Kenji Joel Gorré (born 29 September 1994) is a professional footballer who plays as a winger for Qatari club Umm-Salal. Born in the Netherlands, he is the son of former professional footballer Dean Gorré, and represents Curaçao at international level.

Kenji Gorré
Gorré with ADO Den Haag in 2015
Personal information
Full name Kenji Joel Gorré[1]
Date of birth (1994-09-29) 29 September 1994 (age 30)
Place of birth Spijkenisse, Netherlands
Height 5 ft 10 in (1.78 m)
Position(s) Winger
Team information
Current team
Umm Salal
Number 7
Youth career
000?–2002 Manchester City
2002–2013 Manchester United
2013–2014 Swansea City
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2014–2018 Swansea City 1 (0)
2015–2016ADO Den Haag (loan) 6 (1)
2016–2017Northampton Town (loan) 18 (1)
2018–2021 Nacional 67 (8)
2019Estoril (loan) 14 (3)
2021–2023 Boavista 65 (7)
2023– Umm Salal 24 (10)
International career
2019– Curaçao 26 (3)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 13 June 2023
‡ National team caps and goals, correct as of 1 June 2023

Club career

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Youth career

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Born in Spijkenisse, Netherlands, Gorré lived in Netherlands before moving to England, when his father transferred to Huddersfield Town when he was four[2] and lived in England ever since.[3][4] Gorré attended North Cestrian Grammar School.[2] Gorré's decision to play football was supported by his parents.[2]

In 2002, Gorré moved from Manchester City Academy to Manchester United Academy. When Gorré was fifteen, Gorré became a transfer target from Arsenal and Chelsea.[5] Despite, Gorré remained at the club and two years later, on 26 July 2011, Gorré scored in a 7–0 win over County Tyrone in the Milk Cup.[6] The following month, Gorré began to start his first year scholars at the academy.[7]

Then in February 2013, Gorré went on trial at Scottish Premier League champions Celtic, but he did not sign on a permanent basis.[8] This came after Gorré was released from the Manchester United Academy.[9]

Swansea City

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In March 2013, Gorré began training with Premier League side Swansea City. Gorré made an impressive performance at the trial and convinced the Swansea City management to give him a one-year contract.[10]

Shortly signing for Swansea City, Gorré was featured in the pre-season friendly matches and scored two goals against Excelsior[11] and Haaglandia.[12] Despite being given forty-six shirt,[13] Gorré was sent to the Swansea City Reserves and played there throughout the 2013–14 season.[14]

On 4 July 2014, Gorré signed a new two-year contract keeping him at the club until June 2016.[15] This came after when Gorré was offered a professional contract.[16] Later in the 2014–15 season, Gorré became the top scorer for Swansea Under-21s during the 2014–15 Professional U21 Development League 2 season,[17] and scored twice as the Under-21s won the league title.[18] After impressing for the Under-21s, Gorré made his professional debut for Swansea in a 1–0 Premier League loss away to Crystal Palace on 24 May 2015.[19]

On 6 July 2015, Gorré signed a new three-year contract with Swansea City, keeping him at the club until the summer of 2018.[20] Two days later, on 8 July 2015, Swansea City agreed a deal to loan Gorré out to Dutch side ADO Den Haag,[21] Gorré made his ADO Den Haag debut as a 76th-minute substitute, and set up a goal from a free kick to goalkeeper, Martin Hansen, to score his first ever professional goal, to earn his team a last-minute draw against PSV.[22] However, six days later, Gorré was sent to the reserves to play against Jong Heracles and in the 36th minute, he received a straight red card for a professional foul.[23] After the match, KNVB decided against giving Gorré a game suspension.[24] However, Gorré went on to make five appearances, having spent the first half of the season at ADO Den Haag on the bench and on 30 January 2016, it was confirmed that Gorré had returned to Swansea City following his loan spell at ADO Den Haag.[25]

Following his return from a loan at ADO Den Haag, Gorré returned to the club's reserves and scored on his return, in a 2–1 win over Derby County.[26]

On 29 July 2016, Gorré joined Northampton Town on a six-month loan deal until January 2017.[27]

He was unable to break into the first team at Swansea, and despite being offered a new contract, he left the club at the end of his original three-year deal in June 2018.

