Freddie Veseli

Frédéric Shtjefan Veseli (Frederik Shtjefan Veseli; born 20 November 1992), also known as Freddie Veseli, is a professional footballer who plays as a defender for club Fatih Karagümrük and the Albania national team.

His main position is centre back but he can also play at right-back and left-back.

Born in Renens, Switzerland to Albanian parents, Veseli began his youth career with local club FC Renens before joining Lausanne-Sport in 2005.

In 2005, he joined Lausanne-Sport, where he remained until 2008, when he moved to England to join Manchester City's Elite Development Squad.

He would spend the next four seasons playing primarily for the reserve team.

In 2008, he was signed by English club Manchester City, before joining Manchester United in January 2012.

He represented Switzerland at every level of youth football, and captained the Switzerland under-17s to victory in the 2009 FIFA U-17 World Cup.

During the 2010–11 season, manager Roberto Mancini named Veseli in the first team squad for the League Cup Third round match against West Bromwich Albion on 22 September, where he was an unused substitute for the entire game.

Mancini promised to give him his Premier League debut on the final day of the 2010–11 season, but Veseli tore his hamstring and was unable to play.

Prior to the 2011–12 season, Veseli featured prominently at the 2011 World Football Challenge but did not make any first-team appearance that year.

He demanded a contract of £5,000-a-week, which City refused to give, and he was approached by René Meulensteen, a coach under Alex Ferguson at City's local rivals Manchester United.

Brian Marwood had wanted to demonstrate to the City players that the City Football Group could not be forced into offering more generous terms than they were willing to give.

On 31 January 2012, the last day of the 2012 winter transfer window, Veseli joined Manchester United on a free transfer.

Having failed to break into the first team, he was released in July 2013 and joined Ipswich Town, who allowed him to go on loan to Bury in the second half of the 2013–14 season.

However, he failed to break into the first-team at Old Trafford and Manchester United released Veseli at the end of his contract in July 2013.

In July 2013, Veseli was signed by Mick McCarthy's Championship club Ipswich Town on a two-year deal.

On 6 August, Veseli made his professional debut in a 2–0 League Cup defeat by Stevenage at Broadhall Way.

However, he was unsuited to McCarthy's long ball style of play.

On 31 December 2013, Veseli had signed a one-month loan deal for struggling League Two side Bury.

His loan spell at Gigg Lane was later extended by a further month before finally being extended to the full 93-day period.

He was loaned out to Port Vale for the first half of the 2014–15 season, before joining permanently in January 2015.

In July 2014, Veseli signed on loan for League One side Port Vale for the first half of the 2014–15 season, with manager Micky Adams intending him to provide first team competition for right-back Adam Yates.

He missed two weeks after breaking his ribs in September.

He returned to the starting eleven at centre back on 15 November, helping the "Valiants" to a 1–0 win over Rochdale at Vale Park.

He was picked out as the star player in the following week's 1–0 defeat to Milton Keynes Dons.

He returned to Switzerland in July 2015 and joined Lugano, and featured on the losing side in the 2016 Swiss Cup final before he signed with Italian side Empoli in August 2016.

After refusing call-ups from Kosovo, in November 2015 he accepted the Albania national team's invitation to continue his international career, and was named in the squad for UEFA Euro 2016.

Veseli was born in Switzerland to Albanian parents from Kosovo and speaks fluent English, French, Albanian and Italian.

His father settled the family in Lausanne and worked in construction before joining a multi-national company that made plastic packaging.

Veseli achieved the top grades in his school's region at the age of 15.

In 2022, he was living with his partner, an accountant from Switzerland.

Veseli started his football career with Renens.

He joined Port Vale on a permanent basis on 7 January 2015, after being released by Ipswich.

On 21 February, he scored his first goal in professional football with a speculative effort from 30 yd in a 3–0 home win over Doncaster Rovers.

He served Empoli as vice-captain as the club secured promotion as champions of Serie B in the 2017–18 campaign.

He started 18 league games for the club and was influential in their rise from 20th in the table and fighting relegation up to 11th, when he left, after new manager David Flitcroft decided to include Veseli in a back three alongside Pablo Mills and Jimmy McNulty.

In his 18 appearances the "Shakers" kept ten clean sheets.

He joined French club Le Mans on loan in January 2020 and then signed with Salernitana eight months later.

He helped Salernitana to win promotion out of Serie B at the end of the 2020–21 season.

He signed with Benevento in August 2022 and moved on to Turkish club Fatih Karagümrük 12 months later.