Casper Højer Nielsen (born 20 November 1994) is a Danish professional footballer who plays as a left back for Turkish Süper Lig club Çaykur Rizespor.

Casper Højer
Personal information
Full name Casper Højer Nielsen
Date of birth (1994-11-20) 20 November 1994 (age 30)
Place of birth Copenhagen, Denmark
Height 1.83 m (6 ft 0 in)
Position(s) Left back
Team information
Current team
Çaykur Rizespor
Number 5
Youth career
2002–2006 Skjold[1]
2006–2012 KB[1]
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2012–2014 Copenhagen 0 (0)
2013–2014Brønshøj (loan) 25 (0)
2014–2018 Lyngby 50 (2)
2018–2021 AGF 111 (11)
2021–2023 Sparta Prague 32 (2)
2023– Çaykur Rizespor 34 (1)
International career
2011–2012 Denmark U18 9 (3)
2012–2013 Denmark U19 6 (1)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 13:23, 21 April 2024 (UTC)

A product of FC Copenhagen's youth academy, Højer failed to break through and mainly played at the lower levels for Brønshøj and Lyngby early on. He moved to AGF in 2018, where he excelled and earned a move to Czech club Sparta Prague in 2021. After two seasons, he joined newly promoted Süper Lig club Çaykur Rizespor.

Højer has been capped 15 times for the Denmark national under-18 and under-19 teams, respectively.[2]

Club career

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Early years

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Højer Nielsen, whose father Lars had played professional football himself for B 1903 and their successor club FC Copenhagen, among others, was trained in the academy of FC Copenhagen.[3] In July 2013, he sent on loan within the city to the second-tier Danish 1st Division club Brønshøj Boldklub from the Brønshøj district to player under head coach Bo Henriksen.[4] On 28 July 2013, he played his first senior game in the 4–1 defeat away against Silkeborg IF.[5] At Brønshøj, he was utilised regularly and after a year he moved to Brønshøj's second division competitor Lyngby Boldklub from Lyngby-Taarbæk Municipality in the urban area of Copenhagen.[6] Whereas he would play most games during his first season, Højer Nielsen only appeared in nine games in his second year at Lyngby.[7] Nevertheless, he promoted with the club in the Danish Superliga.[8]

Having not played a lot in his first season in the Superliga with Lyngby either, and the situation would not improve in his second year where Lyngby had qualified for the UEFA Europa League, he signed with AGF in the winter transfer window of the 2017–18 season. Originally, he was supposed to move to the Aarhus-based club on a three-year deal in the summer of 2018,[9] but the clubs eventually reached an agreement to send him to his new club in February 2018.[10][11] There, Højer Nielsen fought for a regular place and helped secure the club's survival in the Superliga relegation round. On 16 September 2018, he scored his first goal for the club in the 2–3 away win over AC Horsens to win the game.[12] In the following season, 2019–20, Højer Nielsen was a regular starter at the left-back position.[13]

Sparta Prague

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On 9 May 2021, it was announced that Højer Nielsen had signed with Czech First League club Sparta Prague for an undisclosed fee, reported to be €700,000.[14] His contract with AGF had been set to expire in December 2021.[15]

Çaykur Rizespor

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On 10 September 2023, Højer Nielsen signed a three-year contract with Turkish club Çaykur Rizespor.[16]

International career

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Højer Nielsen played nine games for the national under-18 team from 2011 to 2012, in which he scored three goals. He would then play at the side of, among others, Yussuf Poulsen for the under-19 team a year later, where he gained six caps and scored one goal.[17]

Personal life

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He is the son of former professional football player Lars Højer Nielsen.[3]

