Ten rising stars eyed for Peru's U-23 Olympic squad push

Flavio Maestri, Peru's U-23 coach, is building toward the Paris 2024 Olympics with a roster that stretches across continents. The pool of candidates is deep—players anchored in Peru's Liga 1, others testing themselves in European academies, a few already carrying international experience. The ten names emerging as most likely to anchor the Olympic qualifying push tell the story of where Peruvian football is looking.

Kluiverth Aguilar, born in 2003, sits in the Belgian second division with Lommel SK, a City Group affiliate, though he hasn't yet appeared in a match this season. His presence in Europe carries weight at the federation level; scouts at the Videna know his profile well. As a right back, he offers pace, clean distribution, marking discipline, and the ability to push forward into attacking positions. The adaptation to European football has been slow, but the investment in him suggests patience. If the next U-23 friendly falls during a FIFA window, his name will almost certainly appear on the sheet.

Arón Sánchez, also 2003, has become an undisputed starter for Cantolao since debuting in Liga 1 in 2020. He is a defensive prospect with genuine international appeal—anticipation, physical strength, and command in the air. The CIES Football Observatory ranked him among the world's most promising players born that year, placing him alongside Florian Wirtz and Jude Bellingham. He would pair naturally with Renzo Garcés in the U-23 backline. Sánchez's numbers are striking: 24 appearances and over 2,000 minutes in 2021, then 21 matches and 1,486 minutes in 2022.

Fabio Gruber carries Peruvian blood and has already trained with Augsburgo's first team in Germany. A defender or holding midfielder, he moves well into contact, possesses clean technique, and wins aerial duels effectively. The Bundesliga club's coaching staff, including manager Enrico Maassen, regard him favorably. Last season with Augsburgo's reserve side, he accumulated 536 minutes across six matches—a sharp drop from 2,762 minutes the year before, but the preseason work with the senior squad suggests he is being groomed for top-flight minutes soon.

Matías Lazo, 2003, has steadily earned space at Melgar through versatility. He can play center back or either fullback position, combining speed, anticipation, and excellent reading of the game. This year he has logged significant minutes in Liga 1 and Copa Sudamericana, rising under the watch of coaches Néstor Lorenzo and Pablo Lavallén, who see raw potential. He was unavailable for the last U-23 window due to club commitments, but his trajectory suggests he will be in the next call.

Paolo Reyna, though eligible for the senior team, can still play U-23 football. Melgar's left back has drawn interest from Argentina's Independiente and is widely considered Peru's finest option at that position. He reads the game with sophistication, moves with speed, executes technical plays, and attacks with purpose. In 2022 alone, he appeared in 35 matches and logged nearly 3,000 minutes. His absence during Melgar's Copa Sudamericana semifinal against Independiente del Valle was deeply felt.

Jesús Castillo, born in 2001, already has senior team experience with Sporting Cristal. The midfielder offers marking intensity, sacrifice, vision, and equilibrium in the center of the park. He was among Cristal's standout performers in last year's Copa Libertadores. Though not an automatic starter, he competes for his position against more established names and can contribute from the bench. European clubs are monitoring him; a move abroad could come before year's end.

Piero Quispe emerged as 2022's revelation. A knee injury kept him from Peru's recent friendly against Chile, but he will almost certainly feature in the next U-23 match. Playing for Universitario, he has the ability to unbalance opponents, works hard defensively, operates across both flanks, and carries genuine threat in the final third. His rise has been meteoric: ten matches in 2021 yielded 459 minutes; by 2022, he had nearly tripled that output to 29 appearances and 2,346 minutes, displacing veteran Hernán Novick in the process.

Alexander Robertson, 2003, remains undecided between Peru, Australia, England, and Scotland, though federation officials express optimism he will choose the bicolor. He holds a Manchester City contract and plays U-23 football for the club's academy. A midfielder with decent shooting ability and good passing range, he offers attacking potential. His loan spell at Ross County in Scotland last season was unremarkable, and he has yet to break into Premier League 2 action this term. David Mejía, 2003, recently received his first senior call with Atlanta United after performing consistently in the club's reserve side; a recent injury will sideline him briefly, but he has U-20 experience and is expected to feature at U-23 level soon. Kenji Cabrera, another Melgar prospect born in 2003, has beaten out more experienced players for Copa Sudamericana starts. Quick, capable of playing either flank, and intelligent in tight spaces, he logged just 37 minutes in 2021 but has seized his opportunity this year with 623 minutes across 18 matches. He is being positioned to assume a leading role next season.