Astrit Agim AjdareviÃÂ (; born 17 April 1990) is a professional footballer who plays as a midfielder. Currently a free agent, he most recently played for Akropolis IF. Having represented the Sweden U17, U19, U21, and Olympic teams, he made his full international debut for Albania in 2017.
Born in Pristina to Albanian parents originally from MedveÃÂa, he moved with his family to Sweden in 1992. The family name was Hajdari but since his father played in Yugoslavian league, they switched it to "AjdareviÃÂ". His father Agim AjdareviÃÂ was a member of FK Spartak Subotica in the Yugoslav First League in the 1980s and 1990s, and moved to Sweden in 1992; he later signed with Falkenbergs FF.
His younger brothers, Arben and Alfred, are also footballers. AjdareviÃÂ said he considers himself Albanian.
AjdareviÃÂ is married to Albanian model Mimoza Ponosheci. In September 2018, he became a father when Mimoza gave birth to twins.
AjdareviÃÂ began his career in 1996 in his adopted nation of Sweden. He first played for Rinia IF, and later signed with Falkenbergs FF, where he played in the 2006 season, making five appearances for the side.
On 5 December 2006, AjdareviÃÂ completed a second trial at Liverpool and transferred soon afterwards to the club, having impressed the club's coaching staff. He made his Liverpool youth team debut in the FA Youth Cup victory against Reading in January 2007. However, AjdareviÃÂ was unable to make a breakthrough into the first team at Liverpool.
Ajdareviàjoined Leicester City on trial in January 2009 and signed for the Foxes on the loan signing deadline for football league clubs on 26 March 2009 until the end of that season, when the Midlands-based club had the option to sign him permanently. He made his debut as a second-half substitute replacing Max Gradel after 70 minutes of Leicester's 2âÂÂ2 draw with Carlisle United at the Walkers Stadium.
On 30 June 2009, AjdareviÃÂ joined Leicester permanently having been released by Liverpool, signing a one-year deal. However, AjdareviÃÂ struggled in the first team at Leicester City and a result, he went on trial at Brighton & Hove Albion.
After a trial, Ajdareviàjoined Hereford United on loan until the end of the season, linking up with Leicester teammate Craig King on 25 March 2010. Ajdareviàmade his debut for the club on 3 April 2010, where he came on as a substitute and played 16 minutes, in a 2âÂÂ1 win over Barnet. This turns out to be his only appearance for Hereford United, as he suffered a hamstring injury.
On 17 May 2010, AjdareviÃÂ was released by Leicester City, along with Stephen Clemence, Levi Porter, Robbie Burns, Carl Pentney, Billy Kee and Alex Cisak.
AjdareviÃÂ returned to Sweden in June 2010 and trained with ÃÂrebro SK before being offered a contract with them in early July.
Ajdareviàmade an impact on his debut when he scored his first goal for the club on 18 July 2010, in a 3âÂÂ3 draw against IF Elfsborg on 18 July 2010, which was followed up in the next game on 26 July 2010 against Elfsborg for the second time this season, which ÃÂrebro win 3âÂÂ0. Later in the 2010 season, Ajdareviàscored two more goals against Brommapojkarna, which saw them draw 1âÂÂ1 on 25 October 2010, and Göteborg, which turned out to be his last appearance on 1 January 2011. Ajdareviàestablished himself in the first team at the club, where he scored five times in thirteen appearances.
Ajdareviàused a contractual clause that allowed him to find another club after the 2010 season had ended and despite ÃÂrebro SK's attempt to keep him by offering a new contract, IFK Norrköping managed to sign a long-term deal with the midfielder. Previously, Ajdareviàhad also been linked with a move to Italian side Cesena.
Ajdareviàmade his debut for the club, in the opening game of the season, in a 2âÂÂ0 win over GAIS. In a match against his former club ÃÂrebro SK on 25 May 2011, Ajdareviàwas booed by ÃÂrebro's supporters throughout and even displayed a banner about him, which saw IFK Norrköping lose 2âÂÂ0. Ajdareviàthen scored his first goal for the club, in a 2âÂÂ2 draw against BK Häcken on 10 June 2011 and his second then came on 27 June 2011, in a 2âÂÂ1 loss against Kalmar. Ajdareviàwent on to score two more goals later in the season against Trelleborg and Halmstad. Like at ÃÂrebro SK, Ajdareviàestablished himself in the first team and had a successful season at Norrköping, where he made 29 appearances and scoring four times in all competitions.
Ahead of the 2012 season, Ajdareviàwas linked with a move to Champions side Helsingborg, but the move never came for it. In the opening game of the season, Ajdareviàset up a goal for Gunnar Heiðar ÃÂorvaldsson, in a 1âÂÂ0 win over Helsingborgs. Ajdareviàcontinued to be in the first team, having played in central midfield and in the last two games of his career, he scored two goals against AIK and àtvidaberg. By the end of May, Ajdareviàmade twelve appearances and scoring two times.
