Alhaji Gero

Alhaji Gero

Gero playing for Esteghlal in 2018
Personal information
Full name	Salisu Abdullahi Gero [1]
Date of birth	(1993-10-10) 10 October 1993 (age 31)
Place of birth	Kano State, Nigeria
Height	1.89 m (6 ft 2 in)
Position(s)	Forward
Team information
Current team	Barito Putera
Number	9
Youth career
2009–2010	El-Kanemi Warriors
Senior career*
Years	Team	Apps	(Gls)
2010–2011	Lobi Stars
2012	Kaduna United	14	(0)
2012–2013	Enugu Rangers
2013–2014	Östers IF	36	(9)
2015–2016	Viborg FF	23	(1)
2016–2018	Östersunds FK	55	(6)
2018	Esteghlal	8	(1)
2019	Östersunds FK	13	(1)
2019–2021	Helsingborgs IF	33	(4)
2022	FF Jaro	10	(6)
2023	TPS	25	(9)
2024–	Barito Putera	7	(0)
International career
2012–2013	Nigeria U20	16	(6)
2013	Nigeria	1	(0)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 1 November 2024

Salisu Abdullahi "Alhaji" Gero (born 10 October 1993) is a Nigerian professional footballer who plays as a forward for Liga 1 club Barito Putera.

Club career

Early years

Gero playing his first U21 game for Östers IF against Kalmar FF

Gero started out playing football in the streets of Kano before signing his first professional contract with El-Kanemi Warriors at age sixteen. The next year he moved on to Lobi Stars. ^[2] During the midseason transfer window in April 2012, Gero moved to Enugu Rangers from Kaduna United and scored instantly on his debut in against Akwa United ^[3] which helped his team to a valuable 1–1 draw that kept them in touching distance of winning the 2012 Nigeria Premier League. ^[4]

In August 2013, Gero signed a contract with Östers IF, a team relegated to the Superettan for the 2014 season (the 2nd highest league in Sweden). ^[5]

In December 2014, Danish club Viborg FF announced that they signed Alhaji on a free transfer. ^[6] He played 15 matches and scored 1 goal in his first season.

On 16 January 2016, Viborg FF and Gero agreed to terminate the contract after minimal playing time.

Östersunds

Gero signed with Östersunds FK on 18 January 2016. ^[7] On 14 September 2017, he scored his first goal in a European competition against Zorya Luhansk. ^[8]

Esteghlal

On 8 August 2018, Gero signed for Iranian team Esteghlal on a three-year contract. ^[9] He was given the number 9 shirt, the same jersey number he used to wear at Östersunds FK. ^[10]

Gero made his debut his debut on 10 August 2018 as a second-half substitute for Voria Ghafouri in a 3–0 League victory against Tractor Sazi. ^[11] He scored his first goal for the club in Hazfi Cup round of 16 against Saipa, a penalty in a match that finished 2–2 after 120 minutes but lost the match 1–3 in penalty shoot-out eventually. ^[12] On 16 December, his contract with Esteghlal was terminated by mutual agreement, having spent only four months with the club and failing to score any goals in the league. ^{[13] [14]}

Return to Sweden

On 25 February 2019, Östersunds re-signed Gero. ^[15] On 9 July 2019, however, he signed a two-year contract with recently promoted club Helsingborgs IF. ^[16]

Move to Finland

On 13 August 2022, Gero joined Finnish club Jaro, signing a contract until the end of the season. ^[17] On 8 March 2023, Gero signed a one-year contract with TPS in Finland. ^[18]

International career

Gero made his debut for the Nigeria national under-20 team at the 8 nation tournament in South Africa. He scored two goals on his competitive debut for the U20 team in their 2–1 away win against Tanzania at the 2013 African U-20 Championship qualification. ^[19] He scored again on the return leg of the same fixture which Nigeria has now won 4–1 on aggregate. ^[20] Gero also played for the U20 team in the 2013 FIFA U-20 World Cup. ^[21]

At the same year 2013, he was called up for the Nigeria national team that played against the Ivory Coast national team ^[22] for the 2014 African Nations Championship qualification. ^[23]

Personal life

Gero's younger brother Ahmad is also a professional football player. ^[24]

Career statistics

Club

As of 1 November 2024 ^[25]

Appearances and goals by club, season and competition

Club	Season	League			National Cup		Continental1		Other2		Total
		Division	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals
Öster	2013	Allsvenskan	10	1	1	0	—		—		11	1
	2014	Superettan	26	8	4	0	—		2	0	32	8
	Total		36	9	5	0	0	0	2	0	43	9
Viborg	2014–15	Danish 1st Division	15	1	0	0	—		—		15	1
	2015–16	Danish Superliga	8	0	2	2	—		—		10	2
	Total		23	1	2	2	0	0	0	0	25	3
Östersund	2016	Allsvenskan	22	3	4	2	—		—		26	5
	2017	Allsvenskan	24	2	5	1	11	2	—		40	5
	2018	Allsvenskan	9	1	2	1	1	0	—		12	2
	Total		55	6	11	4	12	2	0	0	78	12
Esteghlal	2018–19	Persian Gulf Pro League	8	1	2	1	1	0	—		11	2
Östersund	2019	Allsvenskan	13	1	0	0	—		—		13	1
Helsingborg	2019	Allsvenskan	13	3	1	0	—		—		14	3
	2020	Allsvenskan	17	1	3	2	—		—		20	3
	2021	Superettan	3	0	0	0	—		—		3	0
	Total		33	4	4	2	0	0	0	0	37	6
Jaro	2022	Ykkönen	10	6	0	0	—		—		10	6
TPS	2023	Ykkönen	25	9	0	0	—		—		25	9
Barito Putera	2024–25	Liga 1	7	0	0	0	—		—		7	0
Career total			209	37	24	9	13	2	2	0	248	48

¹Includes Europa League and AFC Champions League matches.
²Includes appearance(s) in Superettan Relegation play-offs.

