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Alexis Saelemaekers

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Alexis Saelemaekers
Saelemaekers with AC Milan in 2022
Personal information
Full name Alexis Jesse M. Saelemaekers[1]
Date of birth (1999-06-27) 27 June 1999 (age 24)
Place of birth Berchem-Sainte-Agathe, Belgium
Height 1.80 m (5 ft 11 in)[2]
Position(s) Winger
Full-back
Team information
Current team
 Bologna
(on loan from AC Milan)
Number 56
Youth career
2010–2012 V. Beersel-Drogenbos
2012–2018 Anderlecht
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2018–2020 Anderlecht 57 (2)
2020 → AC Milan (loan) 13 (1)
2020– AC Milan 98 (5)
2023– → Bologna (loan) 30 (4)
International career‡
2015 Belgium U16 1 (0)
2017–2018 Belgium U19 4 (0)
2018–2020 Belgium U21 12 (0)
2020– Belgium 12 (1)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 23:27, 24 May 2024 (UTC)
‡ National team caps and goals, correct as of 07:02, 4 December 2023 (UTC)

Alexis Jesse M. Saelemaekers (born 27 June 1999) is a Belgian professional footballer who plays as a winger for Serie A club Bologna, on loan from AC Milan. He also plays for the Belgium national team. Although he primarily plays in attack, he can also play as a full-back.

Club career[edit]

Anderlecht[edit]

In October 2017, Saelemaekers signed a contract at Anderlecht until 2019. On 16 February 2018, he made his official debut against Sint-Truiden. He was subbed on in the 77th minute. On 8 June 2018, he renewed his contract until 2022.

AC Milan[edit]

On 31 January 2020, AC Milan signed Saelemaekers on loan, with an option to buy.[3] Milan reportedly agreed a €3.5 million fee plus €1 million in bonuses in case of a permanent signing.[4] He made his debut as a substitute for Davide Calabria in a 1–1 draw against Verona on 2 February 2020.[5]

On 1 July 2020, Saelemaekers signed a contract with Milan which would keep him at the club until 30 June 2024.[6] On 18 July, he scored his first goal for the club in a 5–1 home win over Bologna in Serie A.[7]

2020–21:

On first of October 2020, Saelemaekers scored his first goal of the season against Rio Ave in qualification match for Europa league. [8] His next goal came on 26 October against Roma in 3-3 draw,[9] his third and last goal of the season was on 20 December against Sassuolo as Milan pulled an away 2-1 win.[10] In total this season, he scored 3 goals and assisted 5. [11]

2021–22:

On 15 October 2021, Saelemaekers extended his contract until 30 June 2026, with a raise in salary.[12]

On 4 December, he scored his first goal of this season against Salernitana, a powerful left footed shot in eventual 2-0 win.[13] His next goal came in Coppa Italia against Genoa on 13 January 2022, a goal in extra-time as Milan won 3-1.[14]

Loan to Bologna[edit]

On 30 August 2023, Saelemaekers joined Bologna on loan with an option to buy.[15] At Bologna, Saelemaekers quickly established himself as an important player, fitting perfectly into the manager Thiago Motta's so-called 2–7–2 system.[16] Due to presence of Riccardo Orsolini on the right side as an "inverted" left-footed right winger, right-footed Saelemaekers began to play on the left in the similar role, a position he sometimes played in at Milan in absence of regular starter Rafael Leão.[17]

Saelemaekers was about to join Bologna on a full transfer from Milan before Vincenzo Italiano took over the departing Thiago Motta as a manager at the end of the season and declined to spend €10 million on the player, focusing on other transfer targets.[18]

International career[edit]

Saelemaekers debuted with the Belgium national team in a 1–1 friendly draw with Ivory Coast on 8 October 2020.[19]

Despite being part of the preliminary squads for the 2020 UEFA Euro (played in 2021), the 2022 FIFA World Cup, and the 2024 UEFA Euro, Saelemaekers was not included on any finalized squad lists.

