Alexis Saelemaekers

Alexis Saelemaekers

Saelemaekers with AC Milan in 2022
Personal information
Full name	Alexis Jesse M. Saelemaekers [1]
Date of birth	(1999-06-27) 27 June 1999 (age 25)
Place of birth	Berchem-Sainte-Agathe, Belgium
Height	1.80 m (5 ft 11 in) [2]
Position(s)	Winger full-back
Team information
Current team	Roma (on loan from AC Milan)
Number	56
Youth career
2010–2012	V. Beersel-Drogenbos
2012–2018	Anderlecht
Senior career*
Years	Team	Apps	(Gls)
2018–2020	Anderlecht	57	(2)
2020	→ AC Milan (loan)	13	(1)
2020–	AC Milan	99	(5)
2023–2024	→ Bologna (loan)	30	(4)
2024–	→ Roma (loan)	2	(0)
International career‡
2015	Belgium U16	1	(0)
2017–2018	Belgium U19	4	(0)
2018–2020	Belgium U21	12	(0)
2020–	Belgium	12	(1)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 23:37, 15 September 2024 (UTC) ‡ National team caps and goals, correct as of 07:02, 4 December 2023 (UTC)

Alexis Saelemaekers (born 27 June 1999) is a Belgian professional footballer who plays as a winger for Serie A club Roma, on loan from AC Milan, and the Belgium national team. Although Saelemaekers primarily plays in attack, he can also play as a full-back and wing-back.

Club career

Anderlecht

In October 2017, Saelemaekers signed a contract at Anderlecht until 2019. On 16 February 2018, he made his official debut against Sint-Truiden. He came on as a substitute in the 77th minute. On 8 June 2018, Saelemaekers renewed his contract until 2022.

AC Milan

On 31 January 2020, AC Milan signed Saelemaekers on loan, with an option to buy. ^[3] Milan reportedly agreed a €3.5 million fee plus €1 million in bonuses in case of a permanent signing. ^[4] The same year on 2 February, he made his league debut as a substitute to Davide Calabria in a 1–1 draw against Verona on 2 February 2020. ^[5]

On 1 July 2020, Saelemaekers signed a contract with Milan which would keep him at the club until 30 June 2024. ^[6] On 18 July, he scored his first goal for the club in a 5–1 home win over Bologna in Serie A. ^[7]

In October 2020, Saelemaekers scored his first goal of the season against Rio Ave in qualification match for Europa league. ^[8] His next goal came on 26 October against Roma in 3-3 draw, ^[9] his third and last goal of the season was on 20 December against Sassuolo as Milan pulled an away 2-1 victory. ^[10] In total, he scored three goals and five assists assists of the season. ^[11]

On 15 October 2021, Saelemaekers extended his contract until 30 June 2026 with a raise in salary. ^[12] On 4 December, he scored his first goal of this season against Salernitana, a powerful left footed shot in eventual 2-0 win. ^[13] His next goal came in a Coppa Italia match against Genoa on 13 January 2022, a goal in extra time as Milan won 3–1. ^[14]

Loan to Bologna

On 30 August 2023, Saelemaekers joined Bologna on loan with an option to buy. ^[15] At Bologna, Saelemaekers quickly established himself as an important player, fitting perfectly into the manager Thiago Motta's so-called 2–7–2 system. ^[16] Due to the presence of Riccardo Orsolini on the right side as an "inverted" left-footed right winger, right-footed Saelemaekers began to play on the left in the similar role, a position he sometimes played in at Milan in absence of regular starter Rafael Leão. ^[17] Saelemaekers was about to join Bologna on a full transfer from Milan before Vincenzo Italiano took over the departing Thiago Motta as a manager at the end of the season and declined to spend €10 million on the player, focusing on other transfer targets. ^[18]

While initially on the summer transfer market due to oversaturation of attacking players on both wings, Saelemaekers returned to AC Milan's training camp in July, played in all the pre-season friendlies, and was even a surprise starter for the opening 2024–25 Serie A game versus Torino, playing as a left back in place of Theo Hernandez, who later came on in the second half for Davide Calabria, with Saelemaekers moving onto the right side of a back-four. ^[19]

Loan to Roma

On 30 August 2024, he joined fellow Serie A club Roma, on loan for the 2024–25 season. ^[20]

International career

Saelemaekers debuted with the Belgium national team in a 1–1 friendly draw with Ivory Coast on 8 October 2020. ^[21] In September 2021, he scored his first goal in a 2022 FIFA World Cup qualification against the Czech Republic. ^[22]

Career statistics

Club

As of match played 15 September 2024 ^[23]

Appearances and goals by club, season and competition

Club	Season	League			National cup [lower-alpha 1]		Europe		Other		Total
		Division	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals
Anderlecht	2017–18	Belgian Pro League	11	0	0	0	0	0	—		11	0
	2018–19		30	0	1	0	3 [lower-alpha 2]	0	—		34	0
	2019–20		16	2	3	0	—		—		19	2
	Total		57	2	4	0	3	0	—		64	2
AC Milan (loan)	2019–20	Serie A	13	1	2	0	—		—		15	1
AC Milan	2020–21		32	2	1	0	7 [lower-alpha 2]	1	—		40	3
	2021–22		36	1	4	1	6 [lower-alpha 3]	0	—		46	2
	2022–23		30	2	1	0	8 [lower-alpha 3]	2	0	0	39	4
	2024–25		1	0	—		—		—		1	0
	Total		112	6	8	1	21	3	0	0	141	10
Bologna (loan)	2023–24	Serie A	30	4	2	0	—		—		32	4
Roma (loan)	2024–25	Serie A	2	0	0	0	0	0	—		2	0
Career total			201	12	14	1	24	3	0	0	239	16

