Jesse Sekidika

Jesse Sekidika

Personal information
Full name	Jesse Tamunobaraboye Sekidika [1]
Date of birth	(1996-07-14) 14 July 1996 (age 28)
Place of birth	Port Harcourt, Nigeria
Height	1.76 m (5 ft 9 in)
Position(s)	Winger
Team information
Current team	Sabah
Number	70
Youth career
2014	Oeiras
2014–2015	Benfica
Senior career*
Years	Team	Apps	(Gls)
2016–2018	Napredak Kruševac	47	(7)
2018–2019	Eskişehirspor	29	(14)
2020–2022	Galatasaray	12	(1)
2021	→ Konyaspor (loan)	19	(1)
2021	→ OH Leuven (loan)	2	(1)
2022	→ Eyüpspor (loan)	15	(1)
2022–2023	Eyüpspor	9	(1)
2023	→ Ümraniyespor (loan)	13	(1)
2023–	Sabah	31	(5)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 26 May 2024

Jesse Tamunobaraboye Sekidika (born 14 July 1996) is a Nigerian footballer who plays as a winger for Sabah in the Azerbaijan Premier League.

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. ^[2] 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. ^[2] 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. ^[2]

Portugal

In August 2014, Sekidika left UK and moved to Portugal where he joined the youth team of 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. ^[2] At Oeiras, he played the first half of 2014–15 season. ^[3] 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. ^[2] During last days of the 2014–15 winter-break, he signed with Benfica's youth team. ^[4] He was part of the Benfica squad that played in the 2014–15 UEFA Youth League in which Benfica reached the quarter-finals. ^[5] At league level, he made six appearances and scored once for Benfica in the second-half of the 2014–15 First Portuguese youth league. ^[6]

Club career

Napredak Kruševac

In June 2015, his contract with Benfica expired. ^[7] 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. ^[8]

Inconsistencies at management positions and an uncertain starting line-up, left Napredak 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. ^[8]

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. ^[9] 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. ^[10] 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". ^[11]

His contract was terminated by Galatasaray on 15 August 2022. ^[12]

Konyaspor

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

OH Leuven

On 27 August 2021, Galatasaray announced that the 25-year-old football player was loaned to Oud-Heverlee Leuven, one of the Belgian First Division A teams, until the end of the season. ^{[13] [14]}

Eyüpspor

On 1 February 2022, Sekidika was loaned out to 1.Lig club Eyüpspor, until the end of the season. ^[15]

Career statistics

Club

As of 1 June 2017 ^[8]

Club	Season	League			Cup		Continental		Other		Total
		Division	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals
Napredak Kruševac	2015–16	First League	5	4	—		—		—		5	4
	2016–17	SuperLiga	11	0	1	0	—		—		12	0
	2017–18	SuperLiga	28	3	2	0	—		—		30	3
Total			44	7	3	0	—		—		47	7

Honours

Napredak Kruševac

• Serbian First League: 2015–16 ^[8]

References

1. Jesse Sekidika at the Turkish Football Federation
2. 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
3. Jesse Sekidika at zerozero.pt
4. JESSE SEKIDIKA ASSINA PELAS ÁGUIAS (Jesse Sekidika signs for the Eagles) at Record online edition, 4-2-2015, retrieved 18-10-2016 (in Portuguese)
5. Jesse Sekidika at UEFA.com
6. Jesse Sekidika at foradejogo.net
7. Marítimo interessado em Jesse Sekidika at sabado.pt, 5-6-2015, retrieved 18-10-2016 (in Portuguese)
8. Jesse Sekidika at Soccerway
9. NAPREDAK: ADVERSÁRIO SÉRVIO TEM UM JOGADOR COM LIGAÇÃO À LUZ at Record, 10-7-2018 (in Portuguese)
10. "Galatasaray signs Jesse Sekidika!".
11. "Jesse Sekidika: Bu daha başlangıç!". Fanatik.
12. "Profesyonel futbolcumuz Jesse Tamunobaraboye Sekidika'nın sözleşme feshi hakkında". Galatasaray S.K. August 15, 2022. Retrieved August 16, 2022.
13. "Galatasaray, Jesse Sekidika'yı Belçika'ya kiraladı". www.ntvspor.net. Retrieved 27 August 2021.
14. "Jesse Tamunobaraboye Sekidika'nın geçici transferi hakkında". Galatasaray S.K. Retrieved 27 August 2021.
15. "Galatasaraylı Jesse Sekidika, Eyüpspor'a kiralandı". www.cumhuriyet.com.tr. Retrieved 2022-02-01.

External links

• Jesse Sekidika – UEFA competition record ( archive )
• Jesse Sekidika at Soccerway
• Jesse Sekdika profile at FK Napredak Kruševac official website (in Serbian)