Abdenasser El Khayati

Abdenasser El Khayati (born 7 February 1989) is a Dutch professional footballer who plays as a winger or forward for Tweede Divisie club Kozakken Boys.

Abdenasser El Khayati

El Khayati with ADO Den Haag in 2018
Personal information
Full name	Abdenasser El Khayati[1]
Date of birth	(1989-02-07) 7 February 1989 (age 36)
Place of birth	Rotterdam, Netherlands
Height	1.85 m (6 ft 1 in)[2]
Position(s)	Winger, forward
Team information
Current team	Kozakken Boys
Number	10
Youth career
2001–2004	Excelsior
2003–2004	Feyenoord
2004–2007	Leonidas
2007–2008	PSV
Senior career*
Years	Team	Apps	(Gls)
2008–2010	Den Bosch	12	(0)
2010–2011	NAC Breda	0	(0)
2012–2013	Olympiakos Nicosia	0	(0)
2014–2015	Kozakken Boys	17	(12)
2015–2016	Burton Albion	42	(11)
2016–2017	Queens Park Rangers	22	(1)
2017	→ ADO Den Haag (loan)	12	(5)
2017–2019	ADO Den Haag	65	(25)
2019–2020	Qatar SC	16	(1)
2021	ADO Den Haag	11	(2)
2022	Willem II	5	(0)
2022–2023	Chennaiyin	12	(9)
2023–2024	Mumbai City	9	(1)
2024–	Kozakken Boys	7	(1)
* Club domestic league appearances and goals as of 20:46, 5 November 2024 (UTC)

Club career

Born in Rotterdam, El Khayati progressed through the youth academy of Excelsior, before joining the Feyenoord youth team in 2003 as part of their cooperation with Excelsior. He later moved to the youth department of RKSV Leonidas.^[3] El Khayati spent his early senior career in the Netherlands and Cyprus with PSV, FC Den Bosch, NAC Breda, Olympiakos Nicosia and Kozakken Boys.^[2] He made his professional debut with Den Bosch in the Eerste Divisie on 3 October 2008, in a match against Excelsior.^[4]

El Khayati training with Queens Park Rangers in 2016.

He signed for English club Burton Albion on 29 January 2015,^[5] before moving to Championship side Queens Park Rangers on a 2+1⁄2-year deal on 1 February 2016.^[6] He scored his first goal for QPR in a 2–1 home win against Charlton Athletic on 9 April 2016.^[7] He moved on loan to ADO Den Haag in January 2017.^[8] On 23 August 2017 his QPR contract was terminated by mutual consent.^[9] Shortly after his QPR contract was terminated, he joined ADO Den Haag on a three-year contract.^[10]

After growing into a key player for ADO, El Khayati signed with Qatar SC on a two-year contract on 15 August 2019.^[11] The transfer came after a 2018–19 season, where he scored 17 goals and had 12 assists in the Eredivisie.^[2] On 19 October 2020, El Khayati left Qatar after his contract was terminated by mutual consent, effectively making him a free agent.^[12] He finished his stint in Qatar with 16 league appearances in which he scored one goal.^[2]

He returned to ADO Den Haag on 6 February 2021, signing a short-term contract until the end of the season.^[13]

On 11 March 2022, El Khayati signed with Willem II until the end of the 2021–22 season.^[14] On 30 September 2022, he signed with Indian Super League side Chennaiyin ahead of their 2022–23 season.^[15]

On 8 September 2023, another Indian Super League club Mumbai City announced the signing of El Khayati, ahead of their second straight AFC Champions League campaign.^[16] El-Khayati made his ISL debut off the bench on 24 September 2023, away against NorthEast United FC.^[17]

On 4 December 2023, El Khayati scored his first goal for the club, being the club's only goal of their 2023–24 AFC Champions League campaign at home in a 2-1 loss against FC Navbahor, as Mumbai City were knocked out in the group stage.^[18][19] His second goal, and first ISL goal for the club, came in their next match against Bengaluru FC on 8 December 2023.^[20] He departed the club on 31 January 2024.^[21]

Personal life

El Khayati is of Moroccan descent.^[22]

Career statistics

Club

As of 25 January 2024^[2]

Appearances and goals by club, season and competition

Club	Season	League			National Cup		League Cup		Other		Total
		Division	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals
Den Bosch	2008–09[23]	Eerste Divisie	9	0	0	0	–		–		9	0
	2009–10[23]	Eerste Divisie	3	0	0	0	–		–		3	0
	Total		12	0	0	0	–		–		12	0
NAC Breda	2010–11[23]	Eredivisie	0	0	0	0	–		–		0	0
Olympiakos Nicosia	2012–13[2]	Cypriot First Division	0	0	0	0	–		–		0	0
Kozakken Boys	2014–15[2]	Topklasse	17	12	1	0	–		–		18	12
Burton Albion	2014–15[24]	League Two	18	3	0	0	0	0	0	0	18	3
	2015–16[7]	League One	24	8	1	0	1	0	0	0	26	8
	Total		59	24	1	0	1	0	0	0	62	23
Queens Park Rangers	2015–16[7]	Championship	16	1	0	0	0	0	–		16	1
	2016–17[25]	Championship	6	0	0	0	3	0	–		9	0
	Total		22	1	0	0	3	0	–		25	1
ADO Den Haag (loan)	2016–17[23]	Eredivisie	12	5	0	0	–		–		12	5
ADO Den Haag	2017–18[23]	Eredivisie	32	8	1	0	–		2	3	35	11
	2018–19[23]	Eredivisie	33	17	2	3	–		–		35	20
	Total		65	25	3	3	–		2	3	70	31
Qatar SC	2019–20	Qatar Stars League	14	1	0	0	0	0	0	0	14	1
	2020–21	Qatar Stars League	2	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	2	0
	Total		16	1	0	0	0	0	0	0	16	1
ADO Den Haag	2020–21[23]	Eredivisie	11	2	0	0	–		0	0	11	2
Willem II	2021–22[23]	Eredivisie	5	0	0	0	–		0	0	5	0
Chennaiyin	2022–23[23]	Indian Super League	12	9	1[a]	0	–		–		13	9
Mumbai City	2023–24[23]	Indian Super League	9	1	4[a]	1	–		3[b]	1	16	3
Career total			219	67	9	4	4	0	2	3	240	75

1. Appearance(s) in Super Cup
2. Appearance(s) in AFC Champions League