In late-June, IFK Norrköping agreed to sell Ajdareviàto Belgium side Standard Liège with a transfer reportedly cost SEK 15 million and AjdareviÃÂ, himself, confirmed via Twitter that he left the club on 1 July 2012. The move was confirmed on 3 July 2012, where he signed a four-year contract.
In the opening game of the season, Ajdareviàmade his debut, coming on as a substitute for Yoni Buyens, in a 1âÂÂ0 loss against Zulte Waregem. Several weeks later, on 19 August 2012, Ajdareviàscored his first goal in a 6âÂÂ2 win over Charleroi. In the round of 32 of Belgian Cup, Ajdareviàscored and set up a goal for Jelle Van Damme, who scored a winning goal, as Liège beat KV Kortrijk 3âÂÂ2. Despite becoming a regular in the first team under new manager Ron Jans until his sacking on 22 October 2012, Ajdareviàsoon lost his first team place later in the season and made 21 appearances and scoring two times in all competitions.
The 2013âÂÂ14 season saw Ajdareviàbeing kept out of the first team throughout the whole year and made no appearances for the side.
Ajdareviàsigned a six-month loan deal with Charlton Athletic on 3 January 2014. Ajdareviàmade his first-team debut as a 77th-minute substitute in a 1âÂÂ0 Championship away defeat to Middlesbrough on 18 January 2014. Seven days later, on 25 January 2014, he made his first start in the 1âÂÂ0 fourth round of the FA Cup away win against Huddersfield Town. He scored his first and second goals in the month of April with one against Yeovoil Town in a 3âÂÂ2 win at home and the other in the last minute of a 2âÂÂ1 defeat to Barnsley, also at home. Despite hopes of joining the club on a permanent basis, Ajdareviàreturned to the club and made 23 appearances and scoring two times in all competitions. During his time there, Ajdareviàwas the club's fan favorite.
After his loan spell at Charlton Athletic came to an end, Ajdareviàreturned to the first team under the management of Guy Luzon and made his first appearance of the season on 25 July 2014, with a 3âÂÂ0 win over Charleroi in the opening game of the season, followed up by scoring in the next game on 2 August 2014, with a 3âÂÂ2 win over KV Kortrijk. However, Ajdareviàlost his first team place at the club and only made eight appearances in the first half of the season.
On 19 February 2015, Standard Liège loaned Ajdareviàto the Sweden club Helsingborgs IF for the rest of the 2014âÂÂ15 season. Ajdareviàmade a good start against VästerÃÂ¥s SK when he scored his first goal for the club in the first round of Svenska Cupen, with a 4âÂÂ0 win, on 1 March 2015. The following month on 4 April 2015, Ajdareviàmade his league debut for the club, in the opening game of the season, in a 0âÂÂ0 draw against Kalmar. Despite suffering from a leg injury, Ajdareviàreturned to the first team and then scored his first goal for Helsingborg, in a 2âÂÂ1 loss against Gefle on 9 May 2015. Ajdareviàwent on to make thirteen appearances before returning to his parent club in mid-July.
On 11 August 2015, Ajdareviàleft Standard Liège by mutual agreement. However, Ajdareviàlater stated that Manager Luzon left him out of the squad and ruined him.
Two days after leaving Standard Liege, AjdareviÃÂ returned to ÃÂrebro SK for the 2016 season on 11 August 2015 in his second spell.
Ajdareviàmade his ÃÂrebro SK debut on 15 August 2015, where he made his first start, in a 1âÂÂ0 loss against GIF Sundsvall. After serving a suspension, he scored on his return, as well as, setting up a goal, in a 2âÂÂ1 win over Hammarby on 13 September 2015. Later in the season, Ajdareviàprovided assists, including a double twice in separate matches against Elfsborg, which see them win 4âÂÂ2 on 21 September 2015 and his second came against Gefle, which see them drew 2âÂÂ2 on 19 October 2015. Ajdareviàfinished the season, making twelve appearances. Following this, Ajdareviàsigned a new contract with the club, keeping him until 2017.
Like the previous season, Ajdareviàcontinued to play as a centre-forward for the side in the 2016 season and then scored his first goal of the season on 11 April 2016, in a 2âÂÂ1 win over Jönköpings Södra. Ajdareviàthen scored two more goals against Hammarby IF and Gelfe IF. After playing in the Summer Olympics, Ajdareviàreturned to the first team, but soon suffered a thigh injury that kept him out for weeks. After returning to the first team, Ajdareviàscored on his return on 22 September 2016, in a 3âÂÂ2 loss against Göteborg. Following a 5âÂÂ1 defeat to ÃÂstersund on 31 October 2016, Ajdareviàwas verbally abused by a supporter of the club, who told him to leave the club. Ajdareviàwent on to finish the 2016 season, making 26 appearances and scoring four times in all competitions.
