Diego Rico

Diego Rico Salguero (born 23 February 1993) is a Spanish professional footballer who plays as a left-back for La Liga club Getafe, on loan from Real Sociedad.

In this Spanish name, the first or paternal surname is Rico and the second or maternal family name is Salguero.
Diego Rico
Rico in 2019
Personal information
Full name Diego Rico Salguero[1]
Date of birth (1993-02-23) 23 February 1993[2]
Place of birth Burgos, Spain[2]
Height 1.80 m (5 ft 11 in)[2]
Position(s) Left-back
Team information
Current team
 Getafe
(on loan from Real Sociedad)
Number 16
Youth career
2000–2011 Burgos Promesas
2011–2012 Zaragoza
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2012–2013 Zaragoza B 17 (0)
2013–2016 Zaragoza 106 (5)
2016–2018 Leganés 51 (3)
2018–2021 AFC Bournemouth 71 (1)
2021– Real Sociedad 41 (0)
2023– → Getafe (loan) 1 (0)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 10:13, 19 September 2023 (UTC)

Club career

Zaragoza

Born in Burgos, Castile and León, Rico graduated from local CD Burgos Promesas 2000's youth system, where he started playing as a forward in the seven-a-side variation and later winger.[3] In June 2011, he joined Real Zaragoza and was assigned to the Juvenil squad.[4]

Rico made his senior debut with the reserves, in 2011–12.[5] He served mostly as a backup in his two seasons with the squad, the second ending in relegation.

In the summer of 2013, Rico was promoted to the main squad and quickly overtook the habitual starter Abraham Minero.[6] On 10 September he played his first match as a professional, starting in a 1–0 away loss against Deportivo Alavés in the second round of the Copa del Rey.[7] He first appeared in the league four days later, playing the full 90 minutes of a 3–0 home victory over CD Tenerife in the Segunda División.[8]

On 19 November 2013, Rico signed a five-year contract to stay at La Romareda.[9] He scored his first professional goal the following month, the first of a 2–1 home win against Córdoba CF.[10]

Rico agreed to a new professional deal on 7 January 2016, becoming a full member of the first team and being assigned the no. 22 jersey.[11] He finished the campaign with one goal[12] in 39 matches, contributing to an eighth-place finish.

Leganés

On 17 August 2016, Rico joined La Liga side CD Leganés on a four-year contract[13] for a rumoured fee of €1 million.[14] He made his debut in the competition five days later, starting and in a 1–0 away win against RC Celta de Vigo.[15]

Rico scored his first goal in the Spanish top flight on 11 September 2016, but in a 2–1 loss at Sporting de Gijón.[16] The following 7 August, he agreed to an extension until 2021.[17]

AFC Bournemouth

On 24 July 2018, Rico was transferred to AFC Bournemouth for an undisclosed fee, and signed a four-year contract.[18] He made his debut in the Premier League on 1 September, playing the entire 2–0 away defeat against Chelsea.[19] He struggled to regularly cement his position in the team during his first season, making just 16 total appearances in all competitions; manager Eddie Howe later commented that the player had faced some hurdles in settling into the league, with the language barrier and increased physicality of the competition being key factors in this, although he did add that "he has got the technical quality and [he] has got a lovely left foot. He’s got the ability to play in the team".[20]

Rico enjoyed a much more positive start to the following campaign, making 14 consecutive starts for the team, beginning with a 3–1 home win against Everton.[21] In October 2019, he was voted Player of the Month for the previous month in a poll conducted by the club's website, playing every minute in the league and also providing two assists.[22]

Rico scored his first goal on 4 December 2020, in a 4–0 victory over Barnsley.[23]

Real Sociedad

On 26 July 2021, Rico returned to Spain and joined Real Sociedad, on a two-year deal for an undisclosed fee.[24] On 6 March 2023, he renewed his contract until 2025.[25]

Rico moved to fellow top-tier Getafe CF on 1 September 2023, on loan for the season.[26]

Style of play

Rico is praised for his dead-ball delivery and the quality of his set-pieces, and is usually assigned the role of corner and direct free kick taker on the pitch. Bournemouth teammate Callum Wilson described him as having a "wand of a left foot", and Howe commented that "someone with that strength of foot, he has real power in it, accuracy with it and it is a big asset.”[27]

Rico is also noted as being an excellent interceptor of the ball, and a generally strong defensive fullback. Late into 2019–20, he had the most interceptions of any player in the Premier League with 66.[28][29]

Career statistics
As of 22 May 2022[30]
Club Season League Cup League Cup Other Total
DivisionAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoals
Zaragoza B 2011–12 Segunda División B 60———60
2012–13 Segunda División B 110———110
Total 170———170
Zaragoza 2013–14 Segunda División 30210—00312
2014–15 Segunda División 37210—00382
2015–16 Segunda División 39110—00401
Total 106530—001095
Leganés 2016–17 La Liga 25100—00251
2017–18 La Liga 26271—00333
Total 51371—00584
Bournemouth 2018–19 Premier League 120103000160
2019–20 Premier League 270101000290
2020–21 Championship 32140101[lower-alpha 1]0381
Total 711605010831
Real Sociedad 2021–22 La Liga 21030—20260
Career total 2669191503029310
  1. Appearance in the Championship play-offs