Nacional

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Following his release by Swansea, Gorré signed for Primeira Liga club Nacional.[28]

In January 2019 he dropped a division to join LigaPro side Estoril on loan until the end of the remaining season.

Boavista

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On 22 July 2021, Porto-based side Boavista announced the free signing of Gorré on a two-year contract.[29]

Umm Salal

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On 16 June 2023, after his contract with Boavista expired, Gorré signed a two-year deal with Qatari club Umm Salal.[30]

International career

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Gorré was born in the Netherlands to a Surinamese father, Dean Gorré, and a Curaçaoan mother (Magali from The Real Housewives of Cheshire) and is eligible for all three national teams.[31] Gorré is also eligible to play for England, citing having engaged in a minimum of five years education under the age of 18 within the territory of the relevant association.[2] Gorré was initially approached by the English FA before being selected by KNVB instead.[2] He never played for their youth team.

In November 2016, Gorré was called up to and played for the Curaçao national team in their friendly against Eredivisie side Excelsior in Rotterdam.[32] In 2019, he was selected for the country's 2019 Gold Cup squad and made his debut on 25 June 2019 in the last group game against Jamaica. He came on as a substitute in the 70th minute for Jarchinio Antonia, Curaçao equalised in added time to advance to the knock-out stage.[33]

Career statistics

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As of match played 24 May 2015
Appearances and goals by club, season and competition
Club Season League FA Cup League Cup Other Total
Division Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals
Swansea City 2014–15 Premier League 1 0 0 0 0 0 1 0
ADO Den Haag (loan) 2015–16 Eredivisie 5 0 1 1 6 1
Northampton Town (loan) 2016–17 League One 13 1 0 0 3 0 2 0 18 1
Swansea City U21 2017–18 4 4 4 4
Nacional 2018–19 Primeira Liga 11 1 0 0 4 0 15 1
Estoril 2018–19 LigaPro 7 2 0 0 0 0 7 2
Career total 37 4 0 0 7 0 7 5 51 9

