Jhon Vélez

Jhon Jaider Vélez Carey (born 25 July 2003) is a Colombian footballer who plays as a midfielder for Atlético Junior.

In this Spanish name, the first or paternal surname is Vélez and the second or maternal family name is Carey.
Jhon Vélez
Personal information
Full name Jhon Jaider Vélez Carey[1]
Date of birth (2003-07-25) 25 July 2003
Place of birth Rebolo, Barranquilla, Colombia[1]
Height 1.76 m (5 ft 9 in)
Position(s) Midfielder
Team information
Current team
 Atlético Junior
Number 5
Youth career
Atalanta Luz
Todo bien por Killa
Quilla
2018–2021 Barranquilla
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2021–2022 Barranquilla 44 (0)
2023– Atlético Junior 6 (0)
International career‡
2021– Colombia U20 21 (1)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 31 March 2023
‡ National team caps and goals, correct as of 2 April 2023

Early life

Born in the Rebolo neighbourhood of Barranquilla, Vélez is the youngest of three siblings.[2] He took an interest in football as a child, going as far as to sneak out through a hole in his patio to go play, after his mother had scolded him for playing outside of curfew.[2] He met local amateur football coach Carlos de la Rosa, who would help him financially with boots, kit and travel expenses when his family were unable to do so.[2]

Club career

Early career

Vélez played his first organised football with Atalanta Luz de Sión, before being invited to join a district team named Todo bien por Killa in 2015, with whom he participated in the La Liga Promises 2015, where he faced a number of Spanish sides.[2] He played for Quilla FC before trialling successfully with professional side Barranquilla in 2018.[2]

Baranquilla

Vélez progressed to under-17 level with Baranquilla, before the COVID-19 pandemic in Colombia meant that he was unable to train with the team. He was forced to return to playing on the streets, avoiding police and the mandatory isolation put in place by the Colombian government, as well as training with coach de la Rosa.[2] He started picking and selling fruit and vegetables with his uncle, waking up at 4am and working twelve-hour shifts until 4pm to be able to provide for his family.[2]

As organised football gradually returned, Vélez made his debut with Baranquilla in the Categoría Primera B on 1 February 2021, coming on as a second-half substitute for Juan David Martínez in a 1–0 loss to Real Cartagena.[2] After the next game, where he started in a 1–0 win against Real Santander, he was offered his first professional contract.[2]

Atlético Junior

Following impressive performances with Baranquilla, the team's parent club, Atlético Junior, and their manager at the time, Juan Cruz Real, wanted to promote Vélez to the team, but Baranquilla coach Arturo Reyes decided against the move, as he considered the experience in the Colombian second division to be better for Vélez.[2] However, the following year, Vélez followed Reyes in joining Atlético Junior, and made his debut in a 1–0 loss to Deportivo Pasto on 19 February 2023. Despite not featuring in every game for Atlético Junior, his performances for the team, as well as at youth international level, caught the eye of English side Brighton & Hove Albion and Portuguese side Porto.[3][4]

International career

Vélez has represented Colombia at under-20 level.[1]

Style of play

Initially a centre-back at youth level, due to his height advantage over his teammates at the time, he was converted to play as a defensive midfielder by Baranquilla coach Roberto Peñaloza, after Peñaloza watched him on his debut and decided he was too small to play in defence.[2]

Career statistics

Club
As of 29 June 2023.[5]
Appearances and goals by club, season and competition
Club Season League Cup Continental Other Total
DivisionAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoals
Barranquilla 2021 Categoría Primera B 2304[lower-alpha 1]0–00270
2022 2101[lower-alpha 1]0–00220
Total 440500000490
Atlético Junior 2023 Categoría Primera A 60001[lower-alpha 2]00070
Career total 500501000560
  1. Appearances in the Copa Colombia
  2. Appearances in the Copa Sudamericana

References
  1. Jhon Vélez at WorldFootball.net
  2. Castillo Vizcaíno, Rafael (21 April 2023). "Jhon Vélez, el volante de Junior que vendió frutas y verduras en la pandemia" [Jhon Vélez, the Junior flyer who sold fruits and vegetables in the pandemic]. elheraldo.co (in Spanish). Retrieved 25 May 2023.
  3. García, Javier (24 May 2023). "Jhon Vélez no es titular con la sub-20, pero en Inglaterra y Portugal no lo pierden de vista" [Jhon Vélez is not a starter with the sub-20, but in England and Portugal they do not lose sight of him]. infobae.com (in Spanish). Retrieved 25 May 2023.
  4. "¿Le entran millones a Junior? La verdad tras el interés de la Premier League en Jhon Vélez" [Will Junior receive millions? The truth behind the interest of the Premier League in Jhon Vélez]. noticiasrcn.com (in Spanish). 10 May 2023. Retrieved 25 May 2023.
  5. Jhon Vélez at Soccerway
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