Lucas Qvistorff Andersen (born 13 September 1994) is a Danish professional footballer who plays as a winger for EFL Championship club Queens Park Rangers.

Lucas Andersen
Personal information
Full name Lucas Qvistorff Andersen
Date of birth (1994-09-13) 13 September 1994 (age 30)
Place of birth Aalborg, Denmark
Height 1.85 m (6 ft 1 in)
Position(s) Attacking midfielder, winger
Team information
Current team
Queens Park Rangers
Number 25
Youth career
Aalborg Freja
AaB
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2011–2012 AaB 40 (3)
2012–2016 Ajax 37 (2)
2013–2016 Jong Ajax 23 (7)
2015–2016Willem II (loan) 34 (9)
2016–2019 Grasshoppers 69 (10)
2018–2019AaB (loan) 23 (10)
2019–2024 AaB 97 (14)
2024– Queens Park Rangers 17 (2)
International career
2009–2010 Denmark U16 7 (1)
2010–2011 Denmark U17 21 (2)
2011 Denmark U18 1 (0)
2011–2012 Denmark U19 14 (0)
2012–2017 Denmark U21 29 (6)
2014–2020 Denmark 7 (0)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 15:54, 16 August 2024 (UTC)
‡ National team caps and goals, correct as of 18 November 2020

Club career

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Andersen started playing youth football with Aalborg Freja, before moving to Aalborg BK (AaB) at the age of 10.[1] In September 2008, Andersen went on a one week trial at Liverpool at the age of only 14, without getting offered a contract.[2] He penned his first professional contract with AaB in September 2009.[3]

Andersen made his debut for AaB on 5 March 2011 at the age of 16 years and 174 days, making him the youngest player ever to play for AaB in the top-flight Danish Superliga championship[4] and the second youngest player ever to play in the Danish Superliga. One month later, he extended his contract until 2013.[5] He slowly became a regular part of, as he played 22 league matches for AaB in the 2011/12 season. He broke his toe in November 2011 and was out for the rest of the fall.[6] According to a Danish source, Andersen was followed by Liverpool and Ajax in the January 2012 market.[7] This was later confirmed by his agent.

Andersen was usually employed as a right winger, but was capable of playing on the left, as well as an attacking midfielder/playmaker behind the forwards. He was touted as the most promising player to come through the AaB youth ranks since Jesper Grønkjær, by AaB director of football Lynge Jakobsen[8] A number of foreign clubs wanted to sign him by 2012, but Lynge Jakobsen did not want to sell Andersen at too young an age.[1]

Ajax

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On 31 August 2012, Andersen signed with Ajax for an undisclosed fee, with a view to join the squad of Jong Ajax at first. AaB's good relationship with Ajax, having sold Jesper Grønkjær to Ajax as well, was emphasized by Lynge Jakobsen as a reason for the deal materializing.[1] Andersen made his debut 8 December, coming on as a substitute against FC Groningen.

Grasshopper

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On 4 July 2016, Ajax announced that Andersen had been sold to Grasshopper Club Zürich.[9]

Return to AaB

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After a less successful 2017–18 season at Grasshoppers with limited playing time, Andersen was loaned out to his former club, AaB, for the 2018–19 season.[10] Andersen had strong performances for the club which made AaB buy him out of his contract with Grasshoppers, making the deal permanent from 1 July 2019.[11] Andersen signed a five-year contract. Andersen was named the new captain of AaB after long time veteran Rasmus Würtz ended his playing career.[12]

On 2 February 2024 AaB confirmed that they had terminated Andersen's contract by mutual agreement.[13] Three days later, he signed for Championship club Queens Park Rangers, reuniting with former boss Martí Cifuentes.[14]

International career

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He was a part of the Denmark under-17 squad at the 2011 UEFA European Under-17 Football Championship and the 2011 FIFA U-17 World Cup.

