Altin Gjokaj: Kosovo’s future – Scouting report by Drin Gashi

Jacek Kulig

Altin Gjokaj: Kosovo’s future – Scouting report by Drin Gashi

Name: Gjokaj 

First Name: Altin 

Age: 18 (11.11.2005)  

Height: 1,85 cm  

Position: Goalkeeper  

Club: FC Prishtina 

Nationality: Kosovo  

Preferred foot: Right  

Market Value: 175k€ 

Player Comparison: Yann Sommer

Introduction:  

Altin Gjokaj, a lifelong KF Drenica player and currently a U21 Kosovar national player, is a  prominently discussed name in the Kosovar media. After trying a new adventure for one year,  Gjokaj decided to return to his boyhood club and make his first-team debut where he first  began playing football. He was the starting goalkeeper for KF Drenica, who are playing in the  second tier after facing relegation this summer. Additionally, he is the starting goalkeeper for  the U21 team of Kosovo. His exceptional performances have earned him a transfer to the  biggest club in Kosovo, FC Prishtina, this winter. 

Key Strengths:  

– Close – range shot – stopping ability (Very strong) 

– Good speed and timing when rushing out of the goal to anticipate opponents and clear  the ball (Very strong) 

– Saving one-on-ones (Very Strong) 

– Passing (Very strong) 

– Reflexes (Very strong) 

– Football IQ (Very Strong) 

– Footwork, technique and distribution (Strong) 

– Throwing (Strong) 

– Commanding in defense (strong) 

– Composure (Strong)

Weaknesses:  

– Height 

– Sometimes struggling to catch or punch away the ball  

Improvements:  

– Being more engaged in the play when the team has the ball, e.g., Ederson or Manuel  Riemann, since he has the technical qualities to do so 

Style of play:  

A right-footed goalkeeper who already  exudes strong confidence at the young age  of 18 years.

Gjokaj brings calmness, security, and a high football IQ, which allows him to make  important saves and precise passes to  quickly initiate the counterplay. The youngster doesn’t hesitate to make his  voice resonate through the entire 90  minutes, fearlessly taking charge and  commanding his defense.

To add to his many qualities, his passing is  very reliable. Whether short or long, by foot  or by hand, Gjokaj’s passes are very precise  and well-chosen. To top off his passing  game, the young prospect from Kosovo has  an impressive throwing range.  

Taking a closer look at his movements on the line, Altin Gjokaj’s outstanding reflexes allow  him to make great saves on the line as well as in one-on-one situations. 

His strongest asset is his rushing out to anticipate opponents and clear the ball. His way of  closing the gap by sprinting out and securing the ball is of high-class. He is not afraid of  storming out of the 16-meter box to kick out the ball, clear the danger and stop the attack. 

Unfortunately, due to his height, he sometimes struggles to properly catch or punch the ball  when it comes flying in (cross, corner kick, free kick). 

Conclusion + Personal opinion:  

In conclusion, Altin Gjokaj is a highly talented goalkeeper who is definitely worth watching.  His attributes and qualities make him a valuable asset for the team at such a young age. He  undoubtedly has the potential to become one of the best, if not the best goalkeeper in Kosovo.  However, staying in Kosovo for his entire career would be a waste of talent. While his height  might pose some challenges, goalkeepers like Ederson, Yann Sommer an have shown that  shorter goalkeepers can still have a spectacular career.  

At this young age, it is difficult to foresee what will happen in the future. He undeniably has  the potential to play professionally in the top 10 leagues of Europe. The question, however,  remains where he will ultimately end up.

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