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Zelu
Personal information
Full name	José Luis García Pérez
Date of birth	21 January 1996 (age 28)
Place of birth	Jerez de la Frontera, Spain
Height	1.70 m (5 ft 7 in)
Position(s)	Winger
Team information
Current team	Recreativo Huelva
Number	19
Youth career
	Sevilla
Senior career*
Years	Team
2015–2016	Marbella
2016–2017	Málaga B
2017	→ San Fernando (loan)
2017–2018	Melilla
2018–2020	Córdoba
2018–2019	→ Cultural Leonesa (loan)
2020	→ Logroñés (loan)
2020–2021	Logroñés
2021–2023	Badajoz
2023–2024	Othellos Athienou
2024	Atlético Sanluqueño
2024–	Recreativo Huelva
	*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 5 October 2024

José Luis García Pérez (born 21 January 1996), commonly known as Zelu, is a Spanish professional footballer who plays as a winger for Recreativo Huelva.^[1]

Club career

Born in Jerez de la Frontera, Cádiz, Andalusia, Zelu finished his formation with Sevilla FC. On 21 July 2015, he moved to Segunda División B side Marbella FC,^[2] and made his senior debut on 29 August of that year by playing the last 15 minutes of a 2–2 away draw against UD Melilla.

Zelu scored his first senior goal on 11 October 2015, netting the opener of a 2–3 loss at UD Almería B. The following 28 January, he moved to Málaga CF and was assigned to the reserves in Tercera División.^[3]

Zelu returned to the third tier on 30 December 2016, after agreeing to a deal with San Fernando CD.^[4] He moved to fellow league team Melilla on 1 August of the following year,^[5] and was a regular starter for the club during the campaign, as his side narrowly missed out the play-offs due to goal average.

In July 2018, Zelu signed for Segunda División side Córdoba CF, but was loaned to Cultural y Deportiva Leonesa on 21 August.^[6] Back to the Blanquiverdes for 2019–20, he was assigned to the main squad in the third division before moving out on loan to fellow league team UD Logroñés on 30 January 2020.^[7]

Zelu contributed with seven appearances (play-offs included) as Logroñés achieved a first-ever promotion to Segunda División. In July 2020, he signed permanently for UDL, after terminating his contract with Córdoba.^[8]

Zelu made his professional debut on 12 September 2020, starting in a 0–1 away loss against Sporting de Gijón.^[9]

On 17 August 2021, he joined to Primera División RFEF club Badajoz.^[10]

References

^ Zelu at Soccerway
^ "El Marbella apuntala la plantilla birlándole al Sevilla a 'Zelu'" [Marbella bolster the squad swiping up 'Zelu' from Sevilla] (in Spanish). Málaga Hoy. 21 July 2015. Retrieved 12 September 2020.
^ "Zelu, de la cantera del Sevilla al Málaga pasando por el Marbella" [Zelu, from Sevilla's cantera to Málaga going through Marbella] (in Spanish). El Desmarque. 28 January 2016. Retrieved 12 September 2020.
^ "El San Fernando CD cierra la cesión de Zelu, punta jerezano del Malagueño, y que la pasada Liga jugó la primera vuelta con el Marbella en Segunda B" [San Fernando CD complete the loan of Zelu, jerezano attacking midfielder of Malagueño, who in the past League played the first round with Marbella in Segunda B] (in Spanish). Deporte de la Isla. 30 December 2016. Retrieved 12 September 2020.
^ "La electricidad y el desborde se escriben con zeta de 'Zelu'" [The electricity and the skill are written with Z of 'Zelu'] (in Spanish). UD Melilla. 1 August 2017. Retrieved 12 September 2020.
^ "Comunicado oficial" [Official announcement] (in Spanish). Córdoba CF. 21 August 2018. Retrieved 12 September 2020.
^ "Zelu se marcha cedido a la UD Logroñés" [Zelu moves out on loan to UD Logroñés] (in Spanish). Córdoba CF. 30 January 2020. Retrieved 12 September 2020.
^ "El Córdoba libera oficialmente la ficha de Zelu" [Córdoba officially release Zelu] (in Spanish). Córdoba Deporte. 25 July 2020. Retrieved 12 September 2020.
^ "Djurdjevic rompe el orden" [Djurdjevic breaks it down] (in Spanish). Marca. 12 September 2020. Retrieved 12 September 2020.
^ Redacción (17 August 2021). "El CD Badajoz refuerza su extremo derecho con Zelu". Badajoz Deportes (in Spanish). Retrieved 8 October 2021.