On 8 January 2012, he was called up for the Denmark League XI national football team for their matches in the 2011 King's Cup. With his age of only 17 years and 4 months, he is the youngest player ever to have been a part of the Danish League XI squad.[15]

Career statistics

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As of match played on 28 February 2018[16]
Appearances and goals by club, season and competition
Club Season League Cup Other Total
Division Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals
AaB 2010–11 Danish Superliga 11 0 0 0 0 0 11 0
2011–12 22 1 0 0 0 0 22 1
2012–13 7 2 0 0 0 0 7 2
Total 40 3 0 0 0 0 40 3
Ajax 2012–13 Eredivisie 1 0 2 1 0 0 3 1
2013–14 9 0 0 0 5[a] 0 14 0
2014–15 27 2 2 1 8[b] 1 37 4
Total 37 2 4 2 13 1 54 5
Jong Ajax 2013–14 Eerste Divisie 18 6 18 6
2014–15 2 1 2 1
2015–16 3 0 3 0
Total 23 7 23 7
Willem II (loan) 2015–16 Eredivisie 30 6 3 1 4[c] 3 37 10
Grasshopper 2016–17 Swiss Super League 33 6 2 0 6[d] 1 41 7
2017–18 20 4 3 0 0 0 23 4
Total 53 10 5 0 6 1 64 11
AaB 2018–19 Danish Superliga 23 10 4 0 0 0 27 10
2019–20 27 10 3 1 0 0 37 11
2020–21 18 1 1 0 0 0 19 1
2021-22 7 0 0 0 0 0 7 0
2022-23 31 0 6 1 0 0 37 1
2023–24 Danish 1st Division 14 2 1 0 0 0 16 2
Total 120 23 17 2 0 0 137 25
Queens Park Rangers 2023–24 EFL Championship 15 1 0 0 0 0 15 1
Career totals 318 28 12 3 23 5 370 62
  1. ^ Two appearances in UEFA Champions League, Two appearances in UEFA Europa League, One appearance in Johan Cruyff Shield
  2. ^ Six appearances in UEFA Champions League, One appearance in UEFA Europa League, One appearance in Johan Cruyff Shield
  3. ^ Appearances in Promotion/relegation play-offs
  4. ^ Appearances in UEFA Europa League

Honours

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Club

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Ajax[17]

References

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  1. ^ a b c AaB sælger Lucas Andersen til Ajax - AaB A/S
  2. ^ AaB-talenter til prøvetræning i Liverpool, bold.dk, 21 September 2008
  3. ^ AaB skriver med stortalent | Tipsbladet
  4. ^ AaB A/S Archived 19 July 2011 at the Wayback Machine
  5. ^ AaB forlænger med teenagekomet‚ bold.dk, 7 April 2011
  6. ^ Lucas A. ude med brækket tå‚ bold.dk, 22 November 2011
  7. ^ Avis: Ajax og Liverpool jagter Lucas A., bold.dk, 12 January 2012
  8. ^ Lynge: Lucas størst siden Grønkjær - Superligaen - danske og udenlandske fodboldnyheder fra Onside.dk
  9. ^ Andersen naar Grasshopper Club Zürich (Dutch). Ajax. 4 July 2016.
  10. ^ AaB henter Lucas Andersen hjem, bold.dk, 30 August 2018
  11. ^ AaB sikrer sig Lucas Andersen på femårig aftale, aabsport.dk, 10 March 2019
  12. ^ [1], bold.dk 29 Juni 2019
  13. ^ Afskedstid for AaB og Lucas Andersen, aabsport.dk, 2 February 2024
  14. ^ "Lucas Andersen: QPR sign Denmark midfielder on free transfer". BBC. 5 February 2024. Retrieved 6 February 2024.
  15. ^ Lars Berendt (8 January 2012). "Lucas Andersen med Ligalandsholdet" [Lucas Andersen join the League XI] (in Danish). Dansk Boldspil Union. Retrieved 9 January 2012.
  16. ^ Lucas Andersen at Soccerway. Retrieved 3 March 2018.
  17. ^ "Lucas Andersen - Career Honours". Soccerway.
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