On 13 December 2016, AjdareviÃÂ signed a contract with Greek side AEK Athens for two and a half years, keeping him until 2019. At the presentation, he was given a number six shirt for AEK Athens. Upon moving to AEK Athens, AjdareviÃÂ revealed that he lost seven kilos in just sixteen days.
Ajdareviàmade his AEK Athens debut on 4 January 2017, where he made his first start and played 85 minutes, in a 0âÂÂ0 draw against Panetolikos. On 19 February 2017, he scored what proved to be the only goal in a home derby win against Olympiacos. After the match, Ajdareviàwas named MVP of the match. He became a first team regular for the side under the management of Manuel Jiménez. Despite missing out two matches, due to injury and suspension, Ajdareviàwent on to make 23 appearances and scoring two times in all competitions. He reflected his season at AEK Athens, speaking positively about his time there so far.
In the 2017âÂÂ18 season, Ajdareviàcontinued to regain his first team place at the start of the season for the side. In a 4âÂÂ0 win over AEL on 10 September 2017, he set two of the four goals for the side. The following month, on 26 October 2017, Ajdareviàscored his first goal of the season, in a 7âÂÂ0 win over Apollon Larissa. However, he soon lost his first team place for the side, resulting him being demoted to the substitute bench and his own injury concern. As a result, Ajdareviàwas linked with a move to a Swiss club during the January transfer window but stayed at AEK Athens as a result of injury sustained in lateâÂÂJanuary. On 15 February 2018, he scored his first AEK Athens goal in the first leg of the Round of 32 UEFA Europa League, in a 1âÂÂ1 draw against Dynamo Kyiv. However, in the second leg, AEK Athens were eliminated in the tournament via away goal following a 0âÂÂ0 draw. At the end of the 2017âÂÂ18 campaign, the club won the national championship for the first time in 24 years. He went on to make 27 appearances and scoring two times in all competitions.
Ahead of the 2018âÂÂ19 season, Ajdareviàcontinued to be linked a move away from AEK Athens, as his first team at the club was expected to be limited once more. It was proven correct, as Ajdareviàspent the first half of the season away from the first team. But he did one make appearance in the 2018âÂÂ19 season, which came on 12 October 2018 in the Greek Cup, in a 2âÂÂ1 win over PAS Lamia. On 30 November 2018, it was announced that Ajdareviàhad his contract terminated at AEK Athens, with his contract expecting to expire at the end of the 2018âÂÂ19 season. By the time of his departure, he made fiftyâÂÂone appearances and scoring three times in all competitions for the side.
Ajdareviàwas presented as a player for DjurgÃÂ¥rdens IF on 9 February 2019 during the half time of DjurgÃÂ¥rdens IF's first home game of the 2019 season, against Norwegian side Lillestrøm of Eliteserien.
Ajdareviàmade his DjurgÃÂ¥rdens IF debut in the opening game of the season, coming on as a substitute, in a 2âÂÂ2 draw against GIF Sundsvall. However, he appeared in a number of matches, coming on as a substitute.
AjdareviÃÂ was eligible to play for Sweden by upbringing, Kosovo by birth and Albania.
After previously played for Sweden U17 and Sweden U19, Ajdareviàmade his Sweden U21 debut on 7 October 2010, where he was sentâÂÂoff for the second bookable offence, in a 1âÂÂ1 draw against Austria U21. It wasn't until 2 June 2011 when he made another Sweden U21 appearance, in a 4âÂÂ0 win over Norway U21. The following year on 6 June 2012, Ajdareviàscored his first national team goal, in a 4âÂÂ0 win over Malta U21. Three months later on 10 September 2012, he scored and set up the second goal of the game, in a 2âÂÂ1 win over Ukraine U21.
Despite hopes of earning attention from the senior team, AjdareviÃÂ was on the stand-by instead for the UEFA Euro 2016 and was cut from the squad as a result.
Nevertheless, Ajdareviàwas called up by Sweden U23 team for 2016 Summer Olympics in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil and was appointed captain soon after. On 4 August 2016, Ajdareviàscored in the opening game against Colombia, which saw them draw 2âÂÂ2. However, in the next two games, Sweden lost against Nigeria U23 and Japan U23, which saw them out of the tournament.
In an interview for the Albanian program "Zona Gol" part of SuperSport Albania, Digitalb on 28 October 2017, he admitted that he has promised the Albania national team's coach Christian Panucci to play for Albania. He was called up immediately to Albania by coach Panucci for the friendly match against Turkey on 13 November 2017. He debuted for Albania against Turkey as an 81st-minute substitute for Eros Grezda in a 2âÂÂ3 away win for his side.
Leicester City
AEK Athens
DjurgÃÂ¥rdens IF