Rey Manaj

Rey Manaj
Personal information
Full name Rey Manaj
Date of birth (1997-02-24) 24 February 1997
Place of birth Lushnjë, Albania
Height 1.82 m (6 ft 0 in)
Playing position Forward
Club information
Current team
 Internazionale
Number 97
Youth career
2008–2012 Piacenza
2012–2014 Cremonese
2013–2014 → Sampdoria (loan)
2015 Internazionale
Senior career*
Years Team Apps† (Gls)†
2014–2015 Cremonese 21 (2)
2015– Internazionale 4 (0)
National team‡
2014 Albania U19 2 (0)
2015– Albania U21 5 (3)
2015– Albania 2 (1)

* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only and correct as of 29 October 2015.
† Appearances (goals)

‡ National team caps and goals correct as of 28 March 2016

Rey Manaj (born 24 February 1997) is an Albanian professional footballer who plays as a forward for Italian club Internazionale and the Albania national football team.

Club career

Early career

Manaj was born in Lushnjë, Albania in 1997, and moved to Italy with his parents, where he began his football youth career at the age of 11 with Piacenza.

In 2012, he moved to U.S. Cremonese. In 2013, Cremonese loaned him to U.C. Sampdoria youths which was managed at the time by Pedone. During a training game against the first team, as soon as Manaj saw that the goalkeeper Júnior da Costa went wide, he tried to catch him by surprise with a shot from the middle of the field. The shot finished wide, but close to the goal. Pedone told Manaj "If you do this the next time I will replace you!" A few weeks later, when Genovese team faced Siena, Manaj made the same effort, but this time the ball ended straight into the net. Recalling what happened in training match against the first team Sampdoria, Manaj addressed the technician Pedone saying: "Coach, so is this good?" He managed to play some games with the "Primavera" (U-21) of coach Enrico Chiesa's.[1]

Sampdoria could have purchased Manaj definitively as it was part of the loan deal with right clauses for purchase of €300.000 fee after the loan ended on 30 June 2015 but Sampdoria had a club change in ownership with Massimo Ferrero replacing former president Riccardo Garrone's family, and the purchase option expired. When Sampdoria was presented again at the table of Cremonese after 30 June, the demand of Cremonese's president, Luigi Simoni, was €700.000 for co-ownership with many other provisions and Sampdoria refused to pay that amount.[2]

Cremonese

Manaj made his Cremonese debut on 7 September 2014 at the age of 17, featuring in the last 14 minutes of the 1–2 away win against Mantova.[3] He later played his first match as a starter in a 1–0 away lose against Pordenone.[4]

Internazionale

After many speculations about his future which related him with Juventus, Atlético Madrid, Roma, etc., on 14 July 2015 Manaj was sold to Inter for a fee of €1 million and he signed a 5-year contract.[5] Also in return, Inter loaned Cremonese two players Fabio Eguelfi and Francesco Forte as a part of the operation for Manaj's transfer to Inter.[6] Principally Manaj was included to training in the first team by the coach Roberto Mancini. He showed an impressive form, scoring two goals in two consecutive mini-preparatory matches between Inter. Manaj debuted for Inter as a substitute in place of Jeison Murillo in a friendly match against Athletic Bilbao on 6 August 2015 won by Inter 2–0.[7]

Manaj made his Serie A debut on 23 August 2015 in team's opening match of 2015–16 season, replacing Brozović in the 85th minute of the 1–0 home win against Atalanta.[8]

International career

Youth teams

Manaj received his first international call-up in the Albania national under-19 football team by the coach Altin Lala to participate in the 2015 UEFA European Under-19 Championship qualification.[9] He made it his first debut in the opening match against Denmark U19 on 12 November 2014 playing as a starter in a 1–0 loss where he substituted off in the 60th minute for Esad Morina.[10] In the next match against Portugal U19 he remained on the bench for the entire game but however he managed to play as a starter in the closing match against Wales U19 on 17 November 2014 and substituted off for Fabian Lokaj in the 62nd minute where the match finished in the 2–1 loss.[11]

Albania U19 eliminated losing all 3 matches with total of goals collected 2–7, where all two goals were scored by Esad Morina of FC Schalke 04 youth.[12]

Manaj was called up for the first time to the Albania national under-21 football team by the coach Skënder Gega for the 2017 UEFA European Under-21 Championship qualification opening match against Liechtenstein U21 on 28 March 2015.[13] He managed to score in his debut for the Albania national under-21 football team on 28 March 2015 against Liechtenstein, coming on as a substitute at half-time in place of Jurgen Vatnikaj to score in the 52nd minute to sign the Albania U21's 0–2 away victory.[14] Manaj was called up by a new appointed coach at the Albania U21, Redi Jupi, for the 2017 UEFA European Under-21 Championship qualification matches against Israel & Portugal on 3 & 8 September 2015.[15] He played as a starter on 3 September 2015 against Israel and was substituted off the in the first-half 29th minute with Albion Avdijaj due to physique problems.[16]

Senior side

Manaj's dream was that one day he can play for Albania.[17] De Biasi stated that Manaj can play for Albania in Euro 2016.[18] Manaj scored after 12 seconds with a first touch from his debut as a substitute for Albania against Kosovo.[19] He later dedicated his goal to his family.[20]

Style of play

A competent striker, Manaj knows how to show his values with both feet and to become dangerous, even with headers. He shows his mastery of technique with strong shots from a distance and has perfected his free kicks.

