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Thu 13 May 2021 | 19:29

Top facts about Aaron Boupendza, the new Gabonese panther

Antakya, the capital of Turkey's southern part province, has seen a plethora of kingdoms and leaders, including the Akkadians, Amorites, Assyrians, Neo-Babylonians, and Persians, among many others. Hatay, on the other hand, has a new king in the shape of a Gabonese cheetah. Here we take a look at top facts about Aaron Boupendza, the brand-new African star.

Aaron Boupendza

is a Gabonese left-footed professional football player who was born on August 7, 1996. Aaron Boupendza, who was born in Moanda, has also represented CD Feirense in the Taça de Portugal, Tours FC in the Coupe de France, GFC Ajaccio in the Coupe de la Ligue, Pau FC in the National 1, Bordeaux in the UEFA Europa League, and CF Mounana in the CAF Confederation Cup.

With a promising rookie campaign with CF Mounana in Gabon as a 19-year-old, Boupendza made the transition to France, precisely

Bordeaux

, as many young African stars do. Following that, he moved across France and Portugal, with just one notable spell, a loan to Pau FC in the Championnat National, where he netted 15 goals in 21 games. He currently represents

Hatayspor

in the Süper Lig as an attacking midfielder (left) and Striker (center).

His goal-scoring prowess reflects his hunger for the game, but the striker still has only one title to his name. The Gabon Championship National Division 1 crown isn't the most prestigious, but it's also a title.

Boupendza played a key role in helping CF Mounana, with whom he turned professional, win their second top-flight title in 2015/16 at the age of just 19 years old.

Facts about Aaron Boupendza you might want to know:

The first

fact about Aaron Boupendza

is that he prefers to play as the main man up top, and he has proven to be a relentless scorer inside the penalty area this year. However, the Gabonese man is more than just a one-trick pony. He has a lot of speed and can make an impression on the game from either side - six of his 22 goals this season have come from deep.

From tap-ins to pile drivers to sumptuous free kicks like the one above, the attacker could score a variety of goals. According to his own statements, Boupendza is a fan of

Lukas Podolski

against whom he scored four goals in the game against

Antalyaspor

.

Boupendza moved to Bordeaux from Gabon in 2016, where he was assigned to the reserve squad. Despite scoring eight goals in 20 appearances, the striker was loaned out several times.

His first season with Pau FC in Ligue 2 was a success, as he scored 15 goals in just 21 games. However, after failing to make an impact at Gazelec Ajaccio, Tours, and Feirense in Portugal, he moved to Turkey in the summer of 2020, without making a professional presence for Bordeaux.

Boupendza is scoring a goal every 93 minutes in the Super Lig this campaign. This kind of performance does not go ignored.

In nearly 30 league games, the striker has scored 22 goals, including four in the first half of a 6-0 victory over Antalyaspor. He currently leads the league in scoring.

Boupendza made his Gabonese debut in January 2016 and has since made 15 starts, establishing himself as a fixture in the team. Considering that the African country has an amazing offensive line, it is probable that they win major international titles in upcoming years.

Along with Saint-Etienne flank Denis Bouanga, Aubameyang and Boupendza play for the

Gabonese national team

and are their two most dangerous striking forces.

Aaron Boupendza early life

Aaron Boupendza was born in Gabon, a small town in Moanda. The fact about

Aaron Boupendza’s childhood

is that the Gabonese star was keen on playing football from an early age. It should be noted that

Aaron Boupendza’s parents

were aware of this interest and always supported him in his journey to become an international star.

Aaron Boupendza personal life

The fact about

Aaron Boupendza’s personal life

is that he maintained a very simple life style before being famous. There is not any information about his past relationships. He is currently single and not dating anyone.

Aaron Boupendza never said anything on social media about his partner or affairs. We have searched for this information in a variety of resources, but couldn't find any reliable information.

Aaron Boupendza professional career

Bordeaux brought Boupendza over from Gabon back in 2016, signing him to play in their reserve team.

