Zymer Bytyqi

Zymer Bytyqi (born 11 September 1996) is a Kosovan footballer who plays as a winger for Konyaspor. He previously played for Sandnes Ulf and Red Bull Salzburg, and became the youngest player that has ever played in the Norwegian top league when he made his first-team debut in 2012 (the record has since been broken by Martin Odegaard). Bytyqi, who is of Albanian descent, has represented Norway at youth international level and Kosovo at a senior international level.

Club Career

Early career and Sandnes Ulf

Bytyqi was born in Belgium to Kosovar immigrants, but moved to Norway at the age of 2. He did not play football before he was 10 years old, when he started to play for Lura IL before he moved to Sandnes Ulf ahead of the 2010 season. In 2011, he played several matches for Sandnes Ulf's reserve team in the Third Division. He also trained with the first team but was ineligible for play in the First Division because of his young age. He gave an impressive performance for Norway U15 in September 2011, partly by scoring the winning goal in one of the matches, and joined Newcastle United on a week-long trial in October 2011. His agent, Jim Solbakken, stated that despite the interest from bigger clubs, it would be best for Bytyqi's development to stay at Sandnes Ulf.

Bytyqi signed a professional one-year contract with Sandnes Ulf in January 2012, and head coach Asle Andersen said that he had never seen such a talented striker, and that he would get his chance in Tippeligaen, following Sandnes Ulf' promotion to the top league. Bytyqi played for Sandnes Ulf during their pre-season, and he also scored a goal in the 6–0 win against Randaberg. After a very solid game for Norway U16 in April 2012, Sandnes Ulf's Director Tom Rune Espedal confirmed interest from English, German and Dutch clubs, but that no club had yet made an offer for Bytyqi, and that they most likely would sell the talented player during the summer. Bytyqi stated that his big dream was to play professionally abroad,

This page also has a version in other languages :  Зюмер Бютюки (russian)