# Martín Payero

Martín Ismael Payero (born 11 September 1998) is an Argentine professional footballer who plays as a midfielder for Serie A club Udinese.

## Club career
### Banfield

Payero's career started with Banfield. He first appeared in their first-team squad during the Primera División season, making his debut against San Martín on 4 December 2017; being substituted on for Eric Remedi with five minutes remaining. He made three further appearances in 2017–18 before fourteen more occurred in 2018–19. He scored his first senior goal in the latter, netting in a Copa Argentina victory over Juventud Unida on 27 February 2019.

#### Loan to Talleres

The succeeding August saw Payero depart on loan to fellow Primera División team Talleres. He scored once, versus Newell's Old Boys, in eighteen matches for them.

### Middlesbrough

On 5 August 2021, Payero joined Championship side Middlesbrough on a three-year deal for around €7 million. On 11 August he made his debut for the club in a cup game against Blackpool which Middlesbrough then lost 3–0. He made his league debut on 14 August against Bristol City Which Middlesbrough went on to win 2–1. He scored his first goal for the club in a 2–0 victory over Cardiff City on 23 October that year. He scored a penalty in the shootout against Manchester United as Middlesbrough knocked them out of the FA Cup on 4 February 2022. Just less than a week later Middlesbrough went to QPR, and Payero came on as a substitute in the 87th minute. Minutes later, he went into a tackle, injured himself, was stretchered off the pitch, and did not make an appearance for the Middlesbrough Senior Team for the rest of the season. Just playing on the U23s.

#### Loan to Boca Juniors

On 14 July 2022, Payero returned to Argentina to join Boca Juniors on a season-long loan deal. On 23 October 2022, the 2022 Argentine Primera División ended with Payero's Boca Juniors winning the league title.

### Udinese

On 1 September 2023, Payero joined Serie A club Udinese for a fee believed to be £3 million on a four-year contract with the option of a further 12 months.

## International career

Payero has previously been called up to train with the Argentina U20 squad. He played in all three of Argentina's matches in the 2020 Summer Olympics.

## Career statistics

    As of match played 20 January 2025
Appearances and goals by club, season and competition :
| Club | Season | League | League | League | National cup | National cup | League cup | League cup | Continental | Continental | Other | Other | Total | Total |
| Club | Season | Division | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals |
| Banfield | 2017–18 | Argentine Primera División | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | — | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 0 |
| Banfield | 2018–19 | Argentine Primera División | 10 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 14 | 1 |
| Banfield | 2019–20 | Argentine Primera División | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | — | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| Banfield | 2020–21 | Argentine Primera División | 12 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | — | 0 | 0 | 14 | 1 |
| Banfield | 2021 | Argentine Primera División | 10 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | — | 0 | 0 | 10 | 0 |
| Banfield | Total | Total | 37 | 1 | 4 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 43 | 2 |
| Talleres (loan) | 2019–20 | Argentine Primera División | 16 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | — | 0 | 0 | 18 | 1 |
| Middlesbrough | 2021–22 | EFL Championship | 13 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | — | — | 0 | 0 | 15 | 1 |
| Middlesbrough | 2023–24 | EFL Championship | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | — | — | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| Middlesbrough | Total | Total | 13 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 16 | 1 |
| Boca Juniors (loan) | 2022 | Argentine Primera División | 15 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | — | 0 | 0 | 17 | 1 |
| Boca Juniors (loan) | 2023 | Argentine Primera División | 10 | 4 | 1 | 0 | – | – | 4 | 0 | – | – | 15 | 4 |
| Boca Juniors (loan) | Total | Total | 25 | 5 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 32 | 5 |
| Udinese | 2023–24 | Serie A | 29 | 2 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 29 | 2 |
| Udinese | 2024–25 | Serie A | 12 | 1 | 2 | 0 | — | — | — | — | — | — | 14 | 1 |
| Udinese | Total | Total | 41 | 3 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 43 | 3 |
| Career total | Career total | Career total | 132 | 11 | 12 | 1 | 3 | 0 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 152 | 12 |
* ↑ Appearance(s) in the Copa Sudamericana

## Honours

Boca Juniors
* Primera División: 2022
* Supercopa Argentina: 2022