheffield Wednesday on loan until the end of the season.{{cite web|url=https://www.skysports.com/football/news/11678/11624144/west-brom-loan-jacob-murphy-sheffield-wednesday-sign-rolando-aarons-and-achraf-lazaar|title=Newcastle Trio Leave On Loan|publisher=Sky Sports|date=31 January 2019|accessdate= 31 January 2019}}
On 2 September 2019, he joined Italian Serie B club Cosenza on loan.{{cite press release|publisher=Cosenza|url=http://www.ilcosenza.it/2019/09/02/achraf-lazaar-e-un-nuovo-calciatore-del-cosenza/|title=ACHRAF LAZAAR È UN NUOVO CALCIATORE DEL COSENZA!|date=2 September 2019|language=Italian}}
On 4 February 2021, Lazaar and Newcastle United mutually agreed to terminate his contract.{{cite press release|publisher=Newcastle United FC|url=https://www.nufc.co.uk/news/latest-news/lazaar-leaves-the-magpies/|title=Lazaar leaves the Magpies|date=4 February 2021|language=English}}
On 11 February 2021, Lazaar signed for Watford on a deal until the end of the season, with an option to extend a further year.{{Cite web|url=https://www.watfordfc.com/news/official-lazaar-joins-hornets|title=Lazaar joins Hornets|publisher=Watford FC|date=11 February 2021|access-date=11 February 2021}} He left Watford at the end of the 2020–21 season following the expiration of his contract.{{Cite web|url= https://www.watfordfc.com/news/news-retain-release-list-confirmed|title=News: Retain & Release List Confirmed|publisher=Watford FC|date=18 May 2021|access-date=6 July 2021}} Following his release from Watford, Lazaar went on trial with Reading in July 2021.{{cite web |title=Ex Newcastle United defender on trial with Reading FC |url=https://www.readingchronicle.co.uk/sport/19440509.ex-newcastle-united-defender-trial-reading-fc/ |website=readingchronicle.co.uk/ |publisher=Reading Chronicle |access-date=14 July 2021 |date=14 July 2021}}
On 26 August 2021, he joined Portimonense in Portugal on a two-year contract.{{Cite web|publisher=Portimonense|url=https://www.portimonense.pt/sad/noticia.php?id=15898|title=APRESENTAÇÃO DE ACHRAF LAZAAR|date=26 August 2021|accessdate=22 September 2021|language=pt}}
On 2 February 2023, he signed for Serie C club Novara until the end of the 2022–23 season.{{cite web |language=it |date=2 February 2023 |url=https://www.novarafootballclub.it/achraf-lazaar-e-un-calciatore-azzurro/ |publisher=Novara F.C. |title=Achraf Lazaar è un calciatore azzurro}}
International career
Having been born in Morocco, Lazaar is eligible to play for Morocco by birth, but until 2015 was ineligible to play for Italy despite having been raised there. He holds Italian citizenship since April 2015.{{Cite news|url=http://www.mediagol.it/palermo/palermo-achraf-lazaar-acquisisce-cittadinanza-italiana/|title=Palermo: Achraf Lazaar acquisisce cittadinanza italiana|date=2015-04-07|work=Mediagol|access-date=2018-05-28|language=it-IT}}{{Cite news|url=http://www.varesenews.it/2015/05/lazaar-diventa-cittadino-italiano/367620/|title=Lazaar diventa cittadino italiano|date=2015-05-04|work=VareseNews|access-date=2018-05-28|language=it-IT}} He had originally never stated a clear preference to represent Morocco or Italy, instead declaring he would play for the first international team that showed a genuine interest in calling him up. His impressive Serie B performances with Palermo brought interest from the Moroccan national team, who called him up for a friendly match against Mozambique on 23 May 2014 and ended in a 4–0 win, during which he made his first senior international appearance.
