Jordan Botaka

Jordan Rolly Botaka (born 24 June 1993) is a Congolese professional footballer.

He represents DR Congo at international level.

He formerly played for Club Brugge, Belenenses (on loan), Excelsior, Sint-Truiden, Gent, Charleroi and Fortuna Sittard.

He has been nicknamed 'The Wizard' due to his quick feet, trickery and skill with the ball.

Botaka was born in Kinshasa, the son of Congolese parents, Botaka started his career at Dutch side Westlandia and ADO Den Haag, before his parents moved to Antwerp where Botaka joined the academies of Anderlecht, Beveren and KSC Lokeren.

He also has a Dutch passport.

Following vague interest by Newcastle United, Botaka joined Club Brugge from Lokeren on 23 January 2012, a 2 and half year contract.

Botaka spent the whole year at the club, playing in the club's reserve.

To help gain first team experience, Botaka joined Portuguese Belenenses on loan in 2013, where Mitchell van der Gaag was Manager.

The club also stipulated an option to buy Botaka on a permanent deal.

However, due to an administrative error, Botaka could not play official matches for the club.

After his spell in Portugal, Botaka was released to Club Brugge and joined Feyenoord on trial but due to Feyenoord's close links with feeder club Excelsior, Botaka went on trial for the side in June 2013.

After impressing the club's management during his four weeks trial there, he joined the then Eerste Divisie side Excelsior on 27 July 2013.

Botaka made his Excelsior debut in the opening game of the season on 2 August 2013, where he started the whole game, in a 2–2 draw against Helmond Sport.

He then scored his first goals for the side on 6 October 2013, in a 3–1 win over Jong Ajax.

After missing out one game, due to illness, he returned from injury and then scored again on 25 October 2013, in a 3–1 win over FC Eindhoven.

In first season at the club during the 2013–14 season, the club was managed by head coach Jon Dahl Tomasson and then Marinus Dijkhuizen and went on to score 10 goals in 36 league games to earn Excelsior's promotion to Eredivisie after finishing 3rd and earning promotion via the Eerste Divisie playoffs.

After ending his three months goal drought, Botaka went on a goal-scoring spree between 14 February 2014 and 7 March 2014 against FC Eindhoven (twice), VVV-Venlo, Achilles '29 and Fortuna Sittard.

Shortly after, Botaka extended his contract with the club on 17 March 2014.

At the start of the 2014–15 season, Botaka made his Eredivisie debut in the opening game of the season, in a 1–1 draw against NAC Breda.

This was followed up by scoring in a 3–2 win over Go Ahead Eagles on 17 August 2014.

Two months later, on 30 October 2014, he scored in the third round of the KNVB Beker, in a 3–0 win over WKE Emmen.

At the end of the season 2014–15 season, Botaka made 33 appearances in Eredivisie scoring 1 goal and helped keep Excelsior in the Eredivisie, having missed one match over a thigh injury.

In the summer transfer window of 2015, Botaka continued to be linked with a move away from Excelsior, with Swiss side Sion interested in signing him.

However, Botaka was not interested in a move to Sion and stayed there in the final months at Excelsior.

Amid to the transfer move, Botaka made four appearances for the side.

On transfer deadline day 1 September 2015, Botaka signed for English club Leeds United on a two-year deal, with a club option for a further two years; the transfer fee was undisclosed but reported to be around £1 million.

He was given the number 20 shirt for the 2015/16 season.

On 27 September, Botaka made his Leeds United debut, starting for Leeds in a 3–0 loss against Middlesbrough.

After originally becoming a bit part player at Leeds under new Head Coach Steve Evans, where Evans has questioned Botaka's work-rate, Botaka had impressed in training and came back into the team towards the end of the season with Evans saying that Leeds 'have a real player here' speaking of Botaka.

Amid to a transfer move to Heerenveen in the summer transfer window, Botaka ended the speculation when he signed a two-year contract with the club, keeping him until 2016.

On 24 April 2016, after gaining an assist for Stuart Dallas in a 2–2 draw against Hull, on his return to form, Botaka credited his performances on to wanting to prove Evans earlier season criticism wrong.

Ahead of the 2016–17 season, Botaka found his first team opportunity limited following the new management of Garry Monk.

As a result, he was subjected to be linked with a move away from Leeds United.

Botaka was released at the end of the 2016/17 season, following his loan at Charlton Athletic.

On 11 August 2016, Botaka joined Charlton Athletic on a season long loan.

Botaka made his Charlton Athletic debut, coming on as a second-half substitute for Ricky Holmes, in a 1–1 draw against Northampton Town on 13 August 2016.

During a 1–0 loss against Rochdale on 1 October 2016, he was subjected of boos from Charlton Athletic after coming on as a late substitute, with Manager Russell Slade described it as “slightly disrespectful”.

Although Botaka was out over an injury and international commitment by the end of the year, he then got his first start, playing the whole game, in a 0–0 draw against Bradford City on 10 December 2016.

It wasn't until on 18 February 2017 when he scored in a 3–3 draw against Rochdale.