Ismaïl Aissati

Ismaïl Aissati

250px Aissati in 2009
Personal information
Date of birth	(1988-08-16) 16 August 1988
Place of birth	Utrecht, Netherlands
Height
Position(s)	Attacking Midfielder
Team information
Current team	Terek Grozny
Number	14
Youth career
	DSO Utrecht
1995–2000	USV Elinkwijk
2000–2005	PSV
Senior career*
Years	Team	Apps	(Gls)
2005–2008	PSV	44	(3)
2007	→ Twente (loan)	14	(1)
2008–2012	Ajax	36	(6)
2010–2011	→ Vitesse (loan)	29	(4)
2012–2013	Antalyaspor	26	(3)
2013–	Terek Grozny	53	(1)
International career‡
2005–2008	Netherlands U21	17	(1)
2011–	Morocco	2	(0)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 3 December 2015 ‡ National team caps and goals, correct as of 21:20, 11 October 2012 (UTC)

Ismaïl Aissati (born 16 August 1988) is a Dutch-Moroccan footballer who plays for FC Terek Grozny in the Russian Premier League. He also plays for the Moroccan national team.

Career

Born in Utrecht to Moroccan parents, Aissati was eligible to represent either nation. He represented the Netherlands at U21 level, before opting to represent Morocco in 2007 instead. His first call up for the Moroccan national team didn't come until 2009. Sidelined by an injury however, his debut for Morocco wasn't until 9 October 2011. He also played on loan for FC Twente during the second half of the 2006/07 season, and Vitesse during the 2010/11 season, the year Ajax would clinch their 30th league title.

PSV

Aissati joins PSV Eindhoven in 2000 after being scouted before in 2005 Aissati turn professional for PSV.On 28 August 2005, Aissati made his professional debut in Eredivisie as PSV win over Roda JC. On 4 February 2006, Aissati scored his first professional goal for PSV in a 3–2 win over Roda JC (the club that he played against on his debut). His second goal for PSV was against Willem II. In his first season, Aissati made 17 league appearance and scoring 2. During his first season on 19 October 2005 he made his first UEFA Champions League appearance for PSV Eindhoven. In doing so, he became the youngest Dutch player ever to play in the UEFA Champions League, taking over from Ryan Babel, who debuted also at age 17, but eight months older. In the match against A.C. Milan he came off the bench in the 63rd minute. However, on 1 November 2005 PSV Eindhoven played the return match against A.C. Milan where he played the whole match, with Andrea Pirlo as opponent.

At the 2006 UEFA Under-21 Football Championship, Aissati reached the tournament all star squad, mostly playing against 3 or 4-year older opponents, Aissati himself being 17.

In 2006/7 season, Aissati scored his first goal of the season in a 4–1 win over Roda JC on 15 October 2006. Aissati get less playing time by making 10 appearance. To get more playing time after his first team was limited but on January 2007, Aissati was loaned out to FC Twente. On 20 January 2007, he played his first Eredivisie game for FC Twente against RKC Waalwijk. At Twente, Aissati made his debut for the club in a 2–1 win over RKC Waalwijk. 8 days after making his debut, Aissati scored his first goal for the club in a 3–1 win over ADO Den Haag. Since at Twente, his performance was enthusiastic by the critics and develops assists. Aissati was widely regarded as one of the most promising talents in Dutch football with clubs were linked to sign him.

In 2007/8 season and last, Aissati returns to PSV from loan. From returning, Aissati plays regularly, though he has no solid basis. During the 2007/8 season, there were also managerial changes at PSV with 3 occasions and the third manager of the 2007/8 season Sef Vergoossen began to hard on the him which PSV goalkeeper Heurelho Gomes criticized Vergoossen for treating him and also says that he did not get the trust that he needs. In May 2008, Aissati's agent claims that he signed a new contract, which is set to expired at the end of the 2008/09 season. However, the agreement has failed. Six months earlier declared Aissati for televisecamera still "very happy with the contract extension" and "He stayed with the club of his heart". In December 2007, Aissati signed a new deal with PSV, keeping him until 2011. In the preparation for the season 2008/09 then sends the 19-year-old Aissati to a break with PSV and in mid-July PSV and Ajax reach an agreement on the sale of Aissati.

Ajax

On 19 July 2008 Aissati agreed to sign a contract with AFC Ajax, approximately for 4 million after passing his medical. Aissati will be only the fourth player in history to move from PSV to Ajax. Gert Bals, Peter Hoekstra and Kenneth Perez were the others. Following his move, Aissati was given a number 10 shirt. On 30 August 2008, Aissati was named on the bench against Willem II but was not used which the club lost 2–1. Aisatti suffered an knee injury on 24 September 2008 and the rehabilitation took longer than expected and played Aissati in the year 2008 no official matches for Ajax. In December trained Aissati again and played a few games along with Ajax reserves, but he gave it easy to want to do with his rehabilitation and to rush anything. On 22 February 2009, Aissati finally made his debut for Ajax about 60th minutes to come on for Robbert Schilder in a 2–1 draw against FC Volendam after a months of rehabilitation his knee injury. Aisatti also still provided assists at his first season at Ajax and on 5 April 2009, Aissati scored his first goal for Ajax in a 2–1 win over Roda JC. In his first season, Aissati made 9 appearance and scoring 1.

