Serge Atakayi

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Serge Atakayi
Serge Atakayi 1.jpg
Personal information
Full name Serge Atakayi
Date of birth (1999-01-30) 30 January 1999 (age 23)
Place of birth Kinshasa, DR Congo
Position(s) Forward
Club information
Current team
 -
Youth career
2013–2015 FF Jaro
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2015–2016 FF Jaro 29 (3)
2015 → JBK (loan) 10 (2)
2016–2019 Rangers 1 (0)
2019 → SJK (loan) 10 (1)
2020– SJK 19 (1)
2021 → FC TPS (loan) 13 (3)
National team
Finland U17
2016 Finland U18 5 (2)
2016–2018 Finland U19 11 (0)
* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only and correct as of 08:46, 24 September 2021 (UTC)

Serge Atakayi (born 30 January 1999) is a professional footballer who plays for Finnish club SJK as a forward. Originally from the Democratic Republic of the Congo, he has represented his adopted country of Finland at under-19 level.

Early life[]

Atakayi, originally from Democratic Republic of the Congo, applied for asylum in Finland alongside other members of his youth football team when visiting the country in 2010.[1]

Club career[]

FF Jaro[]

Atakayi joined the youth system at FF Jaro in 2013 and made his senior debut for the club in 2015.[2] He became the youngest goalscorer in the history of the Finnish top flight when he scored against HIFK on 17 May 2015, aged 16 years and 107 days.[3][1]

Rangers[]

On 31 August 2016, after trial periods with Leicester City and Fulham, he joined Rangers on a three-year contract.[4] He signed a one-year contract extension to tie him to Rangers until 2020 in June 2018.[5] He made his debut against Motherwell in a 7-1 win during November 2018.[6]

SJK[]

Atakayi left Rangers on 30 December 2019 to join Finnish side SJK for a reported fee of £100,000.[7][8] Atakayi played in 19 games on the 2020 season and scored once. On June 4 2021 it was told by SJK-head coach Jani Honkavaara that Atakayi had not been training with the team since February because of attitude problems. [9] Atakayi only played in one Finnish Cup game for SJK in the 2021 season. On 28 July 2021 he moved to TPS on loan.[10]

International career[]

Atakayi was born in DR Congo but obtained Finnish citizenship in 2016 and represented Finland at under-15 level.[2] In June 2016, Atakayi represented Finland at under-18 level in the Baltic Cup and scored in a 2–2 draw with Lithuania on 2 June 2016.[11][12] He made his debut for the Finland under-19 side on 4 September 2016, in a goalless draw with Romania.[13]

Career statistics[]

As of match played 20 May 2019[14]
Club Season League National Cup League Cup Total
Division Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals
FF Jaro 2015 Veikkausliiga 16 2 0 0 4 0 20 2
2016 Ykkönen 13 1 0 0 0 0 13 1
Total 29 3 0 0 4 0 33 3
Rangers 2016–17 Scottish Premiership 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
2017–18 Scottish Premiership 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
2018–19 Scottish Premiership 1 0 0 0 0 0 1 0
Career total 30 3 0 0 4 0 34 3

References[]

  1. ^ a b Berry, Gavin (2 September 2016). "Rangers signing Serge Atakayi and his incredible story of tears, torment and seeking asylum". Daily Record.
  2. ^ a b "Huippulupaus sai Suomen kansalaisuuden - Pietarsaareen Kinshashan kaduilta [Top Promise Receives Finnish Citizenship]". Yle (in Finnish). 17 May 2016. Retrieved 30 August 2016.
  3. ^ "Veikkausliigan historiaa [Veikkausliiga History]". Ilta-Sanomat (in Finnish). 18 May 2015. Retrieved 30 August 2016.
  4. ^ "Rangers Academy Transfer Roundup". Rangers.co.uk. Rangers Football Club. 31 August 2016. Retrieved 31 August 2016.
  5. ^ Thomson, Nick (15 June 2018). "Hardie Signs New Deal". Rangers.co.uk. Rangers Football Club.
  6. ^ "Rangers 7-1 Motherwell". BBC Sport. BBC. 11 November 2018.
  7. ^ "Serge Atakayi Joins SJK". Rangers.co.uk. Rangers Football Club. 30 December 2019.
  8. ^ "Serge Atakayi set for Rangers permanent exit as Finland return fee revealed". Daily Record. 29 December 2019.
  9. ^ "Serge Atakayin pelit SJK:ssa pelattu, Honkavaaran mukaan muutkin muutokset mahdollisia: "Aiomme olla aktiivisia siirtoikkunassa"". ilkkapohjalainen.fi. Ilkka-Pohjalainen. 4 June 2021.
  10. ^ "Atakayi lainasopimuksella Ykköseen". 28 July 2021.
  11. ^ "U18 nimetty Baltic Cupiin [Named U18 Baltic Cup]". Palloliitto (in Finnish). 18 May 2016. Retrieved 1 September 2016.
  12. ^ "U18-maajoukkue tasapeliin Liettuaa vastaan [U18-national team draw against Lithuania]". Palloliitto (in Finnish). 2 June 2016. Retrieved 1 September 2016.
  13. ^ "U19 ja Romania maalittomaan [U19 and Romania with no goals]". Palloliitto (in Finnish). 4 September 2016. Retrieved 8 September 2016.
  14. ^ "S. Atakayi". Soccerway. Retrieved 30 August 2016.

External links[]

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