Jonathan Ñíguez

Jony

Personal information
Full name	Jonathan Ñíguez Esclápez
Date of birth	(1985-04-02) 2 April 1985
Place of birth	Elche, Spain
Height
Position(s)	Midfielder
Team information
Current team	Koper
Number	88
Youth career
	Valencia
Senior career*
Years	Team	Apps	(Gls)
2003–2004	Valencia C
2004–2005	Valencia B	27	(2)
2005–2007	Real Madrid C
2006	Real Madrid B	1	(0)
2007–2008	Villarreal B	25	(2)
2008–2010	Ontinyent	71	(2)
2010–2011	Las Palmas	0	(0)
2010–2011	→ Mirandés (loan)	37	(2)
2011–2013	Guadalajara	72	(2)
2013–2014	Alcorcón	19	(0)
2014–2015	Rio Ave	1	(0)
2015–2016	Feirense	0	(0)
2016–	Koper	4	(0)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 24 April 2016

This name uses Spanish naming customs: the first or paternal family name is Ñíguez and the second or maternal family name is Esclápez.

Jonathan Ñíguez Esclápez (born 2 April 1985), commonly known as Jony, is a Spanish professional footballer who plays for Slovenian club FC Koper as a midfielder.

Having began his career in the reserve teams of Valencia, Real Madrid and Villarreal, he later became a journeyman.

Football career

Jony was born in Elche, Valencian Community. With the exception of one Segunda División game with Real Madrid Castilla he played until the age of 26 in lower league football, representing mainly Real Madrid C and Ontinyent CF.

In the summer of 2011, Jony returned to the second level with CD Guadalajara, playing 33 games – 26 starts – as his new team went on to retain their newly acquired league status. He scored his first goal during the following season, but in a 1–5 home loss against Girona FC on 25 August 2012.

On 2 August 2013, following Guadalajara's relegation due to financial irregularities, Jony stayed in division two by signing for two years with AD Alcorcón. He made 25 competitive appearances over the campaign, being sent off in the penultimate fixture on 3 May 2014, a 1–0 win over Sporting de Gijón at the Estadio Santo Domingo.

Jony moved abroad for the first time on 4 July 2014, signing a two-year deal at Portuguese club Rio Ave FC. He was not included in their squad for that year's Supertaça Cândido de Oliveira, nor did he feature at all in the UEFA Europa League, his input eventually consisting of three official matches; his sole Primeira Liga appearance came on 17 May 2015 in the penultimate game of the season, coming on as a substitute for Diego Lopes for the final two minutes of a 0–4 loss at C.S. Marítimo.

Jony then joined CD Feirense, making one Taça da Liga appearance and two unused substitute roles in the Segunda Liga before he and Otávio Guariente had the contracts cancelled. He resumed his career on 10 February 2016, in Slovenia at FC Koper.

Personal life

Jony comes from a football family: his father, José Antonio, played several years with Elche CF – including the 1984–85 season in La Liga – as a striker.

His younger brother, Aarón (another midfielder), was also brought up at Valencia, spending his entire senior career in the lower leagues. The youngest, Saúl, was brought up at Atlético Madrid.

External links

• Jony profile at BDFutbol
• Jony profile at ForaDeJogo
• Jony at Soccerway