Omar Rekik

Omar Rekik (Arabic: عمر رقيق; born 20 December 2001) is a professional footballer who plays as a centre-back for EFL League One club Wigan Athletic, on loan from Premier League club Arsenal.[1] Born in the Netherlands, he represents the Tunisia national team. His brother, Karim, is also a professional footballer.

Omar Rekik
Personal information
Date of birth (2001-12-20) 20 December 2001
Place of birth Scheveningen, Netherlands
Height 1.88 m (6 ft 2 in)
Position(s) Centre-back
Team information
Current team
 Wigan Athletic (on loan from Arsenal)
Number 23
Youth career
0000–2012 Feyenoord
2012–2014 Manchester City
2014–2015 PSV
2015–2017 Marseille
2017–2021 Hertha BSC
2021– Arsenal
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2020–2021 Hertha BSC II 8 (1)
2021– Arsenal 0 (0)
2022–2023 → Sparta Rotterdam (loan) 6 (0)
2022 → Jong Sparta (loan) 1 (0)
2023 → Wigan Athletic (loan) 11 (0)
2023– → Wigan Athletic (loan) 0 (0)
International career‡
2018 Tunisia U21 1 (0)
2018–2019 Netherlands U18 3 (1)
2021– Tunisia 3 (0)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 06:46, 02 Sep 2023 (UTC)
‡ National team caps and goals, correct as of 29 April 2022

Early life

Born in Helmond, Netherlands,[2] from a Tunisian father and a Dutch mother,[3][4] Rekik was part of several big European clubs during his youth career, following his brother Karim from Feyenoord, to Manchester City, then PSV and Marseille, before joining Hertha Berlin in 2017.[2][5] However their career eventually split during the 2020–21 season, as Omar was transferred from the Bundesliga side to Arsenal in January 2021.[6][5][7] Karim, who had already been playing professional football for the last ten years, had joined the Spanish side of Sevilla a few months earlier.[4][5]

Club career

On 31 January 2023, Rekik joined Wigan Athletic in the EFL Championship on loan until the end of the season.[8]

On 01 September 2023, Omar Rekik re-joined Wigan Athletic in EFL League One on a short-term loan deal until January 2024.[9]

International career

While Karim was already a 4 time capped Dutch international, Omar Rekik was first selected in the Tunisia under-21 selection in October 2018, while aged only 16,[2] before joining the Netherlands under-18 a month later.[10]

Rekik eventually decided to join the Tunisian national team in May 2021, as he was selected by Mondher Kebaier along with other young players such as Hannibal Mejbri.[3][11] He made his international senior debut for Tunisia on 15 June 2021, starting as a midfielder in the 1-0 friendly win against Mali.[12][13]

Career statistics
As of match played 14 May 2023
Appearances and goals by club, season and competition
Club Season League National Cup League Cup Europe Other Total
DivisionAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoals
Hertha BSC II 2020–21 Regionalliga Nordost 81————81
Arsenal 2020–21 Premier League 000000—0000
2021–22 Premier League 000000—0000
2022–23 Premier League 000000—0000
Total 000000—0000
Arsenal U23 2021–22 ————2[lower-alpha 1]020
Sparta Rotterdam (loan) 2022–23 Eredivisie 6000——1070
Wigan Athletic (loan) 2022–23 Championship 110————110
Wigan Athletic (loan) 2023–24 Championship 00————00
Career total 25100000030281
  1. Appearances in EFL Trophy

References
  1. Omar Rekik at Soccerway
  2. "Omar Rekik: talento tunisino classe 2001". World Football Scouting (in Italian). 18 October 2018. Retrieved 15 June 2021.
  3. Jerbi, Rania (27 May 2021). "Equipe nationale –Tunisie : Omar Rekik officiellement " Aigle de Carthage "". Africa Foot United (in French). Retrieved 16 June 2021.
  4. Jerbi, Rania (31 May 2021). "Tunisie : Karim Rekik sur les traces de son frère Omar ?". Africa Foot United (in French). Retrieved 15 June 2021.
  5. Rault, Mathieu (19 November 2020). "Arsenal veut l'ancien Marseillais Omar Rekik". Foot Mercato (in French). Retrieved 15 June 2021.
  6. "Omar Rekik signs professional contract". arsenal.com. Retrieved 15 June 2021.
  7. "Arsenal sign Omar Rekik". BeSoccer. 7 January 2021. Retrieved 15 June 2021.
  8. "SPARTA HUURT OMAR REKIK VAN ARSENAL" (in Dutch). Sparta Rotterdam. 20 June 2022. Retrieved 20 July 2022.
  9. "OMAR REKIK JOINS WIGAN ATHLETIC ON LOAN". arsenal.com. Arsenal. 1 September 2023. Retrieved 2 September 2023.
  10. Elfrink, Rik (15 November 2018). "KNVB maakt werk van Omar Rekik, die bij Oranje onder 18 in de basis staat". Eindhovens Dagblad.
  11. "Cérémonie de présentation des deux néo-internationaux, Hannibal Mejbri et Omar Rekik". Mosaïque FM (in French). 30 May 2021. Retrieved 16 June 2021.
  12. "Amical : Formation rentrante de la Tunisie face au Mali". kawarji.com. 15 June 2021. Retrieved 15 June 2021.
  13. "Amical, Tunisie –Mali : La victoire et c'est tout pour les Aigles de Carthage | Africa Foot United". africafootunited.com (in French). 15 June 2021. Retrieved 15 June 2021.
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