Anderson Esiti

Anderson Esiti
	Esiti with Gent
Personal information
Date of birth	24 May 1994 (age 30)
Place of birth	Warri, Nigeria
Height	1.89 m (6 ft 2 in)
Position(s)	Midfielder
Team information
Current team	Zalaegerszeg
Youth career
2013–2014	Leixões
Senior career*
Years	Team
2012–2014	Leixões
2014–2016	Estoril
2016–2019	Gent
2019–2022	PAOK
2021	→ Göztepe (loan)
2022–2024	Ferencváros
2025–	Zalaegerszeg
International career‡
2015–	Nigeria
	*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 20 December 2023; ‡ National team caps and goals, correct as of 9 October 2019

Anderson Esiti (born 24 May 1994) is a Nigerian professional footballer who plays as a midfielder for Hungarian NB I club Zalaegerszegi TE and the Nigeria national team.^[1]

Club career

Born on 24 May 1994, in Warri, Esiti took his first steps in Football Academy Bobbies United. In 2012 he made his trip to Europe to join Leixões. After a few games with the second-string team, he was promoted to the senior side of the club, and played 45 matches. His overall performance caught the eye of José Mário Branco, technical director of Estoril at the time and they signed him. He fit right at in his new team. He remained there for two seasons, featuring in 57 appearances. He established himself as one of the leading midfielders in the league and attracted interest from various clubs around Europe. Eventually he signed with Gent making a total of 95 appearances in all competitions.^[2]

On 25 July 2019, PAOK confirmed the arrival of Esiti, who signed a four-year contract with the club. The transfer fee paid to Gent was €3.5 million. He was to fill a gap in defensive midfield for PAOK as the midfielders Jose Canas and Yevhen Shakhov, key members of the PAOK squad, had already left the club this summer. In the 2018–19 season, Esiti made 30 appearances for Gent across all competitions.^[3]^[4]

In his first match with PAOK after his return from the loan to Göztepe, in a friendly match against Volos, Esiti scored his first goal for PAOK.^[5]

Ferencváros

In February 2022, Esiti moved to Hungarian club Ferencváros. PAOK retained a percentage in their rights in the event of a resale.^[6]^[7]

On 5 May 2023, he won the 2022–23 Nemzeti Bajnokság I with Ferencváros, after Kecskemét lost 1–0 to Honvéd at the Bozsik Aréna on the 30th matchday.^[8]^[9]

On 20 April 2024, the Ferencváros–Kisvárda tie ended with a goalless draw at the Groupama Aréna on the 29th match day of the 2023–24 Nemzeti Bajnokság I season^[10] which meant that Ferencváros won their 35th championship.^[11]^[12]

On 15 May 2024, Ferencváros were defeated by Paks 2–0 in the 2024 Magyar Kupa Final at the Puskás Aréna.^[13]^[14]

Zalaegerszeg

In 9 January 2025, Esiti moved from Hungarian club Ferencváros to Zalaegerszeg.^[15]^[16]

Career statistics

Club

As of 15 September 2023

Appearances and goals by club, season and competition
Club	Season	League			National cup^[a]		League cup^[b]		Continental		Other		Total
Club	Season	Division	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals
Leixões	2013–14	LigaPro	36	0	3	0	7	0	—		—		46	0
Estoril	2014–15	Primeira Liga	17	0	1	0	3	0	5^[c]	0	—		26	0
	2015–16		25	0	3	0	1	0	—		—		29	0
	2016–17		2	0	—		—		—		—		2	0
	Total		44	0	4	0	4	0	5	0	—		57	0
Gent	2016–17	Belgian First Division A	25	0	2	0	—		8^[c]	0	—		35	0
	2017–18		26	0	3	0	—		1^[c]	0	—		30	0
	2018–19		26	0	4	0	—		0	0	—		30	0
	Total		77	0	9	0	—		9	0	—		95	0
PAOK	2019–20	Superleague Greece	21	0	4	0	—		4^[d]	0	—		29	0
	2020–21		9	0	0	0	—		4^[d]	0	—		13	0
	2021–22		11	0	1	0	—		8^[e]	0	—		20	0
	Total		41	0	5	0	—		16	0	—		62	0
Göztepe (loan)	2020–21	Süper Lig	20	1	0	0	—		—		—		20	1
Ferencváros	2021–22	Nemzeti Bajnokság I	9	1	3	0	—		0	0	—		12	1
	2022–23		21	1	1	0	—		13^[f]	0	—		35	1
	2023–24		2	0	0	0	—		4	0	—		6	0
	Total		32	2	4	0	—		17	0	—		53	2
Career total			250	3	25	0	11	0	47	0	0	0	333	3

^ Includes Taça de Portugal, Belgian Cup, Greek Football Cup, Magyar Kupa
^ Includes Taça da Liga
^ ^a ^b ^c Appearance(s) in UEFA Europa League
^ ^a ^b Two appearances in UEFA Champions League, two appearances in UEFA Europa League
^ Appearance(s) in UEFA Conference League
^ Six appearances in UEFA Champions League, seven appearances in UEFA Europa League

