*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 8 June 2024
Enric Gallego Puigsech (born 12 September 1986) is a Spanish professional footballer who plays as a striker for CD Tenerife.
Club career
Early career
Born in Barcelona, Catalonia, Gallego had several working-class jobs alongside his amateur footballing career, such as lorry driver, builder and air conditioning installer.[1] He made his senior debut with UD Buen Pastor in the 2006–07 season, in the regional leagues. In January 2009, he joined Tercera División club CE Premià after a prolific spell at Alzamora CF.[2][3]
In June 2009, Gallego signed for RCD Espanyol and was immediately assigned to their reserves in the Segunda División B. After featuring sparingly, he moved to UE Cornellà of the fourth division, scoring five goals in a 6–0 away win against FC Ascó on 31 October 2010.[4] He remained a regular in the following years as well as acting as captain a being a locker room reference,[5] as his team missed out promotion in 2013.[6]
On 8 July 2013, Gallego agreed a contract with division three side CF Badalona, where he had already played as a youth.[7] On 25 June 2014, he moved to UE Olot in the same tier,[8] before moving back to Cornellà the following January.[9]
Extremadura
On 2 January 2018, Gallego joined Extremadura UD also in the third division,[10] after the club triggered his €200,000 release clause.[11] He scored 28 goals in total during the campaign, and achieved promotion to Segunda División with Extremadura.[12]
Gallego made his debut as a full-time professional at the age of 31 years and 11 months on 24 August 2018, starting the 0–1 home loss against Deportivo de La Coruña.[13][14] He scored his first goal in the second tier on 9 September, in a 1–3 defeat to Granada CF at the Estadio Francisco de la Hera.[15]
On 16 January 2019, Gallego signed a two-and-a-half-year deal with La Liga strugglers SD Huesca, for a rumoured fee of €2 million.[18] Three days later, he made his debut in the league, starting in a 0–3 home loss against Atlético Madrid.[19] He scored his first goal in the competition on 1 February, opening an eventual 4–0 home win over Real Valladolid.[20]
Getafe
On 8 July 2019, Gallego agreed to a three-year contract with Getafe CF after his €6 million release clause was met.[21] His competitive bow took place on 18 August, playing 11 minutes of the 1–0 defeat at Atlético Madrid.[22]
On 28 January 2020, after being rarely used,[24] Gallego was loaned to fellow top-flight CA Osasuna with an obligatory buyout clause if the team avoid relegation.[25] In July, after this was achieved, he signed a permanent contract until 2022 for a €2 million fee.[26][27]
Gallego left the El Sadar Stadium on 12 August 2021, having scored four times from 40 matches.[28]
Tenerife
On 24 August 2021, Gallego agreed to a two-year deal at second-tier CD Tenerife.[29]
^"Revista Nº02" [Nº02 magazine] (in Spanish). Hablemos de Bronce. 27 February 2016. Archived from the original on 25 August 2018. Retrieved 12 June 2018.
^Tortajada, Oriol (3 November 2010). "El gran dia d'Enric" [Enric's great day]. L'Esportiu (in Catalan). Retrieved 12 June 2018.
^"Enric Gallego se va de Olot" [Enric Gallego leaves Olot] (in Spanish). La Segunda B. 21 January 2015. Archived from the original on 1 July 2017. Retrieved 12 June 2018.
^Aido Aragón, Pedro (11 October 2018). "Enric Gallego, con hambre de gol" [Enric Gallego, hungry for goal] (in Spanish). Vavel. Retrieved 10 February 2019.
^Miralles, Víctor (24 November 2018). "Enric Gallego, mejor tarde que nunca" [Enric Gallego, better late than never]. Málaga Hoy (in Spanish). Retrieved 14 February 2019.
^Artús, José Luis (16 January 2019). "Enric Gallego, nuevo jugador del Huesca" [Enric Gallego, new player of Huesca]. Mundo Deportivo (in Spanish). Retrieved 27 January 2019.