In 2009/10 season, Aissati once again began playing regularly with Martin Jol as he was no longer in the selection under Jol after a cup match against NEC, saying that Aissati not physically strong enough and let him therefore with Miralem Sulejmani the eye of the media stairs. Aissati was based player at Ajax but was told that he was the club could leave and on 4 May 2010 also gave Aissati to not be satisfied with his role at Ajax and he said the club wanted to leave so he does every week could stand on the field. Aissati made 14 league appearance and scoring 3 against Heracles Almelo on 30 August 2009, SC Heerenveen on 22 November 2009 and Vitesse on 29 November 2009.

Vitesse

On 24 August 2010, he was loaned out once more in his career to Vitesse for the whole 2010/11 season, with an option to sign him permanently. On 8 August 2010, Aissati made his debut for Vitesse in a 2–2 draw against FC Groningen. In most of the season Aissati was in the starting line up as a central midfielder. Aissati scored a spectacular goal in his first official match against Excelsior on 26 September 2010. On 7 June 2011 it was announced that Vitesse wanted to purchase the player for €1.5 million from Ajax. The transfer could only be completed by reaching an agreement with Assaiti, which they could not. By the end of 2010/11 season Aissati had scored 4 goals in 29 league matches for the side from Arnhem.

Return to Ajax

He returned to Ajax after his loan spell playing for Jong Ajax for the first three months of the 2011/12 season, before finding his place back in the first team on 27 November 2011 after the away match against N.E.C. in Nijmegen, coming on as a substitute for Lorenzo Ebecilio in the 65th minute. As his contract set to expire in summer 2012, Aissati as revealed that he wants to leave the club after his contract expires in the summer as he set his sights on a move to Spain but insists he is fully committed to Ajax and will make a decision on his future at the end of the season. On 25 March 2012, Aissati scored his first goal of the season 2011/12, a spectacular curling effort from the corner in a vital 2–0 win over PSV Eindhoven.

After the 2011/12 season, Aissati had expressed his interest in staying with the Amsterdam club, since his contract was expiring at the end of the season. In return Ajax offered him a contract extension of three years. However, the club could not come to terms with the players' agent Sigi Lens, who rejected the offer and demanded a higher salary, Ajax refused to make another offer, and subsequently Aissati was released from Ajax.

Antalyaspor

After being released by Ajax, Aissati returned to Vitesse on trial on 2 July 2012. On 16 July 2012, Aissati re-signed with Vitesse on a multi-year contract, previously playing for them on loan in 2010 and took up the number 7 shirt. Aissati was expected to made his debut in Europa League Second qualifying round against Bulgarian side Lokomotiv Plovdiv but he wasn't eligible to play.

Not having come to terms however with Vitesse, as the Arnhem side would not meet his salary demands, Aissati signed with Turkish side Antalyaspor instead, now playing in the Turkish Süper Lig.

Terek Grozny

On 2 September 2013 it was announced that Ismaïl Aissati had signed with Russian club FC Terek Grozny on a 3-year contract, with Antalyaspor receiving a reported € 3 million as a transfer fee.

International career

Netherlands youth squads

He was part of the team winning 2006 UEFA European Under-21 Football Championship. In 2007 he was also part of the team that defended their title for the 2007 UEFA European Under-21 Football Championship held in the Netherlands. Aissati played in the first match against Israel (1–0 win), but was substituted in the first half by Otman Bakkal due to an injury. After the Dutch win over Portugal (2–1) they secured a semi final spot and a qualification for the 2008 Summer Olympics, as well as reaching the finals after beating England (1–1, 13–12) after penalties. The Dutch went on to retain their 2006 title by beating Serbia 4–1 in the final.

Morocco

On 20 October 2007 a Moroccan website stated that Ismaïl chose to represent Morocco internationally instead of Netherlands, and that Henri Michel the coach of the will include him in the selection that will face France in 17 November in a friendly match in Paris. This, however, turned out to be a false statement. On 30 December, the Royal Moroccan Football Federation revealed that Ismaïl Aissati would represent Morocco. It was thought that he would most likely make his debut on 11 February 2009 against the Czech Republic in Casablanca, but he was later ruled out of this match with injury. He made his debut for Morocco on 10 August 2011 in the 2–0 away victory against Senegal in Dakar.

Career statistics

As of 21 August 2014

Club statistics

Season	Club	League	League		Cup		Continental		Total
			App	Goals	App	Goals	App	Goals	App	Goals
2005–06	PSV	Eredivisie	18	2			6	0	24	2
2006–07			10	1			5	0	15	1
	Twente (Loan)		14	1			—		14	1
2007–08	PSV		16	0			3	0	19	0
2008–09	Ajax		9	1	0	0	2	0	11	1
2009–10			14	3	2	2	2	0	18	5
2010–11			2	0	0	0	0	0	2	0
	Vitesse (Loan)		29	4	3	2	—		32	6
2011–12	Ajax		16	2	1	0	1	0	18	2
2012–13	Antalyaspor	Süper Lig	31	3	7	2	—		38	5
2013–14			2	0	0	0	—		2	0
2013–14	Terek Grozny	Russian Premier League	13	0	0	0	—		13	0
2014–15			3	0	0	0	—		3	0
Total	Netherlands		128	14	6	4	19	0	153	18
	Turkey		33	3	7	2	—		40	5
	Russia		16	0	0	0	—		16	0
Career total			177	17	13	4	19	0	209	23

Honours

Club

PSV

• Eredivisie (2): 2005–06, 2007–08

Ajax

• Eredivisie (1): 2011–12
• KNVB Cup (1): 2009–10

International

Netherlands U21

• UEFA European Under-21 Football Championship (2): 2006, 2007

External links

• Ismaïl Aissati at National-Football-Teams.com
• FootballDatabase.com Profile
• Ajax Inside Profile
• Netherlands stats at OnsOranje