Career statistics
{{updated|match played 8 May 2021}}{{Soccerway|achraf-lazaae/251301}}
| class="wikitable" style="text-align: center;" | ||||||||||
| rowspan=2|Club
!rowspan=2|Season !colspan=3|League !colspan=2|Cup !colspan=2|League Cup !colspan=2|Other !colspan=2|Total | ||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Division | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals |
| rowspan=3|Varese
|rowspan=2|Serie B |20 | 0 | 2 | 1 | colspan="2"|— | colspan="2"|— | 22 | 1 | |||
| 2013–14
|17 | 0 | 3 | 0 | colspan="2"|— | colspan="2"|— | 20 | 0 | |||
| colspan=2|Total
!37 | 0 | 5 | 1 | colspan="2"|—||colspan="2"|—||42 | 1 | |||||
| rowspan=5|Palermo
|Serie B |14 | 0 | 0 | 0 | colspan="2"|— | colspan="2"|— | 14 | 0 | |||
| 2014–15
|rowspan=3|Serie A |29 | 2 | 1 | 0 | colspan="2"|— | colspan="2"|— | 30 | 2 | |||
| 2015–16
|30 | 1 | 1 | 0 | colspan="2"|— | colspan="2"|— | 31 | 1 | |||
| 2016–17
|0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | colspan="2"|— | colspan="2"|— | 1 | 0 | |||
| colspan=2|Total
!73 | 3 | 3 | 0 | colspan="2"|—||colspan="2"|—||76 | 3 | |||||
| rowspan="4"|Newcastle United
|4 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 2 | 0 | colspan="2"|— | 9 | 0 | ||
| 2017–18
|rowspan=2|Premier League |0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | colspan="2"|— | 1 | 0 | ||
| 2020–21
|0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | colspan="2"|— | 0 | 0 | ||
| colspan=2|Total
!4 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 10 | 0 | |
| Newcastle United U21
|2020–21 |colspan=1|— | colspan=2|— | colspan=2|— | colspan=2|— | 1Appearances in EFL Trophy | 0 | 1 | 0 | |||
| rowspan="1"|Benevento (loan)
| 2017–18 |Serie A |9 | 1 | colspan="2"|— | colspan="2"|— | colspan="2"|— | 9 | 1 | ||||
| Sheffield Wednesday (loan)
|Championship |4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | colspan=2|— | 4 | 0 | ||
| Cosenza (loan)
|Serie B |9 | 1 | 0 | 0 | colspan=2|— | colspan=2|— | 9 | 1 | |||
| Watford
|Championship |5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | colspan="2"|— | 5 | 0 | ||
| colspan=3|Career total
!141 | 5 | 12 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 156 | 6 |
References
{{reflist}}
External links
- {{NFT player|55425}}
- {{soccerbase|id=76274}}
- [http://www.nufc.co.uk/page/Teams/PlayerProfile/0,,10278~61460,00.html Profile on Newcastle United website] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161106110915/http://www.nufc.co.uk/page/Teams/PlayerProfile/0,,10278~61460,00.html |date=2016-11-06 }}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Lazaar, Achraf}}
Category:Moroccan men's footballers
Category:Footballers from Casablanca
Category:Moroccan emigrants to Italy
Category:Naturalised citizens of Italy
Category:Morocco men's international footballers
Category:Men's association football fullbacks
Category:SSD Varese Calcio players
Category:Newcastle United F.C. players
Category:Benevento Calcio players
Category:Sheffield Wednesday F.C. players
Category:Cosenza Calcio players
Category:Portimonense S.C. players
Category:Al-Ittifaq FC (UAE) players
Category:Dubai City F.C. players
Category:English Football League players
Category:Primeira Liga players
Category:UAE First Division League players
Category:Moroccan expatriate men's footballers
Category:Expatriate men's footballers in Italy
Category:Moroccan expatriate sportspeople in Italy
Category:Expatriate men's footballers in England
Category:Moroccan expatriate sportspeople in England
Category:Expatriate men's footballers in Portugal
Category:Moroccan expatriate sportspeople in Portugal
Category:Expatriate men's footballers in the United Arab Emirates
Category:Moroccan expatriate sportspeople in the United Arab Emirates