Honours

Viborg

• Danish 1st Division: 2014–15

Östersunds

• Svenska Cupen: 2016–17

References

1. "FIFA U-20 World Cup Turkey 2013 List of Players: Nigeria" (PDF). FIFA.com. Fédération Internationale de Football Association. 23 June 2013. p. 17. Archived from the original (PDF) on 27 June 2013.
2. "I will move from Enugu Rangers to Europe - Alhaji Gero". Weekly Trust. Archived from the original on 14 August 2013. Retrieved 19 November 2013.
3. "Alhaji Gero excited with his first goal for Enugu Rangers". Goal.com. Retrieved 24 September 2012.
4. "NPL Star of the Week: Alhaji Gero". MTNFootball. Archived from the original on 6 February 2016. Retrieved 24 September 2012.
5. "Rangers' Alhaji Gero joins Swedish side Osters IF". Goal.com. 10 August 2013. Retrieved 6 February 2016.
6. Audu, Sammy (19 December 2014). "Alhaji Gero vows to 'shake' Europe after Viborg switch". African Football. Retrieved 12 October 2023.
7. Kasseret VFF’er fortsætter i Allsvenskan, bold.dk, 18 January 2016
8. "Europa League Group Stage - Group J". Uefa.com. 14 September 2017. Retrieved 14 January 2019.
9. "گرو هم استقلالی شد" [Gero is also and Esteghlal player]. Esteghlal. 8 August 2018. Archived from the original on 5 May 2019. Retrieved 8 August 2018.
10. "شماره فصل گذشته علی قربانی به مهاجم جدید رسید؛ الحاجی گرو شماره 9 استقلال را بر تن می‌کند" [Gero will wear the number 9 shirt at Esteghlal]. Esteghlal. 9 August 2018. Retrieved 12 August 2018.
11. "استقلال 3-0 تراکتورسازی؛ پیروزی قاطع ارتش شفر در جنگ ستارگان!" (in Persian). Tarafdari. 10 August 2018. Retrieved 12 August 2018.
12. "استقلال 2(3)- سایپا2(5)؛ معجزه دایی با تیم ده نفره". Varzesh 3. 1 November 2018. Retrieved 6 November 2018.
13. "دو بازیکن خارجی استقلال قرارداد خود را فسخ کردند" [Both foreign players of Esteghlal terminated their contracts]. Esteghlal. 16 December 2018. Archived from the original on 24 April 2019. Retrieved 16 December 2018.
14. "واکنش باشگاه استقلال به یک ادعا" [The club's response to a claim]. Esteghlal. Archived from the original on 16 April 2019. Retrieved 14 January 2019.
15. "ALHAJI GERO KLAR FÖR ÖFK – ANSLUTER OMGÅENDE TILL KLUBBEN". Östersunds FK. 25 February 2019. Retrieved 27 February 2019.
16. "ALHAJI GERO KLAR FÖR HIF". Östersunds FK. 9 July 2019. Archived from the original on 10 July 2019. Retrieved 10 July 2019.
17. "Nigerialainen hyökkääjä liittyy Jaron vahvuuteen". www.ffjaro.fi (in Finnish). 13 August 2022. Retrieved 12 October 2023.
18. "HYÖKKÄÄJÄ ALHAJI GERO TUO MAALINTEKOVOIMAA TPS:ÄÄN – "SAATIIN HUIPPUVAHVISTUS"" [STRIKER ALHAJI GERO BRINGS SCORING POWER TO TPS - "TOP REINFORCEMENT RECEIVED"] (in Finnish). TPS. 8 March 2023. Retrieved 30 March 2023.
19. "Obuh confident after Tanzania win - News". Kick Off. 30 July 2012. Archived from the original on 21 February 2014. Retrieved 13 August 2012.
20. "Flying Eagles 2-0 Tanzania: Ajagun and Gero strike to give the U-20 side victory". Goal.com. Retrieved 13 August 2012.
21. "Nigeria name squad for 2013 FIFA U20 World Cup". 8 June 2013. Archived from the original on 2 June 2016. Retrieved 19 April 2016.
22. "Alhaji Gero happy with invitation to Super Eagles". Goal.com. Retrieved 19 November 2013.
23. "Ivory Coast - Nigeria 2:0 (Friendlies 2013, July)".
24. "Alhaji Gero's Younger Brother Joins Swedish Club Jonkopings Sodra:: All Nigeria Soccer".
25. "Nigeria - A. GERO - Profile with news, career statistics and history - Soccerway".

External links

• Salisu Abdullahi Gero at the Swedish Football Association (in Swedish)
• Alhaji Gero at Elite Football (archive)