Omar Rekik

Omar Rekik
Personal information
Date of birth	20 December 2001 (age 23)
Place of birth	Helmond, Netherlands
Height	1.87 m (6 ft 2 in)
Position(s)	Centre-back
Team information
Current team	Maribor
Number	44
Youth career
0000–2012	Feyenoord
2012–2014	Manchester City
2014–2015	PSV
2015–2017	Marseille
2017–2021	Hertha BSC
2021–2022	Arsenal
Senior career*
Years	Team
2020–2021	Hertha BSC II
2021–2024	Arsenal
2022–2023	→ Sparta Rotterdam (loan)
2022	→ Jong Sparta (loan)
2023	→ Wigan Athletic (loan)
2023–2024	→ Wigan Athletic (loan)
2024	→ Servette (loan)
2025–	Maribor
International career
2018	Tunisia U21
2018–2019	Netherlands U18
2021–2022	Tunisia
	*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 2 February 2025

Omar Rekik (Arabic: عمر رقيق; born 20 December 2001) is a professional footballer who plays as a centre-back for Slovenian PrvaLiga club Maribor.^[2] Born in the Netherlands, he represented the Tunisia national team internationally.

Early life

Born in Helmond, Netherlands^[3] to a Tunisian father and a Dutch mother,^[4]^[5] 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.^[3]^[6] However, their careers eventually split during the 2020–21 season, as Omar was transferred from the Bundesliga side to Arsenal in January 2021,^[7]^[6]^[8] while Karim joined Spanish side Sevilla a few months earlier.^[5]^[6]

Club career

On 31 January 2023, Rekik joined Wigan Athletic in the EFL Championship on loan until the end of the season.^[9] On 1 September 2023, he re-joined Wigan Athletic in EFL League One on a short-term loan deal until January 2024.^[10]

On 2 February 2024, Rekik moved on a new loan to Servette in Switzerland, with an option to buy.^[11]

International career

While his brother Karim was already capped for the senior Netherlands national team, Omar was first selected in the Tunisia under-21 selection in October 2018, aged just 16,^[3] before joining the Netherlands under-18 a month later.^[12]

Rekik eventually decided to join the Tunisia national team in May 2021, as he was selected by Mondher Kebaier along with other young players such as Hannibal Mejbri.^[4]^[13] He made his international senior debut on 15 June 2021, starting as a midfielder in a 1–0 friendly win against Mali.^[14]^[15]

Career statistics

As of 22 January 2024

Appearances and goals by club, season and competition
Club	Season	League			National cup		League cup		Continental		Other		Total
Club	Season	Division	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals
Hertha BSC II	2020–21	Regionalliga Nordost	8	1	—		—		—		—		8	1
Arsenal	2020–21	Premier League	0	0	0	0	0	0	—		0	0	0	0
	2021–22	Premier League	0	0	0	0	0	0	—		—		0	0
	2022–23	Premier League	0	0	0	0	0	0	—		—		0	0
	Total		0	0	0	0	0	0	—		0	0	0	0
Arsenal U23	2021–22	—			—		—		—		2^[a]	0	2	0
Sparta Rotterdam (loan)	2022–23	Eredivisie	6	0	0	0	—		—		—		6	0
Wigan Athletic (loan)	2022–23	Championship	11	0	—		—		—		—		11	0
Wigan Athletic (loan)	2023–24	League One	10	0	2	0	0	0	—		2^[a]	0	14	0
Servette	2023–24	Swiss Super League	0	0	0	0	—		—		—		0	0
Career total			35	1	2	0	0	0	0	0	4	0	41	1

