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Aaron Leya Iseka

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Aaron Leya Iseka
Leya Iseka with Metz in 2021
Personal information
Date of birth (1997-11-15) 15 November 1997 (age 27)
Place of birth Brussels, Belgium
Height 1.82 m (6 ft 0 in)
Position(s) Striker
Team information
Current team
 CSKA Sofia
Number 45
Youth career
2003–2004 RFC Evere
2004 Crossing Schaerbeek
2004–2014 Anderlecht
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2014–2018 Anderlecht 12 (0)
2016–2017 → Marseille (loan) 8 (0)
2016–2017 → Marseille B (loan) 14 (4)
2017–2018 → Zulte Waregem (loan) 24 (6)
2018–2021 Toulouse 52 (6)
2020 Toulouse B 2 (0)
2020–2021 → Metz (loan) 21 (4)
2021–2024 Barnsley 25 (3)
2022–2023 → Adanaspor (loan) 10 (2)
2023 → Tuzlaspor (loan) 11 (4)
2023–2024 → Hapoel Hadera (loan) 2 (1)
2024 OFI Crete 16 (5)
2024– CSKA Sofia 11 (0)
International career‡
2017–2019 Belgium U21 15 (4)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 17:57, 7 December 2024 (UTC)
‡ National team caps and goals, correct as of 22:08, 20 June 2019 (UTC)

Aaron Leya Iseka (born 15 November 1997) is a Belgian professional footballer who plays as a striker for Bulgarian First League club CSKA Sofia.

He made his professional debut at Anderlecht, and also represented Zulte Waregem in the Belgian Pro League. He featured for several years in the French Ligue 1 with Marseille, Toulouse and Metz, as well as having top-flight spells in Israel and Greece with OFI Crete, and playing second-tier football in England and Turkey.

Club career

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Anderlecht

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Leya Iseka is a youth exponent from Anderlecht. In the 2013–14 UEFA Youth League, aged 15 in an under-19 tournament, he scored four goals in six games of a group-stage elimination, including a hat-trick on 3 October in a 4–2 home win over Olympiacos.[1] The following season, he scored nine times in seven UEFA Youth League games, second only to Chelsea's Dominic Solanke.[1] This included another hat-trick on 18 March 2015 in a 5–0 home win over Porto in the quarter-finals.[2] That same month, he was given his first professional contract, for five years.[2]

He made his first team debut on 3 December 2014, in a Belgian Cup 7th-round game against K.R.C. Mechelen, replacing Cyriac after 75 minutes in a 4–1 home win.[3] He scored his first goal on 21 January 2015 in the second leg of the quarter-finals, a 4–2 (7–2 aggregate) win over Zulte Waregem.[4] On 22 March he was an unused substitute in the 2015 Belgian Cup Final, a 2–1 loss to Club Brugge at the King Baudouin Stadium. He made nine appearances that season in the Belgian Pro League, the first being on 18 January when he replaced Andy Najar for the last six minutes of a 3–0 win over Lierse S.K. at the Constant Vanden Stock Stadium.

Loans

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On 23 July 2016, Leya Iseka joined Marseille in Ligue 1 on a season-long loan, a month after his brother Michy Batshuayi had left the club.[5] However, he returned to Belgium at the start of January 2017 to find a new club he could be loaned out to, after Marseille announced they would not keep him; he was expected to join Mouscron but nothing came of it.[6] He did not score in nine total matches for OM, but did feature and score more frequently for the reserves in CFA (fourth tier).

Leya Iseka was loaned to fellow top-flight team Zulte-Waregem for the season on 21 June 2017.[7] On 22 July, he made his debut in the 2017 Belgian Super Cup, a 2–1 loss to his parent club, replacing Nill De Pauw for the final 11 minutes. He scored his first goal in a professional league on 5 August, a penalty in a 2–0 home win over Sint-Truidense.[8] In the club's UEFA Europa League campaign, he scored twice in five matches, including a late winner in a 3–2 victory over Lazio at the Regenboogstadion.[9]

Toulouse

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Leya Iseka (front centre) warming-up for Toulouse in 2018

On 29 June 2018, Leya Iseka returned to Ligue 1, joining Toulouse FC for four seasons.[10] He made his debut on 10 August in the season opener away to his former club Marseille, playing the full 90 minutes of a 4–0 loss at the Stade Vélodrome.[11] Nine days later he scored his first goal for the club to open a 2–1 win over Bordeaux at the Stadium de Toulouse.[12] On 30 September, he was sent off in the first half of a 1–1 draw at Rennes for dissent, and suspended for three matches.[13]

On 29 October 2020, Leya Iseka was loaned to fellow top-flight team Metz for the season.[14]

