Alexander Callens: The “Who is Who” of the Peruvian who will strengthen AEK’s defense

With one move-mat and under extreme secrecy, the AEK acquired a central defender and closed the much-lauded case of this year’s transfer summer.

The doubles of Greece announced the Alexander Cullens in the form of a loan for this season from Girona, while there is also a purchase option in the agreement. The Peruvian defender is 31 years old, an international, but has a Spanish passport, which loosens his hands Matias Almeida with the many foreign positions that the roster has. However, remember that he will not have the right to participate in Europa Leagueas he did not have time to declare him on the UEFA list.

The 1.86m tall left-footed player can play in both stopper positions and was born in 1992 in the city Kayao of Peru. He took his first football steps in the local club, Sports Boys and with the same team he made his professional debut in the 2010-11 season counting 31 appearances, with one goal.



In the summer of 2011, he made the decision to cross the other side of the Atlantic, signing a two-year contract in Real Sociedad and played primarily in the second team in 86 games with five goals and one assist, and in a Copa Del Rey match in December 2014 against Real Oviedo he made his only first team appearance, playing in the second half , in a game that ended goalless (0-0).

In August 2015 he left, transferred to Numanthia for one year, where he totaled 40 appearances and three goals in La Liga 2 and the Copa Del Rey, while in 2017 he was acquired by New York City instead of 400 thousand euros, making the best games of his career in America.

He played for six years, was a key member of his team until 2022, participated in a total of 193 games, with 15 goals and one assist in 17,037 minutes of participation. In fact, in the 2020/21 season he was a decisive factor in winning the championship MLSwhile a year later he also raised the Champions Cup, the two titles he has won in his career. It is worth noting that the Matias Almeida he knows him first-hand, since he was the coach of San Jose during the same period, while Callens has also faced Rodolfo Pizarro, who played at Inter Miami.



Last January he returned to Europe and Spain on her behalf Girona instead €2m with a contract until 2025, which competes in La Liga and last year was among the positive surprises after finishing 10th, fighting all the way for the European ticket, as 7th Osasuna finished with just four more. The Peruvian played in six matches and in three of which his team won, while in the remaining three he had two draws and one loss.

THE Callens he carried out his team’s summer training and participated in four friendlies, before leaving to become an AEK player. At the same time, he has an active role in the Peru national team, having played in 37 games, with one goal, making his debut in April 2013. In major competitions, he has been in four Copa Americabut only in the 2021 tournament did he compete, making five appearances, while his team finished 4th.

His details Callens they show that he is a player with significant experience, high technical training, he has dynamism and intensity in his game, while he does not get injuries, a very important fact in a team like AEK that will compete in three competitions and will have consecutive high-intensity games in Greece and Europe. At the same time, he has correct positions and reads the movements of the opposing attackers, having very good communication with his teammates.

In total in his career he has 394 appearances, with 25 goals and one assist and comes to his team Matias Almeida to add quality and depth to the stopper position, along with Vida, Mukudi, Mitoglou, Rokson and Chrysopoulos.