Quick Facts
Biography
Aarón Ñíguez Esclápez (born 26 April 1989), sometimes known simply as Aarón, is a Spanish professional footballer who plays for CD Tenerife as a winger.
A Valencia youth graduate, he was capped by Spain at various youth levels, and competed mainly in Segunda División during his career, also having brief loan spells in Greece and Scotland.
Club career
Early career
Born in Elche, Alicante, Valencian Community, Ñíguez was a product of Valencia CF's youth system. He made his first-team debut on 5 December 2006 against A.S. Roma in the season's UEFA Champions League, starting and playing 27 minutes in the 0–1 away defeat, and spent his first professional year with the reserves in the third division, appearing regularly but suffering relegation.
After starting the 2007–08 campaign on loan with second level side Xerez CD, Aarón switched in the January transfer window to Iraklis Thessaloniki F.C. in Greece. He scored his first goal for the team on 16 March 2008, netting through a penalty kick in a 1–0 win against Panionios F.C. after his acrobatic bicycle kick was blocked by an opponent's hand.
Rangers
On 13 August 2008, Aarón joined Scottish Premier League club Rangers on a two-year loan deal, with an option to buy. He made his official debut in the 7–1 defeat of Hamilton Academical on 6 December, coming on as a second-half substitute and immediately creating a goal for compatriot Nacho Novo. He scored his first competitive goal for his new team in a Scottish Cup tie against Third Division side Forfar Athletic, and was booked for removing his shirt in celebration; his second also came in the Cup, against Hamilton from the penalty spot, in what was his first start.
On 7 June 2009, it was announced that the two-year loan would be terminated, and Ñíguez returned to Valencia late in the month.
Return to Spain
On 30 August 2009, still on loan from Valencia, Aarón joined Celta de Vigo in division two, appearing in less than one-third of the matches during the season due to a serious anterior cruciate ligament injury. For 2010–11, in the same predicament, he moved to another club in that tier, Recreativo de Huelva.
In July 2011, Aarón terminated his contract with Valencia and signed a five-year contract with another side in the second division, UD Almería. On 7 January 2013, just hours after being released by the Andalusians, he joined another club in that level, Elche CF, penning a deal until June 2017. He appeared in 16 matches for the latter, which were promoted to La Liga after a 25-year absence.
Aarón made his debut in the Spanish top flight on 19 August 2013, starting and being booked in a 0–3 away loss against Rayo Vallecano. On 31 October he scored his first goal in the competition, netting his side's last in a 2–2 away draw against Athletic Bilbao.
On 12 August 2015, Aarón severed ties with Elche.
Braga
Aarón moved to a third foreign league in late August 2015, signing for S.C. Braga of the Portuguese Primeira Liga. After appearing in only 14 games across all competitions, he left the club.
Tenerife
On 30 August 2016, Aarón signed a one-year contract with CD Tenerife, returning to Spain and its second division.
International career
Aarón played in the 2006 UEFA European Championship for the Spanish under-17 team, finishing as the fourth top scorer in the tournament with three goals. He was also a key member of the under-19 side that won the following year's European Championship, beating Greece in the final.
Ñíguez made his debut for the under-21s on 18 November 2008, in a 1–4 friendly loss to Portugal.
Personal life
Ñíguez comes from a football family: his father, José Antonio, played several years with Elche – including the 1984–85 season in La Liga – as a striker.
His older brother, Jonathan (another midfielder), was also brought up at Valencia, spending almost his entire senior career in the lower leagues. The youngest, Saúl, was brought up at Atlético Madrid.
Honours
Club
- Taça de Portugal: 2015–16
Country
- UEFA European Under-19 Championship: 2007
- Mediterranean Games: 2009