Barnsley

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Leya Iseka signed for EFL Championship club Barnsley on 2 August 2021 on a four-year deal, for an undisclosed fee.[15] He scored three goals in 37 games in his first season, which ended in relegation. Having played only once at the start of the new campaign under manager Michael Duff, who criticised his attitude to training, Leya Iseka joined Adanaspor in the TFF First League on 8 September 2022.[16]

After being loaned to Tuzlaspor in the same league, Leya Iseka signed for Hapoel Hadera F.C. of the Israeli Premier League on 21 September 2023, on a deal with a recall clause for January.[17] Two days later he made his debut and scored a penalty after five minutes, albeit in a 2–1 home loss to Hapoel Haifa.[18] Having already experienced a major earthquake in Turkey at the start of the year, he left Israel after his second match due to the start of the Israel–Hamas war.[19]

OFI Crete

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On 29 January 2024, Barnsley used their recall clause for Leya Iseka's loan in Israel to facilitate a permanent transfer to Super League Greece club OFI Crete.[20] He scored on his debut two days later, as a substitute in a 3–1 loss to Panetolikos in the quarter-finals of the Greek Football Cup, and added his first league goals on 19 February as a brace in a 4–0 home win over Panserraikos.[21]

During his stay with OFI Crete, Iseka played in 16 matches, scoring 5 goals. In August 2024, he was sold to CSKA Sofia in Bulgaria for over 1 million euros, with the total transfer fee, including bonuses, expected to reach 1.2 million euros. OFI Crete also secured a 10% resale clause as part of the deal.[22]

Personal life

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Leya Iseka is the younger brother of Belgian international striker Michy Batshuayi, but bears the surname of their mother rather than their father.[1]

Aged 12, he suffered from Osgood–Schlatter disease, which affects the knee in adolescence, and had to take a break from football for several months.[1]

Career statistics

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As of match played 15 December 2024[23]
Appearances and goals by club, season and competition
Club Season League National Cup[a] League Cup[b] Continental Other Total
Division Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals
Anderlecht 2014–15 Belgian Pro League 9 0 4 1 — 2[c] 0 0 0 15 1
2015–16 3 0 1 0 — 0 0 — 4 0
Total 12 0 5 1 — 2 0 0 0 19 1
Marseille (loan) 2016–17 Ligue 1 8 0 0 0 1 0 — — 9 0
Marseille B (loan) 2016–17 CFA 13 4 — — — — 13 4
Zulte Waregem (loan) 2017–18 Belgian First Division A 24 6 1 1 — 5[c] 2 1[d] 0 31 9
Toulouse 2018–19 Ligue 1 28 4 3 2 1 0 — — 32 6
2019–20 22 2 0 0 1 0 — — 23 2
2020–21 2 0 0 0 1 0 — — 3 0
Total 52 6 3 2 3 0 — — 58 8
Toulouse B 2020–21 Championnat National 3 1 0 — — — 1 0
Metz (loan) 2020–21 Ligue 1 21 4 3 1 0 0 — — 24 5
Barnsley 2021–22 EFL Championship 25 3 1 0 0 0 — — 26 3
2022–23 League One 0 0 0 0 1 0 — 0 0 1 0
2023–24 0 0 0 0 0 0 — 0 0 0 0
Total 25 3 1 0 1 0 — 0 0 27 3
Adanaspor (loan) 2022–23 TFF First League 10 2 0 0 — — — 10 2
Tuzlaspor (loan) 2022–23 11 4 0 0 — — — 11 4
Hapoel Hadera (loan) 2023–24 Israeli Premier League 2 1 — — — — 2 1
OFI Crete 2023–24 Superleague Greece 13 4 1 1 — — — 14 5
2024–25 2 0 0 0 — — — 2 0
Total 15 4 1 1 — — — 16 5
CSKA Sofia 2024–25 First League 11 0 1 1 — — — 12 1
Career total 205 34 15 7 5 0 7 2 1 0 233 43
  1. ^ Includes Belgian Cup, Coupe de France, FA Cup and Turkish Cup
  2. ^ Includes Coupe de la Ligue and EFL Cup
  3. ^ a b Appearances in UEFA Europa League
  4. ^ Appearance in Belgian Super Cup

