Kostas Manolas

Kostas Manolas

Manolas warming-up for AS Roma
Personal information
Full name	Konstantinos Manolas
Date of birth	(1991-06-14) 14 June 1991 (age 25)
Place of birth	Naxos, Greece
Height	1.89 m (6 ft 2 1⁄2 in)
Playing position	Centre back
Club information
Current team	Roma
Number	44
Youth career
2003–2007	Pannaxiakos
2007–2009	Thrasyvoulos
Senior career*
Years	Team	Apps	(Gls)
2009	Thrasyvoulos	6	(0)
2009–2012	AEK Athens	66	(3)
2012–2014	Olympiacos	49	(4)
2014–	Roma	94	(2)
National team‡
2009–2011	Greece U21	5	(0)
2013–	Greece	28	(0)
* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only and correct as of 04:43, 16 April 2017 (UTC). ‡ National team caps and goals correct as of 21:41, 25 March 2017 (UTC)

Kostas Manolas (Greek: Κώστας Μανωλάς, born 14 June 1991) is a Greek footballer who plays for A.S Roma and the Greek national team as a defender. He is the nephew of former Greek footballer Stelios Manolas.

Manolas began his youth career at Thrasyvoulos in 2007. In 2009, Stelios Manolas, who was the AEK Athens' technical director at the time, was scouting his nephew at a youth match with AEK manager Dušan Bajević and was impressed with his performance. His uncle, Stelios Manolas, was a former player playing for AEK F.C. and former manager.

On 16 June 2009, Manolas signed a three-year deal with AEK. After signing, Manolas said, "I am very happy signing for the team I support, hopefully I can be a legend at the club like my uncle and end my career at AEK." He made his debut against AO Kavala and was named man of the match. After the game, he stated, "It's a dream to play for the club I love." Manolas was also rewarded with man of the match honours the following week against PAOK. In his first seven matches, Manolas was named man of the match in five of them.

Manolas scored his first professional goal against archrivals Olympiacos on 19 May 2010. Although he was playing with a broken jugal bone since the first minute of the match after a dangerous nudge by Kostas Mitroglou, he scored in the sixth minute, though he later left the match in the 15th minute. He refused to be taken to the hospital before the match was over, despite being urged by his uncle Stelios Manolas. The next day, he underwent a successful three-hour surgery, recovered and quickly returned to training sessions.