Who is Valentino Lazaro?

bundesliga.com shines the light on a versatile player who can fill a number of positions for Julian Nagelsmann's side.

Valentino Lazaro

Age: 24
Club: Borussia Mönchengladbach
Position: Attacking midfielder/right-back/wing-back
Country: Austria (28 caps/3 goals)

Key stats

Born to an Angolan father and Greek mother in the Austrian city of Graz, Lazaro's diverse background is reflected in his wide-ranging ability on the pitch. The modern attacking midfielder doesn't just set up on the left, right or through the middle, he can do it all. And so it has proven with Lazaro, whose versatility paves the way for his talents to shine. Operating anywhere behind the striker, the young midfielder's lightning feet both in speed of sprint and dribbling make him a must-watch player.

He's also shown on many occasions that he can help out further back, notably as a right wing-back, while his set-piece delivery is second to none. In his debut Bundesliga season in 2017/18 he registered two goals and five assists 26 league outings, and followed that up with three and seven in 31 appearance the following campaign.

Watch: From the archive: Lazaro up close

Lazaro then joined Inter Milan from Hertha in the summer of 2019, making six appearances before joining English Premier League side Newcastle United on loan for the remainder of the season. Given his attacking instincts and natural flair on the ball, it is unsurprising to learn that Lazaro's idol is Ronaldinho, both on and off the pitch. Ask him anything about the Brazilian legend and he will take no time to tell you what you want to know.

Plays a bit like: Willian

Lazaro's size, speed and position liken him to the Brazilian forward now plying his trade with Arsenal in the English Premier League. The product of the Corinthians youth academy is a consistent goal threat, both when shooting from range and in the box having raced past his marker with pure speed. His quick feet and dribbling talent are like that of Lazaro's, with Brazilian flair a vital part of the new Gladbach man's game.

Did you know?

Lazaro became Red Bull Salzburg's youngest ever player at 16 years, seven months and 10 days old. He made his debut in 2012 against Admira Wacker Mödling and reached 100 professional appearances for the Austrian side at just 19. In any league, playing a century of games as a teenager is an incredible feat.

What they're saying

"Street football is how I started. If I have the ball in a small space, that individual skill is vital. Positionally, nothing is fixed for me, I'm pushed back and forth a lot." - Lazaro on his versatility

"We're very happy that the loan agreement went well and that Tino decided on Borussia. He's a very flexible player who will give our squad even more quality and depth." - Gladbach sporting director Max Eberl