Samson Tijani

Samson Tijani
Tijani in 2022
Personal information
Full name Samson Okikiola Tijani[1]
Date of birth (2002-05-17) 17 May 2002 (age 22)[1]
Place of birth Enugu, Nigeria
Height 1.75 m (5 ft 9 in)[2]
Position(s) Midfielder
Team information
Current team
 Fredrikstad
(on loan from Red Bull Salzburg)
Number 44
Youth career
–2020 Collins Edwin Sports Club
2019–2020 → FDC Vista Gelendzhik (loan)
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2020– Red Bull Salzburg 3 (0)
2020–2021 → TSV Hartberg (loan) 18 (0)
2021–2022 → FC Liefering (loan) 16 (0)
2023–2024 → Wolfsberger AC (loan) 26 (1)
2024– → Fredrikstad (loan) 3 (0)
International career‡
2019 Nigeria U17 9 (2)
2020– Nigeria 1 (0)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 30 September 2024
‡ National team caps and goals, correct as of 31 December 2022

Samson Okikiola Tijani (born 17 May 2002) is a Nigerian professional footballer who plays as a midfielder for Eliteserien club Fredrikstad, on loan from Austrian Bundesliga club Red Bull Salzburg. He also represents the Nigeria national team.

Club career

Red Bull Salzburg

Tijani began his career with Collins Edwin Sports Club before signing with Austrian Bundesliga side Red Bull Salzburg on 17 July 2020. [3]

In the 2021–22 winter break, Tijani was promoted to Red Bull Salzburg's main squad.[4] On 6 February 2022, Tijani made his professional debut for the club in the Cup match against LASK. He came in in the 89th minute for Nicolas Capaldo in a 3–1 win.[5][6]

In the match played with Austria Wien on July 22, 2022, fractures occurred in his tibia and lower muscle, and he had to leave the game.[7]

Loan to TSV Hartberg

A month later, on 14 August, Tijani was loaned out to TSV Hartberg for the season.[8] He made his competitive debut for the club on 30 August against Dornbirner SV in the Austrian Cup. He started and played the full match as Hartberg won 7–0.[9][10][11] On 12 September 2020, Tijani made his professional debut for the club in the league against Rheindorf Altach. He started and played 71 minutes in a 1–1 draw.[12] He had a successful performance in the 18 games he played there, but did not contribute any goals or assists.

Loan to FC Liefering

On 1 July 2021 Tijani was loaned out to FC Liefering on a season long loan.

Loan to Wolfsberger AC

On 23 August 2023, Tijani joined Wolfsberger AC on a season-long loan deal.[13]

Loan to Fredrikstad

On 3 September 2024, he joined Norwegian Eliteserien club Fredrikstad, on loan until the end of the year.[14]

International career

Tijani was part of the Nigeria side to compete in the Africa U-17 Cup of Nations, Where they came 4th and qualified for the 2019 FIFA U-17 World Cup.[3] During his team's opening match against Hungary, Tijani scored a brace as Nigeria U17 won 4–2.[15] Tijani made his debut with the senior Nigeria national team in a friendly 1-0 loss to Algeria on 9 October 2020.[16]

Career statistics

Club

As of match played 30 December 2022[17]
Appearances and goals by club, season and competition
Club Season League Cup Other Total
Division Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals
TSV Hartberg (loan) 2020–21 Austrian Bundesliga 14 0 3 0 1 0 18 0
FC Liefering (loan) 2021–22 2. Liga 16 0 0 0 0 0 16 0
Red Bull Salzburg 2021–22 Austrian Bundesliga 3 0 1 0 1 0 5 0
Red Bull Salzburg 2022–23 Austrian Bundesliga 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
Career total 33 0 4 0 1 0 39 0

Honours

Fredrikstad

References

  1. ^ a b "FIFA U-17 World Cup Brazil - List of Players" (PDF). fifadata.com. FIFA. p. 18. Archived from the original (PDF) on 27 December 2019. Retrieved 27 December 2019.
  2. ^ "Samson Tijani". FC Red Bull Salzburg. Retrieved 30 August 2022.
  3. ^ a b "Red Bull Salzburg celebrate signing teen sensation Samson Okikiola Tijani". Red Bull. 17 July 2020. Retrieved 2 October 2020.
  4. ^ ""THAT'S THE REASON I LOVE IT HERE"" (Press release). FC Red Bull Salzburg. 9 February 2022. Retrieved 11 February 2022.
  5. ^ "Wir stürmen ins Halbfinale!". Red Bull Salzburg.
  6. ^ "Samson Tijani hat ein Ticket". Kicker.
  7. ^ "Salzburg's Samson Tijani out for Months after Severe Fracture". footballlive.
  8. ^ Oludare, Shina (14 August 2020). "FC Red Bull Salzburg midfielder Tijani loaned to TSV Hartberg". Goal.com. Retrieved 2 October 2020.
  9. ^ "Dornbirner 0–7 Hartberg". Soccerway.
  10. ^ "Samson Tijani makes Champions League debut as RB Salzburg suffer Bayern Munich obliteration". Goal.
  11. ^ "Salzburgs Tijani bei Testspiel schwer verletzt". Sky Sports Austria.
  12. ^ "Rheindorf Altach 1–1 Hartberg". Soccerway.
  13. ^ "Neuer Mittelfeldspieler im Wolfsrudel" [New midfielder in the wolf pack]. rzpelletswac.at (in German). 23 August 2023. Retrieved 23 August 2023.
  14. ^ https://www.redbullsalzburg.at/en/recent/news/samson-tijani-wechselt-zu-fredrikstad
  15. ^ "Nigeria U17 4–2 Hungary U17". Soccerway.
  16. ^ "Nigeria vs. Algeria - 9 October 2020 - Soccerway". uk.soccerway.com.
  17. ^ Samson Tijani at Soccerway