# Sivert Heltne Nilsen

Sivert Heltne Nilsen (born 2 October 1991) is a Norwegian footballer who plays as a midfielder for Scottish Premiership club Aberdeen. He has previously played for IL Hødd, Vålerenga Fotball, SK Brann, AC Horsens, IF Elfsborg and Waasland-Beveren and has represented his country at youth level. He is the son of former Hødd and Brann manager Lars Arne Nilsen.

## Club career

Heltne Nilsen started his professional career at Norwegian Second Division side IL Hødd. He started the 2012 Norwegian Football Cup final, playing the full match and scoring in the penalty shootout to help his team win its first cup title.
In January 2014, Heltne Nilsen moved to Vålerenga. He went to SK Brann in July 2015.
In July 2018, Heltne Nilsen moved to Danish Superliga side AC Horsens. He signed a five-year contract with the club, but was sold to Swedish club IF Elfsborg in 2019. After a brief spell with Belgium's Waasland-Beveren, Heltne Nilsen rejoined Brann for three years. In 2024, he reunited with former manager Jimmy Thelin at the latter's new club, Aberdeen, in the Scottish Premiership.

## Career statistics

    As of 16 March 2025
| Club | Season | League | League | League | National cup | National cup | League cup | League cup | Europe | Europe | Other | Other | Total | Total |
| Club | Season | Division | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals |
| Hødd | 2009 | 2. divisjon | 10 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | — | — | — | — | — | 10 | 0 |
| Hødd | 2010 | 2. divisjon | 19 | 1 | 0 | 0 | — | — | — | — | — | — | 19 | 1 |
| Hødd | 2011 | 1. divisjon | 29 | 1 | 1 | 0 | — | — | — | — | — | — | 30 | 1 |
| Hødd | 2012 | 1. divisjon | 29 | 3 | 7 | 0 | — | — | — | — | — | — | 36 | 3 |
| Hødd | 2013 | 1. divisjon | 29 | 3 | 3 | 0 | — | — | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 34 | 3 |
| Hødd | Total | Total | 116 | 8 | 11 | 0 | — | — | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 129 | 8 |
| Vålerenga | 2014 | Eliteserien | 28 | 0 | 3 | 3 | — | — | — | — | — | — | 31 | 3 |
| Vålerenga | 2015 | Eliteserien | 13 | 0 | 1 | 0 | — | — | — | — | — | — | 14 | 0 |
| Vålerenga | Total | Total | 41 | 0 | 4 | 3 | — | — | — | — | — | — | 45 | 3 |
| Brann | 2015 | 1. divisjon | 10 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | — | — | — | — | — | 10 | 0 |
| Brann | 2016 | Eliteserien | 28 | 3 | 1 | 0 | — | — | — | — | — | — | 29 | 3 |
| Brann | 2017 | Eliteserien | 27 | 1 | 3 | 1 | — | — | 2 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 33 | 2 |
| Brann | 2018 | Eliteserien | 15 | 2 | 3 | 0 | — | — | — | — | — | — | 18 | 2 |
| Brann | Total | Total | 80 | 6 | 7 | 1 | — | — | 2 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 90 | 7 |
| Horsens | 2018–19 | Danish Superliga | 27 | 1 | 0 | 0 | — | — | — | — | 1 | 0 | 28 | 1 |
| Horsens | 2019–20 | Danish Superliga | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | — | — | — | — | — | 5 | 0 |
| Horsens | Total | Total | 32 | 1 | 0 | 0 | — | — | — | — | 1 | 0 | 33 | 1 |
| Elfsborg | 2019 | Allsvenskan | 10 | 1 | 0 | 0 | — | — | — | — | — | — | 10 | 1 |
| Elfsborg | 2020 | Allsvenskan | 23 | 1 | 3 | 0 | — | — | — | — | — | — | 26 | 1 |
| Elfsborg | Total | Total | 33 | 2 | 3 | 0 | — | — | — | — | — | — | 36 | 2 |
| Waasland-Beveren | 2020–21 | Belgian First Division A | 9 | 0 | 1 | 0 | — | — | — | — | 2 | 0 | 12 | 0 |
| Waasland-Beveren | Total | Total | 9 | 0 | 1 | 0 | — | — | — | — | 2 | 0 | 12 | 0 |
| Brann | 2021 | Eliteserien | 15 | 0 | 1 | 0 | — | — | — | — | 1 | 1 | 17 | 1 |
| Brann | 2022 | 1. divisjon | 29 | 5 | 3 | 0 | — | — | — | — | — | — | 32 | 5 |
| Brann | 2023 | Eliteserien | 29 | 9 | 8 | 1 | — | — | 4 | 0 | — | — | 41 | 10 |
| Brann | 2024 | Eliteserien | 15 | 2 | 3 | 0 | — | — | — | — | — | — | 18 | 2 |
| Brann | Total | Total | 88 | 14 | 15 | 1 | — | — | 4 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 108 | 16 |
| Aberdeen | 2024–25 | Scottish Premiership | 26 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 6 | 0 | — | — | — | — | 32 | 0 |
| Career Total | Career Total | Career Total | 425 | 31 | 41 | 5 | 6 | 0 | 7 | 0 | 6 | 0 | 485 | 37 |
* ↑ Includes Norwegian Cup, Danish Cup, Svenska Cupen, Belgian Cup, Scottish Cup
* ↑ Includes Scottish League Cup
* 1 2 Appearance(s) in UEFA Europa League
* ↑ Appearance in 1. divisjon promotion play-offs
* ↑ Appearance in Mesterfinalen
* ↑ Appearance in Danish Superliga relegation play-offs
* ↑ Appearances in Belgian First Division Relegation play-offs
* ↑ Appearance in Eliteserien play-offs
* ↑ Appearances in UEFA Conference League

## Honours

Hødd
* Norwegian Cup: 2012
Brann
* 1. divisjon: 2022
* Norwegian Cup: 2022–23