Alex Hunter

**Alex Hunter** (born July 06, 1999) is a English professional footballer who plays as a forward for Atlético Madrid.

## Early life

Alex Hunter was born in Clapham, London to Catherine and Harold Hunter, and played youth football on Clapham Common with best friend Gareth Walker.

## Club career

### **Arsenal**

He started playing football in the Clapham Rangers youth football club, and then moved to AFC Wimbledon academy in 2012, but was released in the beginning of 2016. He considered stop playing football, but decided to take part in the FA Exit Trials alongside his friend Walker and they teamwork caught the attention of scout Michael Taylor from the Rising Star Agency, who signed them and arranged them a professional contract to Arsenal on July 02, 2016.

He made his debut for the club in July 16 in a pre-season game against Paris Saint Germain, he scored one goal in the match, assisted by Gareth Walker.

When Olivier Giroud got injured in the last pre-season match against Real Madrid, Hunter and Walker were selected to replace him in the Premier League squad, with Walker starting in the first eleven and Hunter on the bench. Hunter then made his league debut in the first Premier League match of the 2016-17 season when he went on as a substitute against Liverpool.

He was not selected for the Champions League squad in the 2016-17 season.

After Arsenal signed Di Maria, Hunter lost his substitute spot and was loaned out to the Championship side Aston Villa in 24 September, 2016. On 26 October, 2016 he scored his first professional goal while playing for Aston Villa, in a EFL Cup match against Leicester City. While in Aston Villa, Hunter developed a great strike partnership with his former academy teammate Danny Williams. In 09 January, 2017 Hunter was called back to the Arsenal squad after Gareth Walker controversial transfer to Spurs.

In 23 February, 2017 he was selected for the first time in the EA's Fifa Team of the Week, after doing a goal and an assist as Arsenal beat Chelsea 0-3 away from home.

In 29 April, 2017 he faced his first derby match against Spurs, where he also faced his friend Gareth Walker for the first time, the match ended 1-1 with neither of them scoring.

On 27 May, 2017 he won the FA Cup, scoring 3 goals as Arsenal beat Spurs 4-2 at Wembley. Being 17 years old, he became the youngest ever player to score on a FA Cup final and the second ever player to score a hat trick on the final, 64 years after Stan Mortensen did it in 1954. This trophy meant a lot to him, since it was the only top English competition Jim Hunter never won.

### **LA Galaxy**

At the beginning of the 2017-18 season, there were rumors that Hunter would leave to Real Madrid. Later on, Hunter confirmed the interest in leaving by handing in a transfer request. Alex relationship with Arsenal fans deteriorated after the bad start Arsenal had on the season, and on the third match in August 26, 2017 against West Ham, Hunter went on as a substitute and was heavily booed by the supporters. The negotiations with Real Madrid failed, and Hunter fired his agent Michael Taylor. The Arsenal board decided that Hunter should take some time in the youth team after the transfer fiasco, and that they would not accept any offer from a team in the Premier League or in the Champions League, but Hunter on the last moments of the transfer window surprised everyone and agreed to sign for LA Galaxy, the team where his dad is a scout. He also signed his dad as his new agent. The transfer fee was around 12.5 million dollars.

He made his MLS debut coming on as a substitute in 13 September, 2017 against Portland Timbers.

His first goal for the club came in  23 September, 2017 in a MLS match where Galaxy won 4-2 against New York City. He scored 2 goals in the match, and did 1 assist.

In 30 September he scored a hat-trick in a MLS match where Galaxy won 5-2 against Toronto.

Before Alex arrival, the Galaxy was struggling to qualify for the MLS playoffs, but with Hunter help they managed to qualify by finishing in the 4th place. Galaxy were then knocked off in the MLS Cup western knockout round against Houston Dynamo.

### **Atlético Madrid**

Hunter LA Galaxy passage was deemed to be short, in 03 January, 2018, only 4 months after joining LA Galaxy, Alex Hunter signed for Atlético Madrid for a fee of 20.5 million euros. There he rejoined with assistant Simone Agostino, who he already worked with while in Aston Villa.

He made his debut in 06 January, in a La Liga match against Villareal CF, Hunter did one assist but Atlético lost 3-2.

In his second game for Los Colchoneros, Hunter suffered a violent tackle and injured his knee in a La Liga match against Deportivo Alavés. He was ruled out for 6 weeks.

## International career

At the end of the 2016-17 season, Hunter was highly rated for an England call up, but after the negotiations problems in the beginning of the 2017-18 season, and his move to the MLS he didn't earn the call.

## Personal life

Hunter is multiracial, with a white father and black mother. His grandfather, Jim Hunter, was a former Arsenal player who scored 22 goals in the 1968–69 season. Alex's father, Harold Hunter, was also a football player in his youth, but his career was cut short due to an injury. His mother, Catherine, works as a designer. Harold divorced Alex's mother before he was even 1 year old. Harold moved to the United States in 2009 and became the scout for LA Galaxy in 2017. Harold had a daughter while in the United States, Alex's half-sister, Kim Hunter, she also plays football for the USWNT.

He is a close friend with Danny Williams and Gareth Walker, who've all played together in the AFC Wimbledon academy. After Walker left Arsenal to join Spurs in January 2017, they had some heated discussions on Twitter over the year, but seems to have settled the fight after the FA Cup final.

In 23 January, 2017 he signed a sponsorship contract with the German manufacturer Adidas.

He spent his holidays of 2017 in Rio de Janeiro with Danny Williams.

In 21 July, 2017 he took part in the Rio Ferdinand's interview show Ones to Watch, alongside Gareth Walker and Marcus Rashford. There he talked about his rise to success, his friendship with Walker and his relationship with his father.

After his move to the MLS and living in Los Angeles, Hunter became friends with former Arsenal striker Thierry Henry and NBA player James Harden.

On November 2017 Alex signed an ad deal with Coca-Cola and stared in their commercials.

## Honours

### **Club**

**Arsenal**

* FA Cup: 2016-17