Honours

Ferencvárosi TC

PAOK

Greek Football Cup: 2020–21^{[citation needed]}

References

^ "Profile of Anderson Esiti". Archived from the original on 20 April 2014. Retrieved 19 April 2014.
^ "Παίκτης του Δικεφάλου ο Εσίτι". 25 July 2019.
^ "Ανακοίνωσε Εσίτι ο ΠΑΟΚ". 25 July 2019.
^ "Anderson Esiti joins Greek Champions PAOK Saloniki". 25 July 2019.
^ "Εσίτι: "Χαρούμενος που είμαι πίσω και για το πρώτο μου γκολ"" [Esiti: "I am happy to be back and I am happy for my first goal"]. www.sport-fm.gr (in Greek). 9 July 2021. Retrieved 9 July 2021.
^ "Fradi: Görögországból is jöhet egy új igazolás, középpályásról tárgyalnak". 8 February 2022.
^ "ΠΑΟΚ: Αποχαιρετά ο Εσίτι!". 12 February 2022.
^ nemzetisport.hu (5 May 2023). "NB I: a Ferencváros megszerezte 34. bajnoki címét - NSO". NSO.hu (in Hungarian). Retrieved 6 May 2023.
^ "Summary - NB I - Hungary - Results, fixtures, tables and news - Soccerway". int.soccerway.com. Retrieved 6 May 2023.
^ "Ferencváros vs. Kisvárda - 20 April 2024 - Soccerway". int.soccerway.com. Retrieved 4 May 2024.
^ "Klubrekord! Sorozatban hatodszor bajnok a Ferencváros". Nemzeti Sport (in Hungarian). 20 April 2024. Retrieved 4 May 2024.
^ "Ferencváros crowned Hungarian champions for sixth year in a row". 20 April 2024.
^ FC, PAKSI (15 May 2024). "KUPAGYŐZTESEK LETTÜNK!". paksifc.hu (in Hungarian). Retrieved 17 May 2024.
^ "Defeat in the MOL Hungarian Cup final". www.fradi.hu. Retrieved 17 May 2024.
^ "Anderson Esiti ZTE színekben!" (in Hungarian). 9 January 2025.
^ "Anderson Esiti távozik" (in Hungarian). 9 January 2025.
^ "Összejött a duplázás: a bajnokság után a Magyar Kupa is a Ferencvárosé!". Nemzeti Sport. 11 May 2022.

External links

Anderson Esiti at WorldFootball.net
Anderson Esiti at PAOKFC.gr
Anderson Esiti at playmakerstats.com (English version of calciozz.it)
Anderson Esiti at Soccerway

[17] Includes Taça de Portugal, Belgian Cup, Greek Football Cup, Magyar Kupa

[18] Includes Taça da Liga

[UEL-19] Appearance(s) in UEFA Europa League

[a-20] Two appearances in UEFA Champions League, two appearances in UEFA Europa League

[21] Appearance(s) in UEFA Conference League

[22] Six appearances in UEFA Champions League, seven appearances in UEFA Europa League

[1] "Profile of Anderson Esiti". Archived from the original on 20 April 2014. Retrieved 19 April 2014.

[2] "Παίκτης του Δικεφάλου ο Εσίτι". 25 July 2019.

[3] "Ανακοίνωσε Εσίτι ο ΠΑΟΚ". 25 July 2019.

[4] "Anderson Esiti joins Greek Champions PAOK Saloniki". 25 July 2019.

[5] "Εσίτι: "Χαρούμενος που είμαι πίσω και για το πρώτο μου γκολ"" [Esiti: "I am happy to be back and I am happy for my first goal"]. www.sport-fm.gr (in Greek). 9 July 2021. Retrieved 9 July 2021.

[6] "Fradi: Görögországból is jöhet egy új igazolás, középpályásról tárgyalnak". 8 February 2022.

[7] "ΠΑΟΚ: Αποχαιρετά ο Εσίτι!". 12 February 2022.

[8] zetisport.hu (5 May 2023). "NB I: a Ferencváros megszerezte 34. bajnoki címét - NSO". NSO.hu (in Hungarian). Retrieved 6 May 2023.

[9] "Summary - NB I - Hungary - Results, fixtures, tables and news - Soccerway". int.soccerway.com. Retrieved 6 May 2023.

[10] "Ferencváros vs. Kisvárda - 20 April 2024 - Soccerway". int.soccerway.com. Retrieved 4 May 2024.

[11] "Klubrekord! Sorozatban hatodszor bajnok a Ferencváros". Nemzeti Sport (in Hungarian). 20 April 2024. Retrieved 4 May 2024.

[12] "Ferencváros crowned Hungarian champions for sixth year in a row". 20 April 2024.

[13] FC, PAKSI (15 May 2024). "KUPAGYŐZTESEK LETTÜNK!". paksifc.hu (in Hungarian). Retrieved 17 May 2024.

[14] "Defeat in the MOL Hungarian Cup final". www.fradi.hu. Retrieved 17 May 2024.

[15] "Anderson Esiti ZTE színekben!" (in Hungarian). 9 January 2025.

[16] "Anderson Esiti távozik" (in Hungarian). 9 January 2025.

[23] "Összejött a duplázás: a bajnokság után a Magyar Kupa is a Ferencvárosé!". Nemzeti Sport. 11 May 2022.

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