References

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  1. ^ "Professional retained list 2011/12" (PDF). The Football League. p. 17. Retrieved 12 May 2016.
  2. ^ a b c d e "Kenji going Dutch". Manchester Evening News. 12 March 2010. Retrieved 18 July 2016.
  3. ^ "Gorré: 'De Nederlandse stijl past mij goed'" (in Dutch). Voetbal International. 9 July 2015. Retrieved 18 July 2016.
  4. ^ "Gorré: 'Voor het eerst in mijn leven Sinterklaas gevierd'" (in Dutch). Voetbal International. 23 January 2016. Retrieved 18 July 2016.
  5. ^ "Chelsea Trying To Poach Manchester United Starlet Kenji Gorre – Report". Goal.com. 19 March 2009. Retrieved 18 July 2016.
  6. ^ "Manchester United hammer Co Tyrone in Milk Cup". BBC Sport. 26 July 2011. Retrieved 18 July 2016.
  7. ^ "Reds draft in scholars". Manchester United F.C. 8 August 2011. Archived from the original on 3 March 2016. Retrieved 18 July 2016.
  8. ^ "Celtic manager Neil Lennon assesses winger Kenji Gorre". BBC Sport. 1 February 2013. Retrieved 18 July 2016.
  9. ^ "Veseli heads list of released United players". Manchester Evening News. 7 June 2013. Archived from the original on 4 March 2016. Retrieved 18 July 2016.
  10. ^ "The new life of Kenji Gorre, the Man Utd kid who promised so much at Swansea City as addiction nearly cost him everything". walesonline.co.uk. Media Wales Ltd. 2 April 2020. Retrieved 9 July 2021.
  11. ^ "FULL-TIME: Excelsior 1 Swansea City 5". Swansea City A.F.C. 7 July 2013. Archived from the original on 10 September 2013. Retrieved 18 July 2016.
  12. ^ "FULL-TIME: Haaglandia 0 Swansea City 10". Swansea City A.F.C. 10 July 2013. Archived from the original on 10 September 2013. Retrieved 18 July 2016.
  13. ^ "Squad numbers confirmed". Swansea City A.F.C. 23 July 2013. Archived from the original on 22 August 2013. Retrieved 18 July 2016.
  14. ^ "Gorré targets cup success". Swansea City A.F.C. 25 November 2013. Archived from the original on 10 December 2013. Retrieved 18 July 2016.
  15. ^ "Stephen Kingsley eyeing Swansea City first team chance after arriving from Falkirk". southwales-eveningpost.co.uk. 2 July 2014. Retrieved 2 July 2014.
  16. ^ "Eight young Swansea City pros offered contract extensions". Swansea City A.F.C. 30 May 2014. Archived from the original on 28 January 2015. Retrieved 18 July 2016.
  17. ^ "Who are Swansea City's silverware-winning youngsters and potential stars of the future? The Swans' next generation..." Wales Online. 14 May 2015. Retrieved 18 July 2016.
  18. ^ "Llewellyn delighted to end season on a high". Swansea City A.F.C. 13 May 2015. Archived from the original on 14 May 2015. Retrieved 13 May 2015.
  19. ^ "Crystal Palace 1 Swansea City 0". BBC Sport. 24 May 2015. Retrieved 6 July 2015.
  20. ^ "Swansea City: Kenji Gorre signs new three-year deal". BBC Sport. 6 July 2015.
  21. ^ "Young Swans forward Kenji Gorre joins Den Haag on loan". Swansea City A.F.C. 8 July 2016. Archived from the original on 9 July 2015. Retrieved 18 July 2016.
  22. ^ "ADO-goalie Hansen bezorgt PSV kater met geniale goal" (in Dutch). Voetbal International. 11 August 2015. Retrieved 18 July 2016.
  23. ^ "Jong Heracles geeft voorsprong uit handen" (in Dutch). Tubantia Official Website. 17 August 2015. Retrieved 18 July 2016.
  24. ^ "KNVB besluit ook Gorré niet te schorsen na rode kaart" (in Dutch). Voetbal International. 19 August 2015. Retrieved 18 July 2016.
  25. ^ "ADO laat Gorré per direct terugkeren naar Swansea" (in Dutch). Voetbal International. 30 January 2016. Retrieved 18 July 2016.
  26. ^ "Gorre takes lesson from Montero's experience". Swansea City A.F.C. 8 March 2016. Archived from the original on 5 April 2016. Retrieved 18 July 2015.
  27. ^ "Gorre to show dutch of class". Northampton Chronicle and Echo. 29 July 2016.
  28. ^ "Swansea's Roque Mesa completes permanent switch to Sevilla". Shropshire Star. 27 June 2018. Retrieved 19 November 2020.
  29. ^ "Kenji Gorré assina pelo Boavista FC" [Kenji Gorré signs for Boavista FC] (in European Portuguese). Boavista. 22 July 2022. Retrieved 12 July 2023.
  30. ^ "Depois do Boavista, Kenji Gorré ruma ao Umm-Salal, do Catar" [After Boavista, Kenji Gorré heads to Umm-Salal, from Qatar]. zerozero.pt (in Portuguese). 16 June 2023. Retrieved 12 July 2023.
  31. ^ Gorré staat open voor Curaçao
  32. ^ "Bicentini: Curaçao kan WK 2022 halen | caribisch netwerk". caribischnetwerk.ntr.nl. Retrieved 11 November 2016.
  33. ^ "Jamaica v Curaçao game report". CONCACAF. 25 June 2019. Archived from the original on 26 June 2019. Retrieved 26 June 2019.
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