1. Includes Belgian Cup, Coppa Italia
2. Appearances in UEFA Europa League
3. Appearances in UEFA Champions League

International

As of match played 19 November 2023 ^[24]

Appearances and goals by national team and year

National team	Year	Apps	Goals
Belgium	2020	1	0
	2021	6	1
	2022	2	0
	2023	3	0
Total		12	1

Scores and results list Belgium's goal tally first. Score column indicates score after each Saelemaekers goal. ^[24]

List of international goals scored by Alexis Saelemaekers

No.	Date	Venue	Opponent	Score	Result	Competition
1.	5 September 2021	King Baudouin Stadium, Brussels, Belgium	Czech Republic	3–0	3–0	2022 FIFA World Cup qualification

Honours

AC Milan

• Serie A: 2021–22 ^[25]

Individual

• Serie A Goal of the Month: April 2023 ^[26]

References

1. "Comunicato Ufficiale N. 267" [Official Communication No. 267](PDF) (in Italian). Lega Serie A. 19 July 2020. p. 3. Archived from the original (PDF) on 20 July 2020. Retrieved 15 November 2022.
2. "Alexis Saelemaekers: Biography". AC Milan. Retrieved 30 August 2022.
3. "Saelemaekers is a new AC Milan player". AC Milan. 31 January 2020. Retrieved 4 July 2020.
4. "Milan make Saelemaekers signing". Football Italia. 1 February 2020. Retrieved 4 July 2020.
5. Colombo, Monica (3 February 2020). "Milan-Verona 1-1: senza Ibrahimovic i rossoneri frenano. L'esordio di Daniel Maldini". Corriere Della Sera (in Italian).
6. "Comunicato Ufficiale: Alexia Saelemaekers". AC Milan. Retrieved 1 July 2020.
7. "Match report AC Milan 5-1 Bologna, Serie A 2019/2020". AC Milan. 18 July 2020. Archived from the original on 22 December 2020. Retrieved 19 July 2020.
8. "Rio Ave 2-2 AC Milan". BBC Sport . BBC . Retrieved 11 March 2022.
9. "AC Milan 3-3 Roma". BBC Sport. 26 October 2020. Retrieved 11 March 2022.
10. "Rafael Leão scores quickest ever Serie A goal to spark AC Milan victory". Marca . 20 December 2020. Retrieved 11 March 2022.
11. "Alexis Saelemaekers". Diario AS . Retrieved 11 March 2022.
12. "Alexis Saelemaekers rinnova il contratto con l'AC Milan: Il comunicato ufficiale". AC Milan (in Italian).
13. Fisher, Oliver (4 December 2021). "AC Milan 2-0 Salernitana". Smpre Milan. Retrieved 11 March 2022.
14. "AC Milan 3-1 Genoa". BBC Sport. 13 January 2022. Retrieved 11 March 2022.
15. "Alexis Saelemaekers joins Bologna". Bologna FC 1900. 30 August 2023. Retrieved 30 August 2023.
16. Ritchie, Calum (13 June 2024). "Thiago Motta's "Super Offensive" 2-7-2 Formation Explained". Give Me Sport.
17. Fisher, Oliver (9 May 2023). "GdS: Probable XI for AC Milan vs. Inter | Saelemaekers on the left wing". Sempre Milan. Retrieved 11 July 2024.
18. Fisher, Oliver (6 June 2024). "GdS: Bologna will not use €9.5m Saelemaekers option | He will return to Milan". Sempre Milan.
19. "AC Milan - Torino | Official lineups - Saelemaekers starts as a left-back".
20. "Alexis Saelemaekers signs for Roma". Roma. 30 August 2024. Retrieved 30 August 2024.
21. Lambert, Pierre (8 October 2020). "Alexis Saelemaekers "ne pouvait pas rêver mieux" pour ses débuts" [Alexis Saelemaekers couldn't ask for a better result for his debut]. RTBF (in French). Retrieved 11 July 2024.
22. "Saelemaekers na sterke prestaties: "Ik zal de keuzes van Martinez respecteren"". Voetbal Primeur (in Dutch). 9 September 2021. Retrieved 11 July 2024.
23. "Alexis Saelemaekers". WorldFootball. Retrieved 22 December 2020.
24. "Alexis Saelemaekers". EU-Football.info. Retrieved 26 April 2021.
25. "Milan secure 1st Serie A title in 11 years". News18 India. 22 May 2022. Retrieved 22 May 2022.
26. "Alexis Saelemaekers Wins April's Goal of the Month". Serie A. Retrieved 13 May 2023.

External links

• Profile at the AC Milan website
• Alexis Saelemaekers at the Royal Belgian Football Association
• Alexis Saelemaekers at TBPlayers
• Alexis Saelemaekers – UEFA competition record ( archive )