Loren Morón (footballer, born 1993)

Lorenzo Jesús Morón García (born 30 December 1993), known as Loren, is a Spanish professional footballer who plays as a striker for Super League Greece club Aris.

Club career
Loren was born in Marbella, Province of Málaga, Andalusia, and represented CD Peña Los Compadres, UD Marbella and CD Vázquez Cultural as a youth. In 2012 he signed for Tercera División club Unión Estepona CF, making his senior debut on 1 September of that year in a 1–0 home loss against CD El Palo.

Loren scored his first senior goal on 30 September 2012, his team's third in a 4–1 home victory over Vélez CF. He returned to Marbella (also in the fourth division) the following January.

On 8 July 2014, after achieving promotion, Loren was loaned to fourth-tier side Vélez for a year. On 29 January 2015, he signed for Real Betis and was immediately assigned to the reserves in the Segunda División B.

On 20 June 2016, after scoring 13 goals but failing to avoid relegation, Loren renewed his contract until 2018. On 14 May 2017, he scored a hat-trick in a 7–1 away rout of CA Espeleño.

On 30 January 2018, Loren extended his link until 2021 and was definitely promoted to the first team in La Liga. He made his professional debut on 3 February, starting and scoring a brace in a 2–1 home defeat of Villarreal CF. In the following five matches, he netted a further four times.

On 30 June 2018, Loren renewed his contract until June 2022. He made an impressive start to the 2019–20 season, leading him to being linked to FC Barcelona, Tottenham Hotspur, S.S.C. Napoli and A.C. Milan; however, he agreed to a further extension at the Estadio Benito Villamarín until 2024, with his buyout clause being set at €50 million.

Loren joined RCD Espanyol on 25 August 2021, on loan for the top-flight campaign. He scored his first goals on 1 December in the opening round of the Copa del Rey, a hat-trick in a 3–2 win at sixth-tier side SD Solares-Medio Cudeyo.

In 2022–23, Loren was rarely played by Betis manager Manuel Pellegrini; on 12 January 2023, however, shortly after having come on as a 91st-minute substitute for Nabil Fekir in the semi-finals of the Supercopa de España held in Riyadh, his backheel equalised 2–2 against Barcelona and he later converted his attempt in the shootout (4–2 loss). Nineteen days later, he was loaned to UD Las Palmas of the Segunda División until June.

Aris
On 19 July 2023, after helping Las Palmas in their promotion to the top division, Loren terminated his contract. Two days later, Aris Thessaloniki F.C. announced his acquisition on a two-year deal. He scored his first goal in a 3–2 away defeat against OFI Crete FC, adding a brace on 24 September to help the hosts to beat Panetolikos F.C. 3–0.

Personal life
Loren's father, also named Lorenzo, was also a footballer. A central defender, he represented mainly UD Salamanca and Recreativo de Huelva.

Career statistics

References

External links

Beticopedia profile 

1993 births
Living people
People from Marbella
Spanish men's footballers
Footballers from the Province of Málaga
Men's association football forwards
La Liga players
Segunda División players
Segunda División B players
Tercera División players
Marbella FC players
Betis Deportivo Balompié footballers
Real Betis players
RCD Espanyol footballers
UD Las Palmas players
Super League Greece players
Aris Thessaloniki F.C. players
Spanish expatriate men's footballers
Expatriate men's footballers in Greece
Spanish expatriate sportspeople in Greece