References

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  1. ^ a b c d "OM : cinq choses à savoir sur Aaron Leya Iseka, le petit frère de Michy Batshuayi" [OM: five things to know about Aaron Leya Iseka, Michy Batshuayi's little brother] (in French). BFM. 27 August 2016. Retrieved 11 August 2018.
  2. ^ a b Scholten, Berend (7 April 2015). "Aaron Leya Iseka – Belgium's latest prodigy". UEFA. Retrieved 11 August 2018.
  3. ^ "Anderlecht vs. RC Mechelen - 3 December 2014 - Soccerway". soccerway.com. Retrieved 6 December 2014.
  4. ^ "Anderlecht se qualifie avec panache" [Anderlecht qualify with panache]. L'essentiel (in French). 21 January 2015. Retrieved 11 August 2018.
  5. ^ Vian, Meryll; Santiago, Antony (23 July 2016). "Aaron Leya Iseka est Olympien" [Aaron Leya Iseka is Olympian] (in French). Olympique de Marseille. Archived from the original on 1 November 2016. Retrieved 23 July 2016.
  6. ^ Hamoir, Simon (5 January 2017). "Leya Iseka va débarquer à l'Excel Mouscron" [Leya Iseka will join Excel Mouscron] (in French). WalFoot. Retrieved 11 August 2018.
  7. ^ "Anderlecht prête Aaron Leya Iseka à Zulte Waregem" [Anderlecht loan Aaron Leya Iseka to Zulte Waregem] (in French). Sud Info. 21 June 2017. Retrieved 11 August 2018.
  8. ^ Van Houtte, Tom (5 August 2017). "Zulte Waregem zet 10 Truienaren opzij" [Zulte Waregem put 10-man Sint-Truidense aside]. KW (in Dutch). Retrieved 11 August 2018.
  9. ^ "Zulte Waregem-Lazio 3–2. Leiva segna di tacco, la decide il mancino di Leya Iseka: gol e highlights" [Zulte-Waregem 3–2 Lazio. Leiva scores with backheel, Leya Iseka's left-footer decides: goals and highlights] (in Italian). Sky Sports. 7 December 2017. Retrieved 11 August 2018.
  10. ^ "Aaron Leya Iseka signe à Toulouse". L'Équipe (in French). 29 June 2018. Retrieved 29 June 2018.
  11. ^ "Payet centre stage as Marseille tame Toulouse". Ligue 1. 11 August 2018. Retrieved 11 August 2018.
  12. ^ "Leya Iseka scoort beauty voor Toulouse, ex-speler van Standard zet gigantische misser recht" [Leya Iseka scores beauty for Toulouse, ex-Standard player makes amends for huge miss]. Nieuwsblad (in Dutch). 19 August 2018. Retrieved 6 February 2019.
  13. ^ "L1 - Toulouse : Aaron Leya Iseka suspendu trois matchs après son coup de sang contre Rennes" [L1 - Toulouse: Aaron Leya Iseka suspended for three matches after his moment of madness against Rennes] (in French). Orange. 3 October 2018. Retrieved 6 February 2019.
  14. ^ Salemi, Angelo (29 October 2020). "Le FC Metz recrute l'attaquant Aaron Leya Iseka" [FC Metz recruit the attacker Aaron Leya Iseka]. L'Est Républicain (in French). Retrieved 14 January 2023.
  15. ^ "Aaron Leya Iseka joins the Reds". Barnsley F.C. 2 August 2021. Retrieved 2 August 2021.
  16. ^ Wobschall, Leon (8 September 2022). "Barnsley FC striker Aaron Leya Iseka moves to Turkish outfit Adanaspor". Yorkshire Post. Retrieved 14 January 2023.
  17. ^ Rayner, Stuart (12 September 2023). "Barnsley FC outcast Aaron Leya Iseka moves to new club". Yorkshire Post. Retrieved 14 October 2023.
  18. ^ "Les Belges à l'étranger - Aaron Leya Iseka en prêt en Israël" [Belgians abroad - Aaron Leya Iseka on loan in Israel]. La Libre (in French). 27 September 2023. Retrieved 15 April 2024.
  19. ^ "Aaron Leya Iseka : après le séisme en Turquie, la guerre en Israël" [Aaron Leya Iseka: after the earthquake in Turkey, the war in Israel]. Le Soir (in French). 14 October 2023. Retrieved 15 April 2024.
  20. ^ "Iseka leaves Barnsley". Barnsley Chronicle. 29 January 2024. Retrieved 15 April 2024.
  21. ^ Hamoir, Simon (28 February 2024). "Le soleil de la Crète, un héros de l'Euro 2004 et une efficacité retrouvée : la nouvelle vie d'Aaron Leya Iseka en Grèce" [The sun of Crete, a Euro 2004 hero and a rediscovered efficiency: Aaron Leya Iseka's new life in Greece]. La Dernière Heure (in French). Retrieved 15 April 2024.
  22. ^ "Στην ΤΣΣΚΑ Σόφιας ο Ισέκα, η ακριβότερη μεταγραφή στην ιστορία των Κρητικών". Sport24. August 2024. Retrieved 5 September 2024.
  23. ^ Aaron Leya Iseka at Soccerway
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