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Aboubakary Yeli Koïta (born 20 September 1998) is a professional footballer who plays as a winger for Greek Super League club AEK Athens. Born in Senegal into a family of Mauritanian origin, he plays for the Mauritania national team.
| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | Aboubakary Yeli Koïta | ||
| Date of birth | 20 September 1998 | ||
| Place of birth | Pikine, Senegal[1] | ||
| Height | 1.75 m (5 ft 9 in) | ||
| Position(s) | Winger | ||
| Team information | |||
Current team | AEK Athens | ||
| Number | 11 | ||
| Youth career | |||
| 2011–2012 | FC Merksem | ||
| 2012–2014 | Lyra-Lierse Berlaar | ||
| 2014–2016 | ASV Geel | ||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
| 2016–2017 | ASV Geel | 31 | (5) |
| 2017–2019 | Gent | 7 | (0) |
| 2019 | → Kortrijk (loan) | 16 | (2) |
| 2019–2021 | Waasland-Beveren | 50 | (9) |
| 2021–2024 | Sint-Truiden | 90 | (18) |
| 2024– | AEK Athens | 9 | (2) |
| International career‡ | |||
| 2023– | Mauritania | 14 | (2) |
|
*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 9 November 2024 ‡ National team caps and goals, correct as of 15 November 2024 | |||
Koïta began playing his football career at the youth academy of FC Merksem at the age of 13, and quickly moved to the academies of Lyra and Geel where he broke into the first team.[2]
On 9 June 2017, Koïta signed a professional contract with Gent, keeping him at the club for 2 seasons.[3] Koita made his professional debut with Gent in a 1–0 Belgian First Division A win over Anderlecht on 13 May 2018.[4]
On 19 July 2019, he signed a 4-year contract with Waasland-Beveren. Under coach Nicky Hayen, Koita scored some important goals, often from outside the penalty area, which earned Waasland-Beveren important points in the battle against relegation. However, his good performances proved not to be enough to keep the club in the top division, Waasland-Beveren was relegated after losing in the relegation matches against RFC Seraing.[5]
On 19 June 2021, he joined Sint-Truiden. He made his debut in the starting lineup on the first matchday of the 2021–22 season in the league match against KAA Gent.[6]
AEK Athens
On 9 July 2024, AEK Athens reached an agreement with Sint-Truiden for the transfer of Koita to the former for a fee around €4 million and a 10% resale rate. [7] Four days later, the greek club officially announced the acquisition of the 25-year old winger until the summer of 2029. [8]
Koïta was born in Senegal to a Mauritanian-Malian father and Senegalese mother, and moved to Belgium at a young age.[9] In October 2023, he opted to play for the Mauritania national team.[10]
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