Luka Krajnc

Luka Krajnc
Personal information
Full name Luka Krajnc
Date of birth (1994-09-19) 19 September 1994
Place of birth Ptuj, Slovenia
Height 1.88 m (6 ft 2 in)
Playing position Defender
Club information
Current team
 Sampdoria (on loan from Cagliari)
Number 15
Youth career
2002–2011 Maribor
2011–2013 Genoa Primavera
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2010–2011 Maribor 1 (0)
2011–2015 Genoa 3 (0)
2013–2015 → Cesena (loan) 48 (1)
2015– Cagliari 21 (0)
2016– → Sampdoria (loan) 0 (0)
National team‡
2010 Slovenia U17 5 (0)
2011 Slovenia U18 2 (0)
2011–2012 Slovenia U19 16 (1)
2011–2012 Slovenia U20 2 (0)
2012–2016 Slovenia U21 19 (2)
2015– Slovenia 2 (0)

* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only and correct as of 18:22, 31 August 2016 (UTC).

‡ National team caps and goals correct as of 12 October 2016

Luka Krajnc (born 19 September 1994 is a Slovenian football defender who plays for Sampdoria on loan from Cagliari.

Club career

Krajnc began his football career at the age of eight when his father took him on a trial with the Slovenian football club Maribor.[1] He signed his first professional contract with Maribor at the age of 16 and played for the main squad in a couple of friendly matches. On 29 May 2011, he played his first and only 1. SNL match for Maribor in the last round of the 2010–11 season,[2] with Maribor already crowned champions. At the time of his debut he was the youngest player ever with an appearance for Maribor in a 1. SNL match, a record which lasted until 25 March 2012.[3]

On 3 April 2011, Krajnc signed a pre-contract with Italian Serie A club Genoa.[4] The transfer fee paid by Genoa was undisclosed, but was reported to be close to €1 million. He joined his new club on 1 July 2011.[5][6] He began his career at Genoa with their Primavera side which he also captained, before making a debut for the main squad on 27 October 2012 at San Siro in a league match against Milan.[7] With 18 years, one month and 14 days he became the youngest Slovenian player ever with an appearances in the Italian top division, Serie A.[6]

On 3 July 2013 he moved to A.C. Cesena in temporary co-ownership deal.[8] In June 2015 Genoa acquired Cesena's share and became the sole owner of the players rights.[9]

On 31 August 2016, Krajnc joined Sampdoria on a season-long loan.[10]

International career

Krajnc has represented Slovenia at youth levels from under-16 to under-21.[11] On 30 March 2015 he made his senior international debut, replacing Dominic Maroh after 65 minutes of an eventual 0–1 friendly defeat to Qatar at the Jassim Bin Hamad Stadium in Doha.[12]

Style of play

Krajnc, who is left footed, primarily plays in central defence and is praised for his pace, strength, passing and ability on the ball.[13]

Personal life

Krajnc is from Kapla na Kozjaku in the hilly region of northeastern Slovenia (Styria) near the Austrian border, roughly 37 km from the city of Maribor.[1][14] Before moving to Maribor he usually had to study and do his homework on the back seat of his father's car, traveling to and from training.[1][7]

References

  1. 1 2 3 "Nočno življenje me ne bo zavedlo" [Nightlife will not mislead me] (in Slovenian). NK Maribor official website. 8 April 2011. Retrieved 31 August 2016.
  2. ↑ "Luka Krajnc" (in Slovenian). Slovenian PrvaLiga official website. Retrieved 31 August 2016.
  3. ↑ "Soigralci in navijači odnesli tremo" [Teammates and fans helped me with fright] (in Slovenian). NK Maribor official website. 26 March 2012. Retrieved 26 March 2012.
  4. ↑ To. G. (3 April 2011). "Luka Krajnc pri 16 letih iz Maribora v Genoo" [Luka Krajnc from Maribor to Genoa at the age of 16] (in Slovenian). RTV Slovenija. Retrieved 4 April 2011.
  5. ↑ D.D. (7 April 2011). "Kako je Genoa Chelseaju speljala Krajnca?" [How did Genoa steal Krajnc from Chelsea?] (in Slovenian). Siol. Retrieved 7 April 2011.
  6. 1 2 Rok Plestenjak (29 October 2012). "Tako mlad ni debitiral še nihče" [No one debuted that young] (in Slovenian). Siol. Retrieved 30 October 2012.
  7. 1 2 T.O. (30 October 2012). "Na San Siru kot v kinu, slike ni pokvaril niti sporen gol" [At San Siro just like in the cinema] (in Slovenian). RTV Slovenija. Retrieved 30 October 2012.
  8. ↑ "Luka Kranjc è un giocatore del Cesena" (in Italian). AC Cesena. 3 July 2013. Retrieved 5 July 2013.
  9. ↑ Peter Dominko (25 June 2015). "Genoa odkupila Krajnca" [Genoa bought Krajnc] (in Slovenian). SNPortal.si. Retrieved 25 June 2015.
  10. ↑ "Official: Krajnc to Sampdoria". Football italia. 31 August 2016. Retrieved 31 August 2016.
  11. ↑ "Luka Krajnc" (in Slovenian). Football Association of Slovenia official website. Retrieved 31 August 2016.
  12. ↑ "Qatar 1-0 Slovenia". European Football. Retrieved 1 April 2015.
  13. ↑ "Blues to have first refusal on Slovenian starlet". theshedender.com. Retrieved 4 April 2011.
  14. ↑ jb & rb (25 February 2015). "Luka Krajnc: Prav nič ne bi razmišljal" [Luka Krajnc: I would not think about it] (in Slovenian). Ekipa. Retrieved 30 March 2016.
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