Casper Højer Nielsen (born 20 November 1994) is a Danish professional footballer who plays as a left-back for Turkish Süper Lig club Çaykur Rizespor.
| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | Casper Højer Nielsen | ||
| Date of birth | 20 November 1994 | ||
| Place of birth | Copenhagen, Denmark | ||
| Height | 1.83 m (6 ft 0 in) | ||
| Position(s) | Left-back | ||
| Team information | |||
Current team | Çaykur Rizespor | ||
| Number | 5 | ||
| Youth career | |||
| 2002–2006 | Skjold[1] | ||
| 2006–2012 | KB[1] | ||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
| 2012–2014 | Copenhagen | 0 | (0) |
| 2013–2014 | → Brønshøj (loan) | 25 | (0) |
| 2014–2018 | Lyngby | 50 | (2) |
| 2018–2021 | AGF | 111 | (11) |
| 2021–2023 | Sparta Prague | 32 | (2) |
| 2023– | Çaykur Rizespor | 25 | (1) |
| International career | |||
| 2011–2012 | Denmark U18 | 9 | (3) |
| 2012–2013 | Denmark U19 | 6 | (1) |
| *Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 13:23, 21 April 2024 (UTC) | |||
A product of FC Copenhagen's youth academy, Højer failed to break through and mainly played at the lower levels for Brønshøj and Lyngby early on. He moved to AGF in 2018, where he excelled and earned a move to Czech club Sparta Prague in 2021. After two seasons, he joined newly promoted Süper Lig club Çaykur Rizespor.
Højer has been capped 15 times for the Denmark national under-18 and under-19 teams, respectively.[2]
Club career edit
Early years edit
Højer Nielsen, whose father Lars had played professional football himself for B 1903 and their successor club FC Copenhagen, among others, was trained in the academy of FC Copenhagen.[3] In July 2013, he sent on loan within the city to the second-tier Danish 1st Division club Brønshøj Boldklub from the Brønshøj district to player under head coach Bo Henriksen.[4] On 28 July 2013, he played his first senior game in the 4–1 defeat away against Silkeborg IF.[5] At Brønshøj, he was utilised regularly and after a year he moved to Brønshøj's second division competitor Lyngby Boldklub from Lyngby-Taarbæk Municipality in the urban area of Copenhagen.[6] Whereas he would play most games during his first season, Højer Nielsen only appeared in nine games in his second year at Lyngby.[7] Nevertheless, he promoted with the club in the Danish Superliga.[8]
AGF edit
Having not played a lot in his first season in the Superliga with Lyngby either, and the situation would not improve in his second year where Lyngby had qualified for the UEFA Europa League, he signed with AGF in the winter transfer window of the 2017–18 season. Originally, he was supposed to move to the Aarhus-based club on a three-year deal in the summer of 2018,[9] but the clubs eventually reached an agreement to send him to his new club in February 2018.[10][11] There, Højer Nielsen fought for a regular place and helped secure the club's survival in the Superliga relegation round. On 16 September 2018, he scored his first goal for the club in the 2–3 away win over AC Horsens to win the game.[12] In the following season, 2019–20, Højer Nielsen was a regular starter at the left-back position.[13]
Sparta Prague edit
On 9 May 2021, it was announced that Højer Nielsen had signed with Czech First League club Sparta Prague for an undisclosed fee, reported to be €700,000.[14] His contract with AGF had been set to expire in December 2021.[15]
Çaykur Rizespor edit
On 10 September 2023, Højer Nielsen signed a three-year contract with Turkish club Çaykur Rizespor.[16]
International career edit
Højer Nielsen played nine games for the national under-18 team from 2011 to 2012, in which he scored three goals. He would then play at the side of, among others, Yussuf Poulsen for the under-19 team a year later, where he gained six caps and scored one goal.[17]