Career statistics

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As of match played 21 April 2024
Appearances and goals by club, season and competition
Club Season League Cup Continental Other Total
Division Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals
Copenhagen 2012–13 Danish Superliga 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
Brønshøj (loan) 2013–14 Danish 1st Division 25 0 2 0 27 0
Lyngby 2014–15 Danish 1st Division 24 0 1 0 25 0
2015–16 Danish 1st Division 9 1 4 1 13 2
2016–17 Danish Superliga 9 0 2 0 11 0
2017–18 Danish Superliga 8 1 1 0 1 0 10 1
Total 50 2 8 1 1 0 59 3
AGF 2017–18 Danish Superliga 16 0 16 0
2018–19 Danish Superliga 31 4 2 0 33 4
2019–20 Danish Superliga 35 4 2 0 37 4
2020–21 Danish Superliga 28 3 4 0 2 0 34 3
Total 111 11 8 0 2 0 121 11
Sparta Prague 2021–22 Czech First League 11 0 2 0 2 0 15 0
2022–23 Czech First League 21 2 2 0 0 0 23 2
Total 32 2 4 0 2 0 38 2
Çaykur Rizespor 2023–24 Süper Lig 27 1 0 0 27 1
Career total 245 16 22 1 5 0 0 0 272 17

Honours

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Club

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Sparta Prague

References

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  1. ^ a b Bagge, Peter; Thorsen, Gisle (19 July 2020). "Før topbrag: FCK er ikke længere min drøm". ekstrabladet.dk. Ekstra Bladet. Retrieved 21 August 2020.
  2. ^ "Casper Højer Nielsen - DBU". www.dbu.dk. Danish FA. Retrieved 21 August 2020.
  3. ^ a b Skipper, Kasper Wilkenschildt (16 November 2018). "AGF'er ville ud af fars skygge: - Har sgu ikke altid været nemt". TV2 ØSTJYLLAND (in Danish).
  4. ^ Helmin, Jesper (10 July 2013). "FCK udlejer Højer Nielsen". bold.dk (in Danish).
  5. ^ Casper Højer at Soccerway. Retrieved 15 October 2016.
  6. ^ Anker-Møller, Kristian (24 June 2014). "Lyngby henter Casper Højer i FCK". bold.dk (in Danish).
  7. ^ "Casper Højer Nielsen » Club matches". worldfootball.net. Retrieved 30 May 2021.
  8. ^ "Her jubler Lyngby-spillerne over Superligaoprykning - TV 2". sport.tv2.dk (in Danish). 8 May 2016.
  9. ^ Nøhr, Mikkel (16 January 2018). "AGF henter Lyngby-back til sommer". bold.dk (in Danish).
  10. ^ Karlsen, Nanna Møller (9 February 2018). "Casper Højer på plads i AGF". bold.dk (in Danish).
  11. ^ Rygaard og tre andre forlader Lyngby‚ bold.dk, 7 February 2018
  12. ^ "AC Horsens - Aarhus GF 3:2 (Superliga 2018/2019, 9. Round)". worldfootball.net. Retrieved 30 May 2021.
  13. ^ "Casper Højer Nielsen » Superliga 2019/2020". worldfootball.net. Retrieved 30 May 2021.
  14. ^ Christensen, Troels (9 May 2021). "AGF-stjerne solgt til Sparta Prag". ekstrabladet.dk (in Danish).
  15. ^ Kokborg, Johnny Wojciech; Davidsen, Michel Wikkelsø (9 May 2021). "B.T. afslører: AGF tæt på salg af Casper Højer" (in Danish).
  16. ^ Šťastný, Pavel (10 September 2023). "Sparta hlásí odchody: Höjer a Minčev do Turecka, podpisy na tři roky" [Sparta reports departures: Höjer and Minčev to Turkey, signing for three years]. Blesk (in Czech). Czech News Center.
  17. ^ "Landsholdsdatabasen - Casper Højer Nielsen". DBU (in Danish). Retrieved 30 May 2021.
  18. ^ "Sparta v euforii! Remíza na Slovácku odstartovala mistrovské oslavy". Sport.cz (in Czech). Czech News Agency. 23 May 2023. Retrieved 23 May 2023.