Egli Kaja
Personal information
Full name Egli Kaja[1]
Date of birth (1997-07-26) 26 July 1997
Place of birth Prelez i Jerlive, Ferizaj, FR Yugoslavia
Height 1.77 m (5 ft 10 in)[2]
Position(s) Winger
Team information
Current team
 Altrincham
Number 33
Youth career
2003–2006 MHD
2006–2008 Kingstonian
2008–2015 AFC Wimbledon
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2015–2019 AFC Wimbledon 22 (0)
2016 → Lewes (loan) 7 (1)
2018 → Livingston (loan) 6 (0)
2019–2020 Northampton Town 4 (0)
2021–2022 AFC Wimbledon 5 (0)
2022 Hampton & Richmond Borough 2 (0)
2022– Altrincham 15 (1)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 14:31, 10 May 2023 (UTC)
‡ National team caps and goals, correct as of 13 May 2017

Egli Kaja (born 26 July 1997) is an Albanian professional footballer who plays as a winger for Altrincham. Kaja also represents Albania and received his first international call-up in May 2017. He will become a free agent on 30 June 2023.

Club career

Kaja's career began in 2003 with youth side MHD, where he was offered the opportunity to join Middlesbrough.[3] Having finished as top scorer for three consecutive seasons, Kaja joined Kingstonian in 2006 upon moving to London.[4] Once again finishing as top scorer in the youth set-up, he turned down a trial with Chelsea in order to join AFC Wimbledon.[3] Enjoying a brief stint with AC Milan on trial, he later featured for the Dons on a scholarship, and turned down a second chance to compete for a contract in Milan the following season.[3]

Kaja signed a professional contract with AFC Wimbledon in April 2015, and made his first team debut on Saturday 26 September.[5] Coming off the bench in a 2–0 defeat to Luton Town,[6] he also made a substitute appearance three days later in a 1–1 draw with Northampton Town.[7] He scored his first goal for Wimbledon in an EFL Trophy tie against Barnet on 29 August 2017.[8]

On 16 December 2016 Kaja was sent on loan to Lewes in the 2016–17 Isthmian League for one month.[9] He made his debut on 31 December 2016 against Three Bridges in a 4–2 win.[10] He scored his first and only goal for Lewes on 10 January 2017 against Herne Bay in a 2–4 away win.[11]

In July 2018, Kaja joined newly-promoted Scottish Premiership side Livingston on a season-long loan but was recalled by new Wimbledon manager Wally Downes in December.[12]

On 2 September 2019, Kaja joined Northampton on a free transfer until January 2020.

On 26 November 2021, Kaja returned to AFC Wimbledon on a short-term deal.[13]

On 5 August 2022, following his release from AFC Wimbledon, Kaja joined Hampton & Richmond Borough after impressing during pre-season.[14]

Just a few days after joining Hampton & Richmond Borough, Kaja left to join Altrincham.[15] He was released at the end of the 2022–23 season.[16]

International career

Kaja received his first international call up at the Albania national under-21 football team by coach Alban Bushi for a gathering between 14–17 May 2017 with most of the players selected from Albanian championships.[17]

Style of play

Kaja is able to "play on either wing, or be deployed as a second striker".[12] Upon signing for Livingston on loan, player-manager Kenny Miller described him as "quick, powerful and direct" adding that he "will bring a different dimension to our offensive options".[12]

Career statistics

Club

As of end of 2022–23 season [18]
Club statistics
Club Season League National Cup League Cup Other Total
DivisionAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoals
AFC Wimbledon 2015–16[19] League Two 2000000020
2016–17[20] League One 1000000010
2017–18[21] League One 19000104[lower-alpha 1]2242
Total 220001042272
Lewes (loan) 2016–17[20] Isthmian League Premier Division 71——0071
Livingston (loan) 2018–19[22] Scottish Premiership 600020—80
Northampton Town 2019–20[23] League Two 4000000040
AFC Wimbledon 2021–22[24] League One 5020000070
Hampton & Richmond Borough 2022–23[25] National League South 2000—0020
Altrincham 2022–23[25] National League 15110—2[lower-alpha 2]0181
Career total 612303062734
  1. ↑ Appearances in the EFL Trophy
  2. ↑ Appearance(s) in FA Trophy

References

  1. ↑ "Retained List 2016-17" (PDF). English Football League. Retrieved 13 June 2017.
  2. ↑ Egli Kaja at WorldFootball.net
  3. 1 2 3 Underwood, Matt. "Egli Kaja - Cliff Johnson - Trix2themax fitness Ltd -". www.trix2themaxfitness.com. Retrieved 23 March 2016.
  4. ↑ Slavin, Chris. "Kaja aims to build on debut". www.afcwimbledon.co.uk. Retrieved 23 March 2016.
  5. ↑ "Wimbledon Academy on Twitter". Twitter. Retrieved 23 March 2016.
  6. ↑ "Luton Town 2-0 AFC Wimbledon". BBC Sport. Retrieved 23 March 2016.
  7. ↑ "AFC Wimbledon 1-1 Northampton Town". BBC Sport. Retrieved 23 March 2016.
  8. ↑ "Barnet FC 3-4 AFC Wimbledon - Checkatrade Trophy". barnetfc.com. 29 August 2017. Retrieved 30 August 2017.
  9. ↑ "Egli goes out on loan - News". AFC Wimbledon. 16 December 2016. Retrieved 11 September 2017.
  10. ↑ "Lewes 4 Three Bridges 2". Crawley News 24. 31 December 2016. Retrieved 11 September 2017.
  11. ↑ "Herne Bay 1 vs. 4 Lewes - 10 January 2017 - First Team". Herne Bay Football Club. Herne Bay F.C. 10 January 2017. Retrieved 11 September 2017.
  12. 1 2 3 "Livingston: 'Direct' winger Egli Kaja joins on loan from AFC Wimbledon". BBC. 20 July 2018. Retrieved 20 July 2018.
  13. ↑ "Egli makes 'dream' return 14 years after he first signed!". AFC Wimbledon. 26 November 2021. Retrieved 27 November 2021.
  14. ↑ Reid, James (5 August 2022). "EGLI KAJA JOINS THE BEAVERS". Hampton & Richmond Borough F.C. Retrieved 5 August 2022.
  15. ↑ "Boost for Alty as Phil snaps up livewire winger".
  16. ↑ "WHO'S STAYING, WHO'S LEAVING - HERE'S YOUR ALTY RETAINED LIST". altrinchamfc.com. 9 May 2023. Retrieved 10 May 2023.
  17. ↑ Grumbullohet Kombëtarja U-21, Alban Bushi bën publike listën Panorama Sport
  18. ↑ Egli Kaja at Soccerway. Retrieved 23 December 2017.
  19. ↑ "Games played by Egli Kaja in 2015/2016". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 14 September 2019.
  20. 1 2 "Games played by Egli Kaja in 2016/2017". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 14 September 2019.
  21. ↑ "Games played by Egli Kaja in 2017/2018". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 14 September 2019.
  22. ↑ "Games played by Egli Kaja in 2018/2019". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 14 September 2019.
  23. ↑ "Games played by Egli Kaja in 2019/2020". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 14 September 2019.
  24. ↑ "Games played by Egli Kaja in 2021/2022". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 14 September 2019.
  25. 1 2 "E. Kaja". Soccerway. Retrieved 24 August 2022.
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