Personal life edit
He is the son of former professional football player Lars Højer Nielsen.[3]
Career statistics edit
- As of match played 21 April 2024
| Club | Season | League | Cup | Continental | Other | Total | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Division | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | ||
| Copenhagen | 2012–13 | Danish Superliga | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | 0 | 0 | |
| Brønshøj (loan) | 2013–14 | Danish 1st Division | 25 | 0 | 2 | 0 | — | — | 27 | 0 | ||
| Lyngby | 2014–15 | Danish 1st Division | 24 | 0 | 1 | 0 | — | — | 25 | 0 | ||
| 2015–16 | Danish 1st Division | 9 | 1 | 4 | 1 | — | — | 13 | 2 | |||
| 2016–17 | Danish Superliga | 9 | 0 | 2 | 0 | — | — | 11 | 0 | |||
| 2017–18 | Danish Superliga | 8 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | — | 10 | 1 | ||
| Total | 50 | 2 | 8 | 1 | 1 | 0 | — | 59 | 3 | |||
| AGF | 2017–18 | Danish Superliga | 16 | 0 | — | — | — | 16 | 0 | |||
| 2018–19 | Danish Superliga | 31 | 4 | 2 | 0 | — | — | 33 | 4 | |||
| 2019–20 | Danish Superliga | 35 | 4 | 2 | 0 | — | — | 37 | 4 | |||
| 2020–21 | Danish Superliga | 28 | 3 | 4 | 0 | 2 | 0 | — | 34 | 3 | ||
| Total | 111 | 11 | 8 | 0 | 2 | 0 | — | 121 | 11 | |||
| Sparta Prague | 2021–22 | Czech First League | 11 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 0 | — | 15 | 0 | |
| 2022–23 | Czech First League | 21 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | 23 | 2 | ||
| Total | 32 | 2 | 4 | 0 | 2 | 0 | — | 38 | 2 | |||
| Çaykur Rizespor | 2023–24 | Süper Lig | 24 | 1 | 0 | 0 | — | — | 24 | 1 | ||
| Career total | 242 | 16 | 22 | 1 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 269 | 17 | ||
Honours edit
Club edit
Sparta Prague
References edit
- ^ a b Bagge, Peter; Thorsen, Gisle (19 July 2020). "Før topbrag: FCK er ikke længere min drøm". ekstrabladet.dk. Ekstra Bladet. Retrieved 21 August 2020.
- ^ "Casper Højer Nielsen - DBU". www.dbu.dk. Danish FA. Retrieved 21 August 2020.
- ^ a b Skipper, Kasper Wilkenschildt (16 November 2018). "AGF'er ville ud af fars skygge: - Har sgu ikke altid været nemt". TV2 ØSTJYLLAND (in Danish).
- ^ Helmin, Jesper (10 July 2013). "FCK udlejer Højer Nielsen". bold.dk (in Danish).
- ^ Casper Højer at Soccerway. Retrieved 15 October 2016.
- ^ Anker-Møller, Kristian (24 June 2014). "Lyngby henter Casper Højer i FCK". bold.dk (in Danish).
- ^ "Casper Højer Nielsen » Club matches". worldfootball.net. Retrieved 30 May 2021.
- ^ "Her jubler Lyngby-spillerne over Superligaoprykning - TV 2". sport.tv2.dk (in Danish). 8 May 2016.
- ^ Nøhr, Mikkel (16 January 2018). "AGF henter Lyngby-back til sommer". bold.dk (in Danish).
- ^ Karlsen, Nanna Møller (9 February 2018). "Casper Højer på plads i AGF". bold.dk (in Danish).
- ^ Rygaard og tre andre forlader Lyngby‚ bold.dk, 7 February 2018
- ^ "AC Horsens - Aarhus GF 3:2 (Superliga 2018/2019, 9. Round)". worldfootball.net. Retrieved 30 May 2021.
- ^ "Casper Højer Nielsen » Superliga 2019/2020". worldfootball.net. Retrieved 30 May 2021.
- ^ Christensen, Troels (9 May 2021). "AGF-stjerne solgt til Sparta Prag". ekstrabladet.dk (in Danish).
- ^ Kokborg, Johnny Wojciech; Davidsen, Michel Wikkelsø (9 May 2021). "B.T. afslører: AGF tæt på salg af Casper Højer" (in Danish).
- ^ Šťastný, Pavel (10 September 2023). "Sparta hlásí odchody: Höjer a Minčev do Turecka, podpisy na tři roky" [Sparta reports departures: Höjer and Minčev to Turkey, signing for three years]. Blesk (in Czech). Czech News Center.
- ^ "Landsholdsdatabasen - Casper Højer Nielsen". DBU (in Danish). Retrieved 30 May 2021.
- ^ "Sparta v euforii! Remíza na Slovácku odstartovala mistrovské oslavy". Sport.cz (in Czech). Czech News Agency. 23 May 2023. Retrieved 23 May 2023.