Jesse Sekidika

Jesse Tamunobaraboye Sekidika (born July 14, 1996) is a Nigerian footballer who plays as a winger for Turkish club Galatasaray.

Jesse Sekidika
Personal information
Full name Jesse Tamunobaraboye Sekidika
Date of birth (1996-07-14) 14 July 1996
Place of birth Port Harcourt, Nigeria
Height 1.76 m (5 ft 9 in)
Position(s) Winger
Club information
Current team
 Konyaspor (on loan from Galatasaray)
Number 71
Youth career
2014 AD Oeiras
2014–2015 Benfica
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2016–2018 Napredak Kruševac 47 (7)
2018–2019 Eskişehirspor 29 (14)
2020– Galatasaray 12 (1)
2021– Konyaspor (loan) 2 (0)
* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only and correct as of 8 February 2021

Early career

United Kingdom

Born in Nigerian metropolis Port Harcourt, Sekidika was first scouted in England while playing as winger at Leicestershire-based private boarding school Brooke House College.[1] After impressing there, he trialed at Stoke City at the 2013 Keele Cup and caught the attention of Manchester United scouts who invited him to train at their Carrington training ground.[1] However, due to the stringent requirement of a British work permit and not having a European Passport, Jesse could not be offered a contract at Stoke City or Manchester United.[1]

Portugal

In August 2014, Sekidika left UK and moved to Portugal where he joined the youth team of A.D. Oeiras, located in the suburb of the same name of the capital Lisbon, which has been a traditional feeder for the country´s bigger teams.[1] At Oeiras, he played the first half of 2014–15 season.[2] By then, he had already been invited to take part of the gatherings and training sessions of the Flying Eagles, the Nigeria national under-20 football team.[1] During last days of the 2014–15 winter-break, he signed with S.L. Benfica youth team.[3] He was part of the Benfica squad that played in the 2014–15 UEFA Youth League in which Benfica reached the quarter finals.[4] At league level, he made six appearances and scored once for Benfica in the second-half of the 2014–15 First Portuguese youth league.[5]

Club career

Napredak Kruševac

In June 2015, his contract with Benfica expired.[6] However, in the winter break of the 2015–16 season, along with Bohdan Sichkaruk, he joined FK Napredak Kruševac who sought to confirm their second-level title and return to top-flight status. This endeavor left Sekidika mostly off the field. The coach chose to stick with the starting eleven that was giving him good results. Sekidika played the 6 last rounds of the 2015–16 Serbian First League season, scoring in all but one and helped them to a dominant finish as champion and gain promotion to the Serbian top-flight, the SuperLiga.[7]

Inconsistencies at management positions and an uncertain starting line-up, left Naoredak end 2016–17 Serbian SuperLiga season in 6th place. Sekidika failed to score that season. After a weak start under Nenad Sakić, in September brought in Milorad Kosanović who made Sekidika a regular in the line up. Napredak finished the season in 7th. Sekidika appeared in 28 games, racking up 3 goals.[7]

In July 2018, Napredak participated in a summer tournament in Portugal where it played against S.L. Benfica. Napredak lost 3–0 in a game played on July 10. Portuguese media put the focus on Sekidika as a former Benfica player and how he had played against several former teammates.[8] Kosanović convinced the board to sell Sekidika and replace him with domestic players he had coached in previous clubs.

Eskişehirspor

Sekidika moved to Turkey and signed with Eskişehirspor for a symbolic amount.

Galatasaray

In January 2020 he signed with Süper Lig side Galatasaray.[9] Sekidika trained hard and played in a friendly against Altay. After the friendly match Sekidika stated that "this is just beginning and I am so excited to play such a great football club".[10]

Konyaspor

He moved to Konyaspor on loan until the end of the 20-21 Season on 29 January 2021.

Career statistics

Club
As of 1 June 2017[7]
Club Season League Cup Continental Other Total
DivisionAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoals
Napredak Kruševac 2015–16 First League 54———54
2016–17 SuperLiga 11010——120
2017–18 SuperLiga 28320——303
Total 44730——477

Honours
Napredak Kruševac

References
  1. The new recruit of the Portuguese giants is expected to make his way up the ladder after impressing in various youth academies at goal.com, 5-2-2015, retrieved 18-10-2016
  2. Jesse Sekidika at zerozero.pt
  3. JESSE SEKIDIKA ASSINA PELAS ÁGUIAS (Jesse Sekidika signs for the Eagles) at Record online edition, 4-2-2015, retiirved 18-10-2016 (in Portuguese)
  4. Jesse Sekidika at UEFA.com
  5. Jesse Sekidika at foradejogo.net
  6. Marítimo interessado em Jesse Sekidika at sabado.pt, 5-6-2015, retrieved 18-10-2016 (in Portuguese)
  7. Jesse Sekidika at Soccerway
  8. NAPREDAK: ADVERSÁRIO SÉRVIO TEM UM JOGADOR COM LIGAÇÃO À LUZ at Record, 10-7-2018 (in Portuguese)
  9. "Galatasaray signs Jesse Sekidika!".
  10. "Jesse Sekidika: Bu daha başlangıç!". Fanatik.
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