Žan-Luk Leban

Žan-Luk Leban
Personal information
Date of birth (2002-12-15) 15 December 2002
Place of birth Trbovlje, Slovenia[1]
Height 1.88 m (6 ft 2 in)[2]
Position Goalkeeper
Team information
Current team
 Celje
Number 1
Youth career
–2019 FCB Escola Varsovia
2019–2023 Everton
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2021–2025 Everton 0 (0)
2023–2024 → Farsley Celtic (loan) 41 (0)
2025– Celje 29 (0)
International career
2017–2018 Slovenia U16 4 (0)
2018–2019 Slovenia U17 10 (0)
2023–2025 Slovenia U21 5 (0)
* Club domestic league appearances and goals as of 21:43, 4 June 2026 (UTC)

Žan-Luk Leban (born 15 December 2002) is a Slovenian professional footballer who plays as a goalkeeper for Slovenian PrvaLiga club Celje.[2][3]

He played for Slovenia's under-16, under-17 and under-21 teams.

Early life

Born in Trbovlje,[1] Leban moved to Poland at the age of six as his parents were looking for work.[4] As a youth player for FCB Escola Varsovia, he attracted the likes of Barcelona, Manchester United, Tottenham Hotspur, Leicester City, and Liverpool.[5] At the age of 15, he attended trials with Barcelona and almost signed for the team.[6]

Club career

Everton

Leban joined Everton's youth academy in June 2019.[7] In the 2020–21 FA Youth Cup fourth round match against Manchester City, Leban made some important saves and was praised for his performance as Everton won 1–0.[8][9] He was first included in the Everton senior squad on 20 March 2021 for the 2020–21 FA Cup quarter-final match against Manchester City, when Everton manager Carlo Ancelotti called up two youth goalkeepers due to injuries; however, he was an unused substitute as João Virgínia started the match.[10]

In February 2023, Leban extended his contract with Everton until the summer of 2025.[11]

In August 2023, he went on a season-long loan to National League North side Farsley Celtic.[12][13]

After the 2024–25 season, Leban departed Everton upon the expiration of his contract.[14]

Personal life

He is the son of former Slovenian basketball international Boštjan Leban.[15]

Honours

Celje

References

  1. 1 2 "Mladi Slovenec na klopi Evertona proti Manchester Cityju" (in Slovenian). Nogomania. 21 March 2021. Retrieved 31 May 2023.
  2. 1 2 "Žan Luk Leban". worldfootball.net.
  3. ↑ "Slovenia – Ž. Leban – Profile with news, career statistics and history – Soccerway". soccerway.com. Retrieved 31 May 2023.
  4. ↑ "Sukces młodego bramkarza z Warszawy. 15-latek jedzie na testy do Barcelony". sportowefakty.wp.pl (in Polish). 7 December 2017. Retrieved 31 May 2023.
  5. ↑ Kališnik, Grega (11 March 2023). "Moj cilj je postati najboljši golman na svetu". Delo (in Slovenian). Retrieved 31 May 2023.
  6. ↑ "Nastolatek z Polski bardzo blisko Barcelony. Pomyślnie przeszedł testy". sport.pl (in Polish). 23 December 2017. Retrieved 31 May 2023.
  7. ↑ "Z Polski do Premier League. "Wow, on jest dobry!"". sportowefakty.wp.pl (in Polish). 11 January 2023. Retrieved 31 May 2023.
  8. ↑ Carroll, Sam (4 April 2021). "Everton find new goalkeeper as Marcel Brands favourite steps up". Liverpool Echo. Retrieved 31 May 2023.
  9. ↑ "Novi OBLAK?!? V Angliji OPEVAJO SLOVENCA: To je bila ČUDEŽNA predstava, saj je ..." Ekipa24.si (in Slovenian). 5 April 2021. Retrieved 31 May 2023.
  10. ↑ "Mladi slovenski vratarski up blizu debija za Everton". Sportklub (in Slovenian). 22 March 2021. Retrieved 31 May 2023.
  11. ↑ "Everton še naprej računa na mladega slovenskega vratarja: Žan-Luk Leban podaljšal pogodbo s klubom iz Liverpoola". planetnogomet.si (in Slovenian). 9 February 2023. Retrieved 31 May 2023.
  12. ↑ "Leban Heads Out On Loan". Everton F.C. 4 August 2023. Retrieved 16 August 2023.
  13. ↑ "Farsley Celtic sign goalkeeper Žan-Luk Leban from Premier League club Everton". West Leeds Dispatch. 4 August 2023. Retrieved 16 August 2023.
  14. ↑ "Everton Player Contracts Update". Everton F.C. 9 June 2025. Retrieved 9 June 2025.
  15. ↑ "EVERTON pripeljal SLOVENCA! Preizkušala ga je BARCELONA, izbral je Anglijo". Ekipa24.si (in Slovenian). 9 July 2019. Retrieved 31 May 2023.
  16. ↑ "Celje clinch third national football title". The Slovenia Times. 19 April 2026. Retrieved 19 April 2026.
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