^ ^a ^b Appearances in EFL Trophy

References

^ "Omar Rekik – NK Maribor" (in Slovenian). NK Maribor. Archived from the original on 3 January 2025. Retrieved 3 January 2025.
^ Omar Rekik at Soccerway
^ ^a ^b ^c "Omar Rekik: talento tunisino classe 2001". World Football Scouting (in Italian). 18 October 2018. Retrieved 15 June 2021.
^ ^a ^b Jerbi, Rania (27 May 2021). "Equipe nationale –Tunisie: Omar Rekik officiellement " Aigle de Carthage "". Africa Foot United (in French). Retrieved 16 June 2021.
^ ^a ^b Jerbi, Rania (31 May 2021). "Tunisie: Karim Rekik sur les traces de son frère Omar ?". Africa Foot United (in French). Retrieved 15 June 2021.
^ ^a ^b ^c Rault, Mathieu (19 November 2020). "Arsenal veut l'ancien Marseillais Omar Rekik". Foot Mercato (in French). Retrieved 15 June 2021.
^ "Omar Rekik signs professional contract". Arsenal F.C. Retrieved 15 June 2021.
^ "Arsenal sign Omar Rekik". BeSoccer. 7 January 2021. Retrieved 15 June 2021.
^ "Sparta huurt Omar Rekik van Arsenal". Sparta Rotterdam (in Dutch). 20 June 2022. Retrieved 20 July 2022.
^ "Omar Rekik joins Wigan Athletic on loan". Arsenal F.C. Arsenal. 1 September 2023. Retrieved 2 September 2023.
^ "Omar Rekik rejoint les Grenat" [Omar Rekik joins The Garnets]. Servette FC (in French). 2 February 2024. Retrieved 3 February 2024.
^ Elfrink, Rik (15 November 2018). "KNVB maakt werk van Omar Rekik, die bij Oranje onder 18 in de basis staat". Eindhovens Dagblad.
^ "Cérémonie de présentation des deux néo-internationaux, Hannibal Mejbri et Omar Rekik". Mosaïque FM (in French). 30 May 2021. Retrieved 16 June 2021.
^ "Amical: Formation rentrante de la Tunisie face au Mali". kawarji.com. 15 June 2021. Retrieved 15 June 2021.
^ "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.

External links

Omar Rekik at Soccerway
Omar Rekik KNVB profile

[EFT-16] Appearances in EFL Trophy

[1] "Omar Rekik – NK Maribor" (in Slovenian). NK Maribor. Archived from the original on 3 January 2025. Retrieved 3 January 2025.

[2] Omar Rekik at Soccerway

[:3-3] "Omar Rekik: talento tunisino classe 2001". World Football Scouting (in Italian). 18 October 2018. Retrieved 15 June 2021.

[:4-4] Jerbi, Rania (27 May 2021). "Equipe nationale –Tunisie: Omar Rekik officiellement " Aigle de Carthage "". Africa Foot United (in French). Retrieved 16 June 2021.

[:0-5] Jerbi, Rania (31 May 2021). "Tunisie: Karim Rekik sur les traces de son frère Omar ?". Africa Foot United (in French). Retrieved 15 June 2021.

[:1-6] Rault, Mathieu (19 November 2020). "Arsenal veut l'ancien Marseillais Omar Rekik". Foot Mercato (in French). Retrieved 15 June 2021.

[7] "Omar Rekik signs professional contract". Arsenal F.C. Retrieved 15 June 2021.

[:2-8] "Arsenal sign Omar Rekik". BeSoccer. 7 January 2021. Retrieved 15 June 2021.

[9] "Sparta huurt Omar Rekik van Arsenal". Sparta Rotterdam (in Dutch). 20 June 2022. Retrieved 20 July 2022.

[10] "Omar Rekik joins Wigan Athletic on loan". Arsenal F.C. Arsenal. 1 September 2023. Retrieved 2 September 2023.

[11] "Omar Rekik rejoint les Grenat" [Omar Rekik joins The Garnets]. Servette FC (in French). 2 February 2024. Retrieved 3 February 2024.

[12] Elfrink, Rik (15 November 2018). "KNVB maakt werk van Omar Rekik, die bij Oranje onder 18 in de basis staat". Eindhovens Dagblad.

[13] "Cérémonie de présentation des deux néo-internationaux, Hannibal Mejbri et Omar Rekik". Mosaïque FM (in French). 30 May 2021. Retrieved 16 June 2021.

[14] "Amical: Formation rentrante de la Tunisie face au Mali". kawarji.com. 15 June 2021. Retrieved 15 June 2021.

[15] "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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