References
  1. "2018/19 Premier League squads confirmed". Premier League. 3 September 2018. Retrieved 4 September 2018.
  2. "Diego Rico". Real Sociedad. Retrieved 2 August 2022.
  3. Hungría, Natalia; Lambán, Patricia (28 January 2014). "Entrevista. Diego Rico: "He llegado hasta aquí, pero ahora lo difícil es mantenerse. Por eso trabajo duro cada día"" [Interview. Diego Rico: "I've come this far, but the hardest thing now is to stay there. That's why I work hard every day"] (in Spanish). Vavel. Retrieved 17 April 2020.
  4. "Diego Rico dejara el equipo de su vida para fichar por el Real Zaragoza" [Diego Rico will leave his lifelong club to sign for Real Zaragoza] (in Spanish). Burgos Promesas 2000. 4 June 2011. Retrieved 7 June 2014.
  5. "El Zaragoza B inicia este jueves la pretemporada" [Zaragoza B start pre-season this Thursday]. Heraldo de Aragón (in Spanish). 11 July 2012. Retrieved 7 June 2014.
  6. Gimeno, Javier (7 July 2016). "Abraham sale cedido al Levante" [Abraham goes out on loan to Levante] (in Spanish). Vavel. Retrieved 17 April 2020.
  7. "Borja Viguera noquea al Zaragoza en el añadido" [Borja Viguera knocks out Zaragoza in injury time]. Marca (in Spanish). 10 September 2013. Retrieved 7 June 2014.
  8. "El Zaragoza estrena su casillero de victorias con una goleada" [Zaragoza open winning box with a rout]. Marca (in Spanish). 14 September 2013. Retrieved 7 June 2014.
  9. "Acuerdo para la renovación del contrato de Diego Rico con el Real Zaragoza" [Agreement for Diego Rico's contract renewal with Real Zaragoza] (in Spanish). Real Zaragoza. 19 November 2013. Retrieved 7 June 2014.
  10. "El Zaragoza se acerca a los puestos de ascenso" [Zaragoza get closer to the promotion places]. Marca (in Spanish). 8 December 2013. Retrieved 7 June 2014.
  11. "Diego Rico firma contrato profesional y a partir de ahora llevará el dorsal 22" [Diego Rico signs professional contract and will wear the 22 jersey from now on] (in Spanish). Real Zaragoza. 7 January 2016. Retrieved 8 January 2016.
  12. "1–3. El Zaragoza vence al Albacete en 25 minutos primorosos" [1–3. Zaragoza defeat Albacete in 25 immaculate minutes]. La Vanguardia (in Spanish). 11 October 2015. Retrieved 28 April 2017.
  13. "Diego Rico, juventud y potencia para el lateral izquierdo pepinero hasta 2020" [Diego Rico, youth and power to the left pepinero left flank until 2020] (in Spanish). CD Leganés. 17 August 2016. Archived from the original on 22 August 2016. Retrieved 17 August 2016.
  14. Gaudioso, Sonia (17 August 2016). "Diego Rico llega al Leganés por un millón de euros" [Diego Rico arrives at Leganés for one million euros]. Marca (in Spanish). Retrieved 17 August 2016.
  15. Callero, Borja Luis (22 August 2016). "Estreno de oro del Leganés en Primera" [Golden debut of Leganés in Primera] (in Spanish). Marca. Retrieved 22 August 2016.
  16. Fernández, Íñigo (11 September 2016). "El Sporting se lleva la victoria ante un Leganés combativo" [Sporting take win against fighting Leganés]. Marca (in Spanish). Retrieved 3 September 2018.
  17. "Diego Rico, renovado hasta 2021" [Diego Rico, renewed until 2021] (in Spanish). CD Leganés. 7 August 2017. Retrieved 8 August 2017.
  18. "Cherries complete Rico swoop". A.F.C. Bournemouth. 24 July 2018. Retrieved 24 July 2018.
  19. Johnston, Neil (1 September 2018). "Chelsea 2–0 AFC Bournemouth". BBC Sport. Retrieved 3 September 2018.
  20. Lewis, Jason (21 May 2019). "Eddie Howe insists AFC Bournemouth left-back Diego Rico has the ability to play in the Premier League". Bournemouth Daily Echo. Retrieved 20 February 2020.
  21. Johnston, Neil (15 September 2019). "AFC Bournemouth 3–1 Everton". BBC Sport. Retrieved 20 February 2020.
  22. "Rico wins September Player of the Month". A.F.C. Bournemouth. 3 October 2019. Retrieved 20 February 2020.
  23. Law, James (4 December 2020). "Barnsley 0–4 AFC Bournemouth". BBC Sport. Retrieved 5 December 2020.
  24. "Acuerdo para la incorporación de Diego Rico" [Agreement for addition of Diego Rico] (in Spanish). Real Sociedad. 26 July 2021. Retrieved 26 July 2021.
  25. Badallo, Óscar (6 March 2023). "Diego Rico renueva hasta 2025" [Diego Rico renews until 2025]. Marca (in Spanish). Retrieved 1 September 2023.
  26. "Acuerdo para su cesión al Getafe CF" [Agreement for his loan to Getafe CF] (in Spanish). Real Sociedad. 1 September 2023. Retrieved 1 September 2023.
  27. Rose, Dan (17 September 2019). "Magical Diego Rico's 'wand of a left foot' can be a 'big asset' for AFC Bournemouth". Bournemouth Daily Echo. Retrieved 26 February 2020.
  28. Rose, Dan (20 December 2019). "Diego Rico on delivering fans happiness, his relationship with Hugo Faria and making more history at Cherries". Bournemouth Daily Echo. Retrieved 17 April 2020.
  29. Carnduff, Tom (30 March 2020). "Premier League: The main statistics behind the top defenders this season". Sporting Life. Retrieved 17 April 2020.
  30. Diego Rico at Soccerway
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