Despite a good return of eight goals in 20 games, the striker was sent out on a series of loans.

Aaron Boupendza club career

Boupendza started in his home country at CF Mounana, where he took part in the Viareggio Cup in Italy with the U19s in 2015/16. During the course of the competition, he scored twice in three games

The important fact about Aaron Boupendza’s club career is that after the season he moved to Ligue 1 to Girondins Bordeaux, where he first got a place in the second team. Shortly after he signed his first professional contract in 2017, he was once in the squad in the Europa League qualification, but was ultimately loaned to Tours FC for the entire 2017/18 season.

He made his debut on August 17, 2017, 3rd matchday, in which he scored the only goal in the 1-4 loss against SO Cholet. In the remaining games he was substituted at Tours more and more often and was able to play 12 matches in total for the team. Boupendza made 13 goals in 21 games in his first professional season.

After his return, Boupendza played the first half of the 2018/19 season on loan in Ligue 2, where he played for GFC Ajaccio. He made his debut in the second highest French league on July 27, 2018, 1st round, in the match against

Paris FC

, where he in 31 minutes on the field and saw a yellow card. He participated in ten matches in Ajaccio before he returned in December to Girondins.

After his return to the top division of France in Bordeaux FC, he was loaned to the Segunda Liga team, the second division in Portugal, the CD Feirense. He made his debut in the League on 11 August 2019 against

UD Vilafranquense

(2- 0). Throughout the season he played in 12 games and could not provide any goals for the team.

Boupendza looked to be trapped in the maze of French professional football's lower leagues, with his chances of promotion and popularity being exceedingly bleak. The Gabonese forward struggled to win the trust or interest of many Bordeaux supporters.

After the loan expired, Boupendza and Bordeaux agreed that he had no future in Bordeaux and did not extend the contract. He then went to the Turkish Süper Lig at Hatayspor for free, where he signed until 2022. He made his debut for Hatayspor on September 26, 2020 (3rd matchday) against Kasımpaşa Istanbul (1-0).

Two months later he scored his first goal for the Turkish side against Çaykur Rizespor in a 2- 2 draw in the seventh minute of additional time. On December 29, 2020 (15th matchday) in a 6- 0 win, he managed to score four goals in a game and also a hat-trick within 13 minutes. Over the next three games, he scored five goals.

Cristiano Ronaldo

has a famous saying about scoring goals, he says that goals are like ketchup, you may be bothered by pouring at first, but when the first drop is poured, the rest will come easily and effortlessly. This is exactly the case with Aaron Boupendza.

A notable fact about Aaron Boupendza’s club career is that at first no one could believe that the Gabonese star could be such a lethal attacker in front of the opponents, but he managed to surprised everyone after some months in the club and become an important part of the main squad.

Raphael Jucobin, a Bordeaux supporter and the journalist of GIFN, echoed the feelings of the rest of Les Girondins' supporters, saying: Despite briefly performing very well for reserves once he joined, he had a few disciplinary issues and some pretty disappointing loan stays Needless to mention, his performance in Turkey has taken everybody by surprise.”

The Bordeaux fans aren't the only ones who have been shocked by Boupendza's success in Turkey; it's fair to say that everyone but the Hatayspor recruiting staff has been taken aback by his exploits. Boupendza's appearance in southeastern Turkey, for the €100,000 fee charged, may be the best piece of trade achieved in Turkey, or even Europe, this season.

A young challenger in the Super Lig brings with it a slew of stories and similarities, as the Turkish media has done in the past. After just nine months, Boupendza has already been compared to his compatriots

Kylian Mbappé

and

Alexandre Lacazette

.

Boupendza has been a success in Turkey up to this point, and the acclaim is well-deserved. Boupendza, like his countrymen, has played out wide on the left or right side of a 4-2-3-1 formation, but he has been most relaxed and efficient orchestrating the assault as the main striker.

