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Joan Verdú
Joan Verdu 2013 Catalonia.jpg
Verdú playing for Catalonia in 2013
Personal information
Full name Joan Verdú Fernández
Date of birth (1983-05-05) 5 May 1983 (age 41)
Place of birth Barcelona, Spain
Height 1.76 m
Playing position Midfielder
Youth career
1988–1993 Poble Sec
1993–2002 Barcelona
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2002 Barcelona C 19 (2)
2002–2006 Barcelona B 134 (31)
2004 Barcelona 0 (0)
2006–2009 Deportivo La Coruña 85 (9)
2009–2013 Espanyol 144 (23)
2013–2014 Betis 20 (2)
2014–2015 Baniyas 24 (10)
2015–2016 Fiorentina 5 (1)
2016 Levante 13 (1)
2017–2019 Qingdao Huanghai 66 (26)
2020–2021 Montañesa 24 (1)
2021–2022 Hospitalet 32 (1)
Total 566 (107)
National team
2002 Spain U20 2 (1)
2006–2016 Catalonia 11 (3)
Teams managed
2022–2023 Damm (youth)
  • Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only.
† Appearances (Goals).

Joan Verdú Fernández (Spanish: [ɟʝoˈam beɾˈðu]; born 5 May 1983) is a Spanish former professional footballer.

A versatile midfielder, adept at both central or attacking midfielder, he started professionally at Barcelona, but played mainly for local rivals Espanyol during his career, amassing La Liga totals of 262 games and 35 goals over nine seasons and also representing in the competition Deportivo, Betis and Levante.

Club career

Born in Barcelona, Catalonia, Verdú was a product of FC Barcelona's youth system. He played mainly for its B side as a senior, making his debut with the main squad on 27 October 2004 in a 1–0 away loss against UDA Gramenet in the round of 64 of the Copa del Rey; his second and last appearance took place on 7 December, in a 2–0 defeat at FC Shakhtar Donetsk for the group stage of the UEFA Champions League.

Verdú moved to Deportivo de La Coruña for 2006–07, being relatively used by the Galicians throughout the season and scoring in a 2–0 away win over Villarreal CF on 11 February 2007. He produced similar numbers in his second year in La Liga.

Profiting from Juan Carlos Valerón's age and recurrent physical problems, Verdú had a breakthrough year in the 2008–09 campaign, often assuming the playmaking duties of the former while also adding seven league goals. However, after a new deal could not be agreed, the free agent moved back to his native region after three years, signing a four-year contract with RCD Espanyol.

Verdú netted against his previous team on 19 September 2009 in a 3–2 away victory, and started most of his first year, also benefitting from age and injury-related problems of another teammate, Iván de la Peña. Without any real competitor the following season – de la Peña only saw 30 minutes of action– he improved his numbers to 37 games and five goals, as the Pericos finished comfortably in midtable.

In summer 2013, free agent Verdú signed a four-year deal with another club in that tier, Real Betis. After suffering relegation, he went on to represent in quick succession Baniyas Club (United Arab Emirates), ACF Fiorentina (Italy) and Levante UD.

On 12 January 2017, the 33-year-old Verdú moved to the China League One with Qingdao Huanghai FC, where he shared teams with compatriot Martí Crespí.

In November 2020, Verdú returned to football at Nou Barris-based CF Montañesa of the Tercera División, signing alongside his former Barcelona and Espanyol teammate Sergio García.

Career statistics

Club Season League Cup Other Total
Division Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals
Barcelona 2004–05 La Liga 0 0 1 0 1 0 2 0
Deportivo 2006–07 La Liga 27 1 6 1 33 2
2007–08 La Liga 24 1 1 0 25 1
2008–09 La Liga 34 7 2 0 4 1 40 8
Total 85 9 9 1 4 1 98 11
Espanyol 2009–10 La Liga 34 4 2 0 36 4
2010–11 La Liga 37 5 3 0 40 5
2011–12 La Liga 36 5 6 1 42 6
2012–13 La Liga 37 9 1 0 38 9
Total 144 23 12 1 156 24
Betis 2013–14 La Liga 20 2 3 1 7 0 30 3
Baniyas 2014–15 Arabian Gulf League 24 10 7 1 31 11
Fiorentina 2015–16 Serie A 5 1 0 0 3 0 8 1
Levante 2015–16 La Liga 13 1 0 0 13 1
Qingdao Huanghai 2017 China League One 29 8 1 1 30 9
2018 China League One 30 16 0 0 30 16
2019 China League One 7 2 0 0 7 2
Total 66 26 1 1 67 27
Career total 357 72 33 5 15 1 405 78

Honours

Deportivo

  • UEFA Intertoto Cup: 2008

Qingdao F.C.

  • China League One: 2019

See also

Kids robot.svg In Spanish: Joan Verdú para niños

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