In his debut season with the first team, Cremonese, he accumulated 21 appearances and 2 goals in Lega Pro. With a goal scored on 11 October 2014 at 17 years and 7 months, Manaj became the youngest player to score a touchdown age in this category. The only limitation at the moment is his rebellious character, which is often beyond contention with coaches, leading him to protest to the referees and be punished with a yellow card.[1] Roberto Mancini described Manaj as great talent, similar to Mario Balotelli and is also called "new Ibrahimović".[21][22]

Career statistics

Club

As of 23 August 2015[23]
Season Club Division League Cup Europe Total
AppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoals
2014–15 Cremonese Lega Pro Prima Divisione 21230—242
Total 2123000242
2015–16 Inter Milan Serie A 4020—60
Total 40200060
Career Total 2525000302

International

As of 13 November 2015[24]
Albania national team
YearAppsGoals
201521
Total21

International goals

Scores and results list Albania U21's goal tally first.
GoalDateVenueOpponentScoreResultCompetition
1 28 March 2015 Sportpark Eschen-Mauren, Eschen, Liechtenstein  Liechtenstein 2–0 2–0 2017 UEFA European U-21 qualification
2 13 October 2015 Pancho Arena, Felcsút, Hungary  Hungary 1–0 2–2 2017 UEFA European U-21 qualification
3 28 March 2016 Elbasan Arena, Elbasan, Albania 1–1 2–1 2017 UEFA European U-21 qualification
Scores and results list Albania's goal tally first.
GoalDateVenueOpponentScoreResultCompetition
1. 13 November 2015 Pristina City Stadium, Pristina, Kosovo  Kosovo 1–0 2–2 Friendly match

References

  1. 1 2 “Goal.com” zbulon Rey Manajn aSport.al
  2. ↑ Rej Manaj mund të ishte i Sampdorias për 300 mijë euro Sport Ekspres
  3. ↑ "Mantova vs. Cremonese 1 – 2". Soccerway. 7 September 2014. Retrieved 14 November 2015.
  4. ↑ "Pordenone vs. Cremonese 1 – 0". Soccerway. 5 October 2014. Retrieved 14 November 2015.
  5. ↑ "Zyrtare, Manaj firmos me Interin". Panorama Sport. 14 July 2015. Retrieved 14 November 2015.
  6. ↑ Bianchi, Eguelfi and Forte in grigiorosso U.S. Cremonese
  7. ↑ "Rey Manaj debuton me Interin ne fitoren 2-0 ndaj Bilbaos". Telegrafi.com (in Albanian). 9 August 2015. Retrieved 14 November 2015.
  8. ↑ Gabriele Radaelli (23 August 2015). "Inter-Atalanta: 1 a 0 al fischio finale. Gran gol di Jovetic!". Inter-News.it (in Italian). Retrieved 14 November 2015.
  9. ↑ "Barazon Kombëtarja, Lala: Kualifikohemi në Europian". Panorama Sport (in Albanian). 7 November 2015. Retrieved 14 November 2015.
  10. ↑ Denmark U19 vs. Albania U19 - 12 November 2014 - Soccerway
  11. ↑ Wales U19 vs. Albania U19 - 17 November 2014 - Soccerway
  12. ↑ Summary - UEFA U19 Championship - Europe - Results, fixtures, tables and news - Soccerway
  13. ↑ Shpresat nisin kualifikimet kundër Lihtenshtajnit aSport.al
  14. ↑ Liechtenstein U21 vs. Albania U21 - 28 March 2015 - Soccerway
  15. ↑ Grumbullohet kombetarja U-21 FSHF.org
  16. ↑ Under-21 2017 - Albania-Israel Commentary UEFA.com
  17. ↑ "Talenti i Sampdorias: Ëndërra ime të luaj me Shqipërinë". ASport.al (in Albanian). 8 January 2014. Retrieved 14 November 2015.
  18. ↑ "De Biasi: Manaj në Evropian, sepse ai e do këtë vend". Fax.al (in Albanian). 14 October 2014. Retrieved 14 November 2015.
  19. ↑ "Mediat italiane për Manajn: Goli rekord dhe historia e rrallë". Gazeta Tema (in Albanian). 13 November 2015. Retrieved 14 November 2015.
  20. ↑ "Manaj ia dedikon golin familjes". Panorama Sport (in Albanian). 13 November 2015. Retrieved 14 November 2015.
  21. ↑ "Befason Mancini, flet për rastin Manaj-De Biasi". Telegrafi.com. 17 October 2015. Retrieved 14 November 2015.
  22. ↑ Chris Beattie (14 July 2015). "Rey Manaj: Inter Milan told they've signed 'new Ibrahimovic'". Tribal Football. Retrieved 14 November 2015.
  23. ↑ Rey Manaj profile at Soccerway
  24. ↑ Rey Manaj at National-Football-Teams.com

External links

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