Another

fact about Aaron Boupendza

is that he leads the Süper Lig in scoring with 22 strikes at an insane pace of 1.08 goals per 90 minutes;

Beşiktaş

striker Cyle Larin comes in second with 19 goals and Hatayspor forward Mame Biram Diouf comes in third with 18 goals. When you observe Boupendza, this isn't surprising.

In December 2020, Boupendza goal-scoring ability was on display in a 6-0 victory over Antalyaspor. Four of those goals were scored by Bopuendza, a season high for any Super Lig player, with two of them being finishes that any player would be proud of.

The first was a bolt action strike from outside of the box into Ruud Boffin's top left corner, while the second was more spectacular in that he paces his guy before rocketing the ball into the roof of the net from a close angle on the left-wing. The confidence of both finishes best encapsulates his game; he is aggressive, bold, and unrelenting, always celebrating his goals in style.

A traditional cartwheel-backflip is always done after the cheetah hits, frightening and envious fans all over Turkey. This symbolic cheetah, a pseudonym for the aggressive forward and new star Aaron-Salem Boupendza, was born in Gabonese media.

His best goal was reserved for the first minutes of

Mesut Ozil

as a Fenerbahçe player, and none of these two goals against Antalyaspor are his best. Boupendza flashes the ball over

Attila Szalai

, bounces, and volleys it into the opposing top corner of Altay Bayndr's goal in the dying moments of the contest. A goal that will be remembered well after the game has ended. Boupendza is a well-rounded forward with a lot of strings to his bow, and he isn't just a player made for Twitter clips and YouTube.

A transfer to a top-five league may be a little premature at this stage, given the uncertainty around the forward, who is in his first campaign of significance. Whatever the future holds for the Gabonese forward, he will be remembered fondly by Antakya fans and with frustration by fans of Turkey's other top clubs.

Aaron Boupendza international career

On June 10, 2017, he made his debut for the Gabonese Senior National Team in the Africa Cup of Nations qualifying match against Mali. By the end of 2017 he started in two more games under José Antonio Camacho. In 2018, he did not play for the national team.

A notable

fact about Aaron Boupendza

 international career is that on his comeback in October 2019, he scored his first goal in the friendly against

Morocco

when he took the 1-0 lead in a 3-2 win. He was then used more and more often and established himself as a regular alongside

Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang

. To date, he has scored 4 goals for Gabonese National Team.

Aaron Boupendza style of play

The Hatay attacker has outstanding tight control and move, and he always comes short to use these abilities, soaking in opponents, then overcoming his man or throwing it to a colleague with a dynamic touch or spin, defeating the pit. His close control was best shown in his goal versus Beşiktaş, when his control and deft first touch allowed him to hammer the ball in the bottom right corner from just inside the goal.

A fact about Aaron Boupendza’s style of play is that he does not surrender in possession; instead, he pushes and contests passing lanes violently, always leading a press from the center. His first goal came as a result of an aggressive high press by him and his teammates against Antalyaspor.

In and out of control, he shows off his outstanding physicality and speed, always defending corners and becoming the target of crosses and corners. An attack led by Boupendza, Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, and Denis Bouanga of Saint-Étienne should be admired in Africa, and could help Libreville gain some much-needed footballing leverage.

If you have the chance to watch Hatayspor play, take advantage of it. The recently promoted club is flourishing in a historically polarised league thanks to strong recruiting and decent coaching, providing a breath of fresh air in the Süper Lig.

If you don't have time to watch the whole match, I just suggest that you watch a short video of his highlights from this season on YouTube; it won't be a boring five minutes. Boupendza's career is up in the air as well. It will be shocking to see him at Hatayspor next season;

Fenerbahçe

and

Dynamo Kyiv

have already shown significant interest in him.

Aaron Boupendza ranking in FIFA 21

Boupendza was assigned a 61-overall ranking in FIFA 21, but his rating was upgraded in the winter updates thanks to his outstanding performance during the season.

The Hatayspor fella has a current ranking of 69, which is decent but not overwhelming, with a chance of 74 if you play Career Mode.

With 80 pace, 73 dribbling, and just 70 shooting, expect the Gabon star's ranking to increase in FIFA 22 if he keeps up his blistering scoring record.

Aaron Boupendza future destinations

Goalscorers who can consistently score are hard to come by in football. As a result, when a newcomer enters the scene as a total stranger, they normally generate a lot of interest and curiosity. And that's precisely what happened in Aaron Boupendza's scenario.

The 24-year-old has lit up the Turkish Super Lig in his first season with Hatayspor, who have exceeded all expectations in their first foray into Turkey's top flight.

Boupendza's impact on their incredible season has piqued the attention of a number of

Premier League

clubs as well as clubs north of the border, and that interest is only expected to intensify as time goes on.

A fact about Aaron Boupendza’s probable future destinations is that

Arsenal

want to recruit Hatayspor attacker Aaron Boupendza at the end of the season. After turning down a £7 million transfer to Krasnodar in January, the 24-year-old is expected to make a major move this summer.

Tottenham Hotspur, Leicester City, West Ham United, Newcastle United, Crystal Palace, Brighton, Wolves, Rangers and Celtic are all said to be interested in Boupendza, but Arsenal may be the frontrunner.

That's because Arsenal captain Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang is said to have informed the team of Boupendza's abilities and recommended that the attacker be signed.

Boupendza's 22 goals this season are enough to pique Arsenal's attention, but Aubameyang's words of encouragement are a massive compliment for a man who came from humble beginnings.

The Gabonese striker began his career with CF Mounana before moving to Bordeaux, where he struggled to feature in a single league match before joining Hatayspor in August 2020.

Few may have predicted Boupendza's outstanding season, but as his 25th birthday arrives this summer, he could now make a major leap to the Premier League.

Aubameyang, for example, had loftier roots at

AC Milan

, but it took him until he was 24 years old to win his major jump from Saint-Etienne to Borussia Dortmund.

Let's see if Boupendza will follow in the footsteps of his teammates and become an Arsenal hero. If he does make the move, Aubameyang would have played a significant role in it.

Newcastle United is said to be keeping an eye on Gabon striker Aaron Boupendza's development. With Andy Carroll and Dwight Gayle now out of contract and Joelinton unable to deliver, Newcastle are in dire need of an attacker this season, and Boupendza seems to be a marksman.

However, if Newcastle is dropped from the Premier League, authorities would likely forget about it. Given the reported amount of interest in Boupendza, even though he survives, a step for him will be extremely difficult to pull off.

Boupendza entered Hatayspor on a free transfer before the beginning of the 2020/21 campaign, agreeing a two-year deal.

Over the summer, the striker will have just a year left on his contract, which means that considering his incredible form this season, he won't command a high price from future suitors.

Celtic are allegedly interested in signing Aaron Boupendza this season. The Gabon International may be Odsonne Edouard's substitute. The player was linked with a £7 million transfer away from Hatayspor, but the deal with

Rubin Kazan

fell through.

Aaron Boupendza social media

Regarding

Aaron Boupendza social media

, it should be mentioned that he has an Instagram page (

@salem.aaron

) with more than 36K followers. In the page we can see various pictures of him during the matches and trainings.

Aaron Boupendza body measurements

About

Aaron Boupendza body measurements

, it should be mentioned that the Gabonese star is 5 ft 9 in (180 cm) and weighs 174 lbs (79 kg). He has a very good physical status as a striker who challenges defenders on the field and in aerial opportunities.

Aaron Boupendza net worth and salary

Aaron Boupendza makes a lot of money as a well-known and talented person. Aaron Boupendza's primary source of revenue is his occupation. He could also make money by other means, such as personal endorsements of sporting goods firms. Aaron Boupendza's monthly salary is derived from his occupation and is around five hundred thousand dollars.

Aaron Boupendza's monthly salary is outstanding as a wealthy individual. We looked at his recent events, news headlines, and social media follower development.

Aaron Boupendza's net worth

is $1 million, according to our research and accounts from Forbes, Business Insider, and other online publications.

 

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