Yuriel Celi: Career, Stats, and Background of Peru's Midfielder

Yuriel Darío Celi Guerrero has spent the better part of a decade working his way through Peruvian and English football, and his path says a lot about how young South American midfielders build a career in 2026. Born on February 20, 2002, in Callao, Peru, Celi is a left-footed central midfielder currently on loan at Sport Boys from Universitario de Deportes.

Early Years and Breakthrough

Celi started in Universitario’s youth academy as a kid before moving to Academia Cantolao, where he came up through the ranks from age eight. He signed his first professional contract there in December 2018, a reward for performances that had already caught the eye of coaches. His senior debut followed in 2019, and by 2021 he was a regular in Cantolao’s midfield, racking up minutes and building the kind of consistency clubs notice.

That consistency paid off in 2022, when Carlos A. Mannucci signed him. It turned out to be a short but productive stop: 33 league appearances and 4 goals in a single season, numbers that made him one of the more promising young midfielders in Liga 1 at the time.

The Move to England

In 2023, Celi signed with Hull City in England’s Championship, a jump that put him on a bigger stage. Rather than fight for minutes in a new league right away, he was loaned straight back to Universitario de Deportes for the 2023-24 season, a common arrangement for young South American players still adjusting to European football. The move worked out well for Universitario, at least. Celi picked up two Liga 1 titles with the club, in 2023 and 2024, and became a fixture in their midfield during that stretch.

By 2025, Universitario had made the arrangement permanent, bringing Celi back on a full transfer. He didn’t stay put for long, though. That same year he went out on loan again, this time to Deportivo Garcilaso, where he logged 31 appearances in the 2025 Liga 1 season.

2026: A Complicated Year So Far

Celi joined Sport Boys on loan in March 2026, and his season there hasn’t gone the way anyone planned. Administrative registration problems kept him out of official matches for the entire Torneo Apertura, even though he kept training with the squad. It wasn’t until July, in the Copa de la Liga round of 16 against Comerciantes FC, that he finally got back on the pitch, starting and playing all 90 minutes in a 1-0 win.

The good news for Sport Boys is that the paperwork issue is now resolved, and Celi is cleared to play in the Torneo Clausura. For a midfielder who spent half a season on the sidelines through no fault of his own, that clearance matters. He’s still just 24, and there’s plenty of season left to rebuild momentum.

International Career

Celi has moved through nearly every level of Peru’s youth setup, from the U15s up through the U23s, including appearances at the 2019 South American U17 Championship, where he scored three goals. He earned his first senior call-up in 2022 and has remained in the national team picture since, though appearances have been limited so far.

Player Profile Snapshot

Full name: Yuriel Darío Celi Guerrero
Position: Central/attacking midfielder
Height: 1.77 m (5 ft 10 in)
Foot: Left
Current club: Sport Boys (on loan from Universitario de Deportes)
Market value: Approximately €300,000
Honors: Liga 1 champion (2023, 2024)

FAQ

Q: What position does Yuriel Celi play? A: He’s primarily a central midfielder, though he’s also been used as an attacking midfielder and winger depending on the team’s setup.

Q: Which clubs has Yuriel Celi played for? A: Academia Cantolao, Carlos A. Mannucci, Hull City, Universitario de Deportes, Deportivo Garcilaso, and currently Sport Boys on loan.

Q: Has Yuriel Celi played for the Peru national team? A: Yes. He made his senior debut in 2022 after progressing through every Peru youth level from U15 to U23.

Q: Why did Yuriel Celi miss the start of the 2026 season? A: An administrative registration issue at Sport Boys kept him out of official Torneo Apertura matches, even though he continued training with the club. He returned to play in July 2026 once the issue was resolved.

Q: What titles has Yuriel Celi won? A: Two Liga 1 championships with Universitario de Deportes, in 2023 and 2024.