Lorent Tolaj

Lorent Tolaj (born 23 October 2001) is a Swiss professional footballer who plays as a forward for National League club Aldershot Town.

Lorent Tolaj
Personal information
Full name Lorent Tolaj[1]
Date of birth (2001-10-23) 23 October 2001
Place of birth Aigle, Switzerland
Height 1.83 m (6 ft 0 in)[2]
Position(s) Forward
Team information
Current team
 Aldershot Town
Number 9
Youth career
0000–2018 FC Sion
2018–2022 Brighton & Hove Albion
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2022–2023 Brighton & Hove Albion 0 (0)
2022 → Cambridge United (loan) 4 (0)
2022–2023 → Salford City (loan) 11 (0)
2023 → Dundee (loan) 2 (0)
2023– Aldershot Town 17 (7)
International career‡
2017 Switzerland U17 3 (2)
2018–2019 Switzerland U18 5 (1)
2019–2020 Switzerland U19 4 (9)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 22:06, 24 October 2023 (UTC)
‡ National team caps and goals, correct as of 19:28, 2 February 2022 (UTC)

Club career

Brighton & Hove Albion

Born in Aigle,[2] Tolaj joined Brighton & Hove Albion's academy in 2018 after playing youth football for Swiss side FC Sion.[3] He would score two goals for the Seagulls' under-23 side in their 4–2 win over Worthing in the 2022 Sussex Senior Challenge Cup final.[4]

On 16 June 2023, Tolaj was released from his contract with Brighton.[5]

Cambridge United, Salford City, and Dundee loans

On 31 January 2022, he joined EFL League One club Cambridge United on loan until the end of the season.[6][7] A day later, he made his debut for the U's as a substitute in the 2–0 away defeat at Bolton Wanderers.[8] On 18 April, it was confirmed that Tolaj had returned to his parent club Brighton after struggling for game time at Cambridge only making five appearances in all competitions.[9]

On 23 August, Tolaj signed for League Two side Salford City on loan for the 2022–23 season.[10] However, on 31 January 2023, Tolaj left Salford and joined Scottish Championship club Dundee on loan until the end of the season.[11] He made his debut for the Dark Blues as a substitute in a league game away to Hamilton Academical.[12] In April 2023, Tolaj return to Brighton after suffering an injury to his achilles tendon, and would only briefly return to Dundee before the issue flared up again.[13][14]

Aldershot Town

On 7 July 2023, following his release from Brighton, Tolaj joined National League side, Aldershot Town on a one-year deal.[15] Tolaj scored a brace in his debut for the Shots, in a 5–2 league win over Oxford City.[16] On 28 August, Tolaj would play part of a league game away to Eastleigh as a goalkeeper after Shots goalie Jordi van Stappershoef was sent off.[17] Tolaj scored a hat-trick in an FA Cup win over Lewes.

International career

Born in Switzerland, Tolaj is of Kosovan descent.[18] He has represented Switzerland internationally at under-17, under-18 and under-19 levels.[19] On 19 November 2019, Tolaj scored eight goals in Switzerland U19's 16–1 win over Gibraltar U19, setting the record for the most goals scored in a under-19 Euro qualifier.[20]

Career statistics
As of 24 October 2023
Appearances and goals by club, season and competition
Club Season League FA Cup EFL Cup Other Total
DivisionAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoals
Brighton & Hove Albion U21 2019–20[21] ———1[lower-alpha 1]010
2021–22[22] ———3[lower-alpha 1]232
Total 0000004242
Brighton & Hove Albion 2021–22[22] Premier League 000000—00
Cambridge United (loan) 2021–22[22] League One 401000—50
Salford City (loan) 2022–23[23] League Two 11000—6[lower-alpha 1]1171
Dundee (loan) 2022–23[23] Scottish Championship 20——1[lower-alpha 2]030
Aldershot Town 2023–24[24] National League 1771300001810
Career total 34723001134913
  1. Appearance(s) in EFL Trophy
  2. Appearances in the Scottish Challenge Cup

Honours

Brighton & Hove Albion

References
  1. "2020/21 Premier League squads confirmed". Premier League. 20 October 2020. Retrieved 2 February 2022.
  2. "Lorent Tolaj". worldfootball.net. Retrieved 2 February 2022.
  3. Mills, Richard (13 September 2021). "Lorent Tolaj recalls his injury woe after helping Brighton U23s beat Blackburn". Sussex Live. Retrieved 2 February 2022.
  4. Bone, Steve (10 May 2022). "Sussex Senior Cup final: Gallant Worthing lose 4-2 to Brighton & Hove Albion U23s". sussexexpress.co.uk. Retrieved 31 January 2023.
  5. https://www.premierleague.com/news/3537083
  6. "Lorent Tolaj: Cambridge United agree loan deal for Brighton forward". BBC Sport. 31 January 2022. Retrieved 2 February 2022.
  7. Page, Stephen (31 January 2022). "U's sign Tolaj on loan from Brighton & Hove Albion". Cambridgeshire Live. Retrieved 2 February 2022.
  8. Page, Stephen (2 February 2022). "U's unbeaten run in League One ends with defeat at Bolton Wanderers". Cambridgeshire Live. Retrieved 2 February 2022.
  9. Page, Stephen (18 April 2022). "Lorent Tolaj returns to Brighton & Hove Albion following Cambridge United loan spell". Cambridgeshire Live. Retrieved 5 May 2022.
  10. Bishop, Matt (23 August 2022). "Lorent Tolaj joins Salford City". Brighton & Hove Albion. Retrieved 31 August 2022.
  11. "Lorent signs". Dundee Football Club. 31 January 2023. Retrieved 31 January 2023.
  12. "Hamilton Academical v Dundee". BBC Sport. Retrieved 4 February 2023.
  13. Cran, George. "Dundee team news: Zach Robinson, Max Anderson and Ben Williamson updates as one loanee heads back to parent club". The Courier. Retrieved 5 April 2023.
  14. Robertson, Neil. "Dundee midfielder Jordan McGhee's season is over". The Courier. Retrieved 18 April 2023.
  15. "NEW SIGNING: Lorent Tolaj". Aldershot Town F.C. 7 July 2023. Retrieved 7 July 2023.
  16. "Aldershot Town 5-2 Oxford City". BBC Sport. Retrieved 10 August 2023.
  17. "Eastleigh 3-0 Aldershot Town". BBC Sport. Retrieved 28 August 2023.
  18. "Kosovarët kundër Kosovës!". Lajmet e fundit – Zëri. 7 December 2017.
  19. "Lorent Tolaj » Internationals". worldfootball.net. Retrieved 2 February 2022.
  20. Owen, Brian (20 November 2019). "Eight-goal Albion teen breaks Euro record". The Argus. Retrieved 2 February 2022.
  21. "Games played by Lorent Tolaj in 2019/2020". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 8 February 2022.
  22. "Games played by Lorent Tolaj in 2021/2022". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 8 February 2022.
  23. "Games played by Lorent Tolaj in 2022/2023". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 7 January 2023.
  24. "Games played by Lorent Tolaj in 2023/2024". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 7 July 2023.
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