Nacho Pérez: The homegrown solution to Levante's right-back headache
17-year-old academy product Nacho Pérez makes history as Levante's youngest ever La Liga debutant, stepping up when Luis Castro needed a replacement for suspended Toljan.
With Toljan suspended after picking up his fifth yellow card against Athletic Bilbao, Levante boss Luis Castro turned to academy talent Nacho Pérez to solve his right-back dilemma - and the teenager didn’t disappoint.
From Buñol to the big time
When Castro found himself short of options at right-back for the Valencia derby, he didn’t panic or overthink it. The solution was right there in the academy - a 17-year-old lad from Turís who’s been at the club since his Benjamin days (that’s proper little’uns for those not familiar with Spanish youth categories).
Pérez put in a solid 78-minute shift against Valencia at the Ciutat de València, showing maturity beyond his years in what was his first La Liga appearance. The youngster balanced his defensive responsibilities alongside Dela while also getting forward to support Kareem Tunde in attack.
Record breaker
At just 17 years, 5 months and 15 days old, Pérez has now become Levante’s youngest ever player to debut in Spain’s top flight. He’s nicked the record from Álex Primo, who previously held the distinction after making his first appearance against Alavés back in May 2022.
While this was his La Liga debut, Pérez isn’t completely green when it comes to first-team football. He’d already gotten his feet wet in the Copa del Rey this season with:
- 5 minutes against Cieza
- 67 minutes against Cultural Leonesa
Hometown hero
Pérez’s journey to the first team is a proper academy success story. After joining Levante’s youth setup as a Benjamin (under-10), he’s climbed through every age group at the Buñol training complex. There was a brief spell at Patacona along the way, but he’s Levante through and through.
Castro has clearly had his eye on the teenager for some time, gradually integrating him into first-team training before finally giving him this opportunity on the big stage against Valencia.
For a club like Levante, currently battling to establish themselves back in the top flight, having academy products step up when needed isn’t just a nice story - it’s absolutely vital to their business model. If Pérez’s debut is anything to go by, they might have saved themselves a few bob in the transfer market.