Career statistics[edit]

Club[edit]

As of match played 24 May 2024[20]
Appearances and goals by club, season and competition
Club Season League National cup[a] Europe Other Total
Division Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals
Anderlecht 2017–18 Belgian Pro League 11 0 0 0 0 0 — 11 0
2018–19 30 0 1 0 3[b] 0 — 34 0
2019–20 16 2 3 0 — — 19 2
Total 57 2 4 0 3 0 — 64 2
AC Milan (loan) 2019–20 Serie A 13 1 2 0 — — 15 1
AC Milan 2020–21 32 2 1 0 7[b] 1 — 40 3
2021–22 36 1 4 1 6[c] 0 — 46 2
2022–23 30 2 1 0 8[c] 2 0 0 39 4
Total 111 6 8 1 21 3 0 0 140 10
Bologna (loan) 2023–24 Serie A 30 4 2 0 — — 32 4
Career total 198 12 14 1 24 3 0 0 236 16
  1. ^ Includes Belgian Cup, Coppa Italia
  2. ^ a b Appearances in UEFA Europa League
  3. ^ a b Appearances in UEFA Champions League

International[edit]

As of match played 19 November 2023[21]
Appearances and goals by national team and year
National team Year Apps Goals
Belgium 2020 1 0
2021 6 1
2022 2 0
2023 3 0
Total 12 1
Scores and results list Belgium's goal tally first. Score column indicates score after each Saelemaekers goal.[21]
List of international goals scored by Alexis Saelemaekers
No. Date Venue Opponent Score Result Competition
1. 5 September 2021 King Baudouin Stadium, Brussels, Belgium  Czech Republic 3–0 3–0 2022 FIFA World Cup qualification

Honours[edit]

AC Milan

Individual

References[edit]

  1. ^ "Comunicato Ufficiale N. 267" [Official Communication No. 267] (PDF) (in Italian). Lega Serie A. 19 July 2020. p. 3. Archived from the original (PDF) on 20 July 2020. Retrieved 15 November 2022.
  2. ^ "Alexis Saelemaekers: Biography". AC Milan. Retrieved 30 August 2022.
  3. ^ "Saelemaekers is a new AC Milan player". AC Milan. 31 January 2020. Archived from the original on 22 December 2020. Retrieved 4 July 2020.
  4. ^ "Milan make Saelemaekers signing". Football Italia. 1 February 2020. Archived from the original on 22 December 2020. Retrieved 4 July 2020.
  5. ^ Colombo, Monica (3 February 2020). "Milan-Verona 1-1: senza Ibrahimovic i rossoneri frenano. L'esordio di Daniel Maldini". Corriere Della Sera (in Italian). Retrieved 3 February 2020.
  6. ^ "COMUNICATO UFFICIALE: ALEXIS SAELEMAEKERS" (in Italian). Archived from the original on 22 December 2020. Retrieved 1 July 2020.
  7. ^ "Match report AC Milan 5-1 Bologna, Serie A 2019/2020". AC Milan. 18 July 2020. Archived from the original on 22 December 2020. Retrieved 19 July 2020.
  8. ^ "Rio Ave 2-2 AC MILAN". BBC. Retrieved 11 March 2022.
  9. ^ "AC MILAN 3-3 Roma". BBC. Retrieved 11 March 2022.
  10. ^ "Rafael Leao scores quickest ever Serie A goal to spark AC Milan victory". MARCA. Retrieved 11 March 2022.
  11. ^ "Alexis Saelemaekers". AS. Retrieved 11 March 2022.
  12. ^ "Alexis Saelemaekers rinnova il contratto con l'AC Milan: Il comunicato ufficiale".
  13. ^ Fisher, Oliver. "AC MILAN 2-0 Salernitana". sempremilan. Retrieved 11 March 2022.
  14. ^ "AC MILAN 3-1 Genoa". BBC. Retrieved 11 March 2022.
  15. ^ "Alexis Saelemaekers joins Bologna". Bologna. 30 August 2023. Retrieved 30 August 2023.
  16. ^ https://www.givemesport.com/thiago-mottas-2-7-2-formation-explained
  17. ^ https://sempremilan.com/gds-probable-xis-ac-milan-inter-champions
  18. ^ https://sempremilan.com/gds-bologna-9-5m-saelemaekers-milan-return
  19. ^ "Belgium vs. Côte d'Ivoire - 8 October 2020 - Soccerway". uk.soccerway.com. Archived from the original on 22 December 2020. Retrieved 8 October 2020.
  20. ^ "Alexis Saelemaekers". WorldFootball.net. Archived from the original on 22 December 2020. Retrieved 22 December 2020.
  21. ^ a b "Alexis Saelemaekers". EU-Football.info. Retrieved 26 April 2021.
  22. ^ "Milan secure 1st Serie A title in 11 years". News18 India. 22 May 2022. Retrieved 22 May 2022.
  23. ^ "Alexis Saelemaekers Wins April's Goal of the Month Presented by Crypto.com". Serie A. 13 May 2023. Retrieved 13 May 2023.

External links[edit]

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