Houssine Kharja
Encyclopedia
Houssine Kharja is a France
born, Moroccan
footballer who plays for Serie A
club Fiorentina
. He is 1.8 metre tall and weighs 75 kilograms (165.3 lb).
After only one season, he joined Ternana
in 2001. He played four impressive Serie B
seasons for the Rossoverdi, gaining a place in the Moroccan national team
, and being loaned to Roma
in 2005. Kharja played 12 matches and scored one goal during a 1–1 draw against Juventus
.
At the end of the 2005–06 season, Roma decided not to extend Kharja's loan, so the Moroccan player returned back to Ternana, but he refused this transfer because in the meantime the Rossoverdi had been relegated to Serie C1
. Though Ternana considered him as their own player, FIFA
's court decided that Kharja was a free agent
, and so, on 20 March 2007 he signed a three year contract with Serie B team Piacenza
. On January 2008, he was loaned to Siena
for the second half of the season, with this deal being turned a permanent one on 11 July.
In June 2009, Genoa
announced the club was reaching an agreement to sign the player and on 2 July the transfer from Siena was completed.
It was announced on 29 January 2011, that Kharja has joined Internazionale
on a loan deal with the option of signing him permanently. He scored his first goal for Internazionale during his second appearance for the club against Bari
on 3 February 2011. At the end of his loan spell, Inter decided not to give the player a permanent deal, and so returns back to Genoa.
On 18 August 2011, Fiorentina
signed the player on a co-ownership deal, signing a two-year deal.
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
born, Moroccan
Morocco
Morocco , officially the Kingdom of Morocco , is a country located in North Africa. It has a population of more than 32 million and an area of 710,850 km², and also primarily administers the disputed region of the Western Sahara...
footballer who plays for Serie A
Serie A
Serie A , now called Serie A TIM due to sponsorship by Telecom Italia, is a professional league competition for football clubs located at the top of the Italian football league system and has been operating for over eighty years since 1929. It had been organized by Lega Calcio until 2010, but a new...
club Fiorentina
ACF Fiorentina
ACF Fiorentina, commonly referred to as simply Fiorentina, is a professional Italian football club from Florence, Tuscany. Founded by a merger in 1926, Fiorentina have played at the top level of Italian football for the majority of their existence; only four clubs have played in more Serie A...
. He is 1.8 metre tall and weighs 75 kilograms (165.3 lb).
Career
Kharja began his career with Paris Saint-Germain's youth side and in 2000 he joined Portuguese side Sporting Clube de Portugal.After only one season, he joined Ternana
Ternana Calcio
Ternana Calcio is an Italian football club based in the city of Terni, Umbria.The team's colours are red and green.The club was founded in 1925 and refounded in 1993. In its history, Ternana have twice played in Serie A...
in 2001. He played four impressive Serie B
Serie B
Serie B, currently named Serie bwin due to sponsorship reasons, is the second-highest division in the Italian football league system after the Serie A. It is contested by 22 teams and organized by the Lega Serie B since July 2010, after the split of Lega Calcio that previously took care of both the...
seasons for the Rossoverdi, gaining a place in the Moroccan national team
Morocco national football team
The Morocco national football team , nicknamed أسود الأطلس , is the national team of Morocco and is managed by Eric Gerets. Winners of the African Nations Cup in 1976, they were the first African team to win a group at the World Cup, which they did in 1986, finishing ahead of Portugal, Poland, and...
, and being loaned to Roma
A.S. Roma
Associazione Sportiva Roma, commonly referred to as simply Roma, is a professional Italian football club based in Rome. Founded by a merger in 1927, Roma have participated in the top-tier of Italian football for all of their existence but one season in the early 50s...
in 2005. Kharja played 12 matches and scored one goal during a 1–1 draw against Juventus
Juventus F.C.
Juventus Football Club S.p.A. , commonly referred to as Juventus and colloquially as Juve , are a professional Italian association football club based in Turin, Piedmont...
.
At the end of the 2005–06 season, Roma decided not to extend Kharja's loan, so the Moroccan player returned back to Ternana, but he refused this transfer because in the meantime the Rossoverdi had been relegated to Serie C1
Serie C1
Lega Pro Prima Divisione is the name of the third highest football league in Italy. It consists of 36 teams, divided geographically into two divisions of 18 teams each. Until 2008 it was known as Serie C1....
. Though Ternana considered him as their own player, FIFA
FIFA
The Fédération Internationale de Football Association , commonly known by the acronym FIFA , is the international governing body of :association football, futsal and beach football. Its headquarters are located in Zurich, Switzerland, and its president is Sepp Blatter, who is in his fourth...
's court decided that Kharja was a free agent
Free agent
In professional sports, a free agent is a player whose contract with a team has expired and who is thus eligible to sign with another club or franchise....
, and so, on 20 March 2007 he signed a three year contract with Serie B team Piacenza
Piacenza Calcio
Piacenza Calcio is an Italian association football club based in Piacenza. The club was formed in 1919 and currently plays in Italian Lega Pro Prima Divisione B. The team's colors are red and white, prompting one of the team's nicknames, the Biancorossi. They are also known as the Papaveri , and...
. On January 2008, he was loaned to Siena
A.C. Siena
Associazione Calcio Siena is an Italian football club based in Siena.The club currently plays in Serie A, having gained promotion from Serie B at the end of the 2010-2011 season....
for the second half of the season, with this deal being turned a permanent one on 11 July.
In June 2009, Genoa
Genoa C.F.C.
Genoa Cricket and Football Club, commonly referred to simply as Genoa , is a professional Italian football club based in the city of Genoa, Liguria...
announced the club was reaching an agreement to sign the player and on 2 July the transfer from Siena was completed.
It was announced on 29 January 2011, that Kharja has joined Internazionale
F.C. Internazionale Milano
Football Club Internazionale Milano, often referred to as Internazionale or simply Inter, is a professional Italian football club based in Milan, Italy. Outside Italy, the club is often called Inter Milan. They are the reigning FIFA Club World champions and Coppa Italia holders.Inter have always...
on a loan deal with the option of signing him permanently. He scored his first goal for Internazionale during his second appearance