Drilon Cenaj

Drilon Cenaj (born 12 September 1997) is an Albanian professional footballer who plays as a midfielder for Kosovo Superleague club Fushë Kosova.

Club career

Early career and Salernitana
Cenaj is a product of youth team systems of the different Bosnian and Hungarian sides. On 15 September 2015, he signed with under-19 team of Chievo after agreeing to a multiyear deal.

On 2 August 2016, Cenaj signed his first professional contract with Serie B side Salernitana after agreeing to a one-year deal. Five days later, he was named as a Salernitana substitute for the first time in the 2016–17 Coppa Italia second round against Benevento, but was an unused substitute in that match.

Velež Mostar
On 10 March 2017, Cenaj joined First League of FBiH side Velež Mostar. On 8 April 2017, he made his debut in a 3–0 away defeat against Budućnost Banovići after being named in the starting line-up.

Novigrad
On 1 August 2017, Cenaj joined Croatian Second League side Novigrad. His debut with Novigrad came eighteen days later in a 1–1 home draw against Varaždin after coming on as a substitute at 56th minute in place of Nemanja Belaković.

Pandurii Târgu Jiu
On 19 February 2018, Cenaj joined Romanian Liga II side Pandurii Târgu Jiu. On 10 March 2018, he made his debut in a 2–1 home win against Mioveni after coming on as a substitute at 83rd minute in place of Brian Lemac.

Botev Vratsa and Viitorul Târgu Jiu
On 9 January 2019, Cenaj joined Bulgarian First Professional League side Botev Vratsa. A month later, he joined Romanian Liga II side Viitorul Târgu Jiu. On 23 February 2019, he made his debut in a 0–2 away defeat against Universitatea Cluj after being named in the starting line-up.

Nyíregyháza
On 12 July 2019, Cenaj joined Nemzeti Bajnokság II side Nyíregyháza. On 18 August 2019, he made his debut in a 3–0 home win against Békéscsaba after being named in the starting line-up.

Čelik Zenica
On 17 February 2020, Cenaj joined Bosnian Premier League side Čelik Zenica after agreeing to a one-and-a-half-year deal. His debut with Čelik Zenica came six days later in a 0–2 away defeat against Zrinjski Mostar after coming on as a substitute at 46th minute in place of Marko Perišić.

Tuzla City and Szentlőrinc
On 26 June 2020, Cenaj joined Bosnian Premier League side Tuzla City. However, less than two months later, on 18 August, he suddenly left the club. On 22 October 2020, he joined Nemzeti Bajnokság II side Szentlőrinc. His debut with Szentlőrinc came three days later in a 3–0 away win against Békéscsaba after coming on as a substitute at 72nd minute in place of Alexander Torvund.

Prishtina
On 21 January 2022, Cenaj joined Kosovo Superleague side Prishtina after agreeing to a one-and-a-half-year deal. On 7 April 2022, he was named as a Prishtina substitute for the first time in the 2021–22 Kosovar Cup semi-finals against Llapi. His debut with Prishtina came on 4 May in a 5–0 home win against Feronikeli after being named in the starting line-up.

Fushë Kosova
In August 2023, Cenaj joined Kosovo Superleague side Fushë Kosova. His debut with Fushë Kosova came on 19 August in a 1–6 away defeat against Malisheva after being named in the starting line-up.

International career
During the 2012–13 period, Cenaj represented Bosnia and Herzegovina at the U15, and U17 level. In February 2013, he becomes part of Albania U17 with which he made his debut in a 1–1 away draw against Italy after being named in the starting line-up. On 15 March 2014, Cenaj returned to represent Bosnia and Herzegovina again by accepting their call-up from the under-17 team for the 2014 UEFA European Under-17 Championship elite round, but due to injury, could not be part of the national team. In addition to Albania and Bosnia and Herzegovina, he has the right to represent his homeland, Kosovo at the international level.

References

External links

1997 births
Living people
Sportspeople from Gjakova
Men's association football midfielders
Kosovan men's footballers
US Salernitana 1919 players
FK Velež Mostar players
NK Novigrad players
CS Pandurii Târgu Jiu players
POFC Botev Vratsa players
ACS Viitorul Târgu Jiu players
Nyíregyháza Spartacus FC players
NK Čelik Zenica players
FK Tuzla City players
Szentlőrinci SE footballers
FC Prishtina players
First League of the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina players
First Football League (Croatia) players
Liga II players
Nemzeti Bajnokság II players
Premier League of Bosnia and Herzegovina players
Kosovan expatriate men's footballers
Expatriate men's footballers in Italy
Kosovan expatriate sportspeople in Italy
Expatriate men's footballers in Bosnia and Herzegovina
Kosovan expatriate sportspeople in Bosnia and Herzegovina
Expatriate men's footballers in Croatia
Kosovan expatriate sportspeople in Croatia
Expatriate men's footballers in Romania
Kosovan expatriate sportspeople in Romania
Expatriate men's footballers in Bulgaria
Kosovan expatriate sportspeople in Bulgaria
Expatriate men's footballers in Hungary
Kosovan expatriate sportspeople in Hungary