Nik Tzanev

Nikola Chivarov Tzanev (born 23 December 1996) is a New Zealand professional footballer who plays for AFC Wimbledon as a goalkeeper. He is a product of the Brentford academy and is a New Zealand international.

Club Career

Brentford

A goalkeeper, Tzanev moved from his native New Zealand to England in 2006 and trained with a Chelsea development programme before joining the academy at Crystal Palace. He moved to join the academy at Brentford and progressed through the ranks to sign a Youth Development contract in 2013, which enabled him to continue his education through to his A-levels. He made 39 appearances for the youth team during the final three seasons of his youth career and won the club's Youth Team Player of the Year award for his performances during the 2014–15 season. Tzanev was awarded a one-year Development Squad contract at the end of the 2014–15 season, but made just eight appearances before his release at the end of the 2015–16 season.

Lewes (loan)

On 8 September 2015, Tzanev joined Isthmian League Premier Division strugglers Lewes on a one-month youth loan. He made six appearances before his loan expired.

AFC Wimbledon

During the course of the 2016–17 season, Tzanev trialled with EFL clubs Wycombe Wanderers and Hartlepool United. He joined the AFC Wimbledon Development Squad on trial in March 2017 and impressed enough to be awarded a contract until the end of the season on 28 April 2017. He was called into the first team squad for the club's final match of the season versus Oldham Athletic and remained an unused substitute during the 0–0 draw. Tzanev signed a new contract on 8 May 2017 and was an unused substitute on five occasions during the 2017–18 season.

Tzanev signed a new contract in July 2018, but received just one call into the first team squad during the first half of the 2018–19 season, before departing Kingsmeadow on loan until the end of the campaign in January 2019. He