# Aaron Samuel Olanare

Aaron Samuel Olanare (born 4 June 1994) is a Nigerian professional footballer who plays as a striker, most recently for Eliteserien club Molde.

## Club career

Olanare started his senior career in the Nigerian team Shooting Stars. In 2012, Olanare signed for Norwegian team Vålerenga. He had been followed closely by the club after being on trial at the club, in the summer of 2012. On 10 July 2013, Olanare signed with another Norwegian team Sarpsborg 08.
On 9 July 2014, Olanare transferred to Chinese Super League side Guangzhou R&F on a two-and-a-half-year contract with the fee of €1.4 million. On 19 July 2014, he made his Super League debut in a 3–2 home win against Jiangsu Sainty and provided an assist in the match. He scored his first goal in China on 31 July 2014, which ensured Guangzhou R&F beat Liaoning Whowin 5–1.
On 17 February 2016, CSKA Moscow announced the signing of Olanare on loan from Guangzhou R&F for the remainder of 2015–16 season. On 2 May 2016, early on in the 2015–16 Russian Cup final game against Zenit St. Petersburg he injured his knee in a collision with Axel Witsel. He stayed on the field and scored an equalizer that made the score 1–1, after which he performed two flips, which exacerbated his knee condition. After another collision with Domenico Criscito, he had to be carried over from the field on a stretcher. CSKA lost the game to Zenit with the score of 1–4. He had to undergo surgery in early June and his recovery was expected to take until the end of 2016 as his CSKA loan contract expired.
On 28 January 2017, Olanare signed a 4+1⁄2–year contract with CSKA Moscow.
On 22 February 2018, he joined FC Amkar Perm on loan until the end of the 2017–18 season. In his third league game for Amkar on 31 March 2018, he scored twice to give his team an unexpected victory with a score of 2–1 over the league-leading FC Lokomotiv Moscow.
On 14 August 2018, CSKA Moscow announced that Olanare had left the club after his contract was cancelled by mutual consent.
On 12 October 2018, he signed a one-year contract with Beitar Jerusalem as a free player.
On 1 March 2019, Olanare joined League One newcomers Sichuan Longfor. He went on to have a prolific scoring season for the club, earning 19 goals in 27 league matches, ending the season as the club's top goalscorer.
In February 2020 after Sichuan folded due to financial difficulties, Olanare joined China League One club Changchun Yatai on a three-year contract.
On 9 August 2023, Olanare signed a one-year contract with Azerbaijan Premier League club Neftçi. On 6 January 2024, Neftçi announced that Olanare had been released from his contract.
On 27 March 2024, Eliteserien club Molde announced the signing of Olanare on a contract until the end of the 2024 season.

## International career

In October 2014, Olanare received his first call up for Nigeria national football team by Stephen Keshi to play against Sudan in the 2015 Africa Cup of Nations qualification. On 11 October 2014, he made his debut for the Super Eagles in a 1–0 away defeat against Sudan, coming on as a substitute for Nosa Igiebor in the 47th minute. On 15 October 2014, Olanare scored his first goal in a 3–1 home victory against Sudan. He restored Nigerias lead in the 66th minute when he stabbed home a loose ball after a mix-up between Sudan goalkeeper Akram El Hadi and his defender. Olanare scored his second goal for Nigeria in a 2–0 away victory over Congo. He scored the second goal of the match to secure the victory.

## Career statistics
### Club

    As of match played 20 May 2024.
Appearances and goals by club, season and competition :
| Club | Season | League | League | League | National Cup | National Cup | Continental | Continental | Other | Other | Total | Total |
| Club | Season | Division | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals |
| Vålerenga | 2012 | Tippeligaen | 5 | 1 | 0 | 0 | – | – | – | – | 5 | 1 |
| Vålerenga | 2013 | Tippeligaen | 10 | 0 | 1 | 1 | – | – | – | – | 11 | 1 |
| Vålerenga | Total | Total | 15 | 1 | 1 | 1 | – | – | – | – | 16 | 2 |
| Sarpsborg 08 | 2013 | Tippeligaen | 13 | 5 | 0 | 0 | – | – | 2 | 1 | 15 | 6 |
| Sarpsborg 08 | 2014 | Tippeligaen | 13 | 5 | 3 | 2 | – | – | – | – | 16 | 7 |
| Sarpsborg 08 | Total | Total | 26 | 10 | 3 | 2 | – | – | 2 | 1 | 31 | 13 |
| Guangzhou R&F | 2014 | Chinese Super League | 16 | 8 | 1 | 0 | – | – | – | – | 17 | 8 |
| Guangzhou R&F | 2015 | Chinese Super League | 18 | 7 | 0 | 0 | – | – | – | – | 18 | 7 |
| Guangzhou R&F | 2016 | Chinese Super League | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | – | – | – | – | 0 | 0 |
| Guangzhou R&F | Total | Total | 34 | 15 | 1 | 0 | – | – | – | – | 35 | 15 |
| CSKA Moscow (loan) | 2015–16 | Russian Premier League | 7 | 2 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 0 | – | – | 10 | 3 |
| CSKA Moscow | 2016–17 | Russian Premier League | 7 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | – | – | 7 | 0 |
| CSKA Moscow | 2017–18 | Russian Premier League | 7 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 3 | 0 | – | – | 11 | 1 |
| CSKA Moscow | 2018–19 | Russian Premier League | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| CSKA Moscow | Total | Total | 21 | 3 | 4 | 1 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 28 | 4 |
| Amkar Perm (loan) | 2017–18 | Russian Premier League | 8 | 2 | 1 | 0 | – | – | – | – | 9 | 2 |
| Beitar Jerusalem | 2018–19 | Israeli Premier League | 4 | 1 | 0 | 0 | – | – | – | – | 4 | 1 |
| Sichuan Longfor | 2019 | China League One | 27 | 19 | 0 | 0 | – | – | – | – | 27 | 19 |
| Changchun Yatai | 2020 | China League One | 10 | 4 | 0 | 0 | – | – | – | – | 10 | 4 |
| Erzurumspor | 2021–22 | TFF First League | 32 | 9 | 1 | 0 | – | – | – | – | 33 | 9 |
| Erzurumspor | 2022–23 | TFF First League | 23 | 4 | 0 | 0 | – | – | – | – | 23 | 4 |
| Erzurumspor | Total | Total | 55 | 13 | 1 | 0 | - | - | - | - | 56 | 13 |
| Neftçi | 2023–24 | Azerbaijan Premier League | 12 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 0 | – | – | 15 | 3 |
| Molde | 2024 | Eliteserien | 8 | 1 | 4 | 4 | 0 | 0 | – | – | 12 | 5 |
| Career total | Career total | Career total | 210 | 71 | 16 | 9 | 5 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 228 | 78 |
* ↑ Appearances in Relegation play-offs
* ↑ Appearances in Russian Super Cup

### International goals

    As of 15 November 2014
    Scores and results list Nigeria's goal tally first.
| No | Date | Venue | Opponent | Score | Result | Competition |
| 1. | 15 October 2014 | Abuja Stadium, Abuja, Nigeria | Sudan | 2–1 | 3–1 | 2015 Africa Cup of Nations qualification |
| 2. | 15 November 2014 | Stade Municipal, Pointe-Noire, Congo | Congo | 2–0 | 2–0 | 2015 Africa Cup of Nations qualification |

## Honours
### Club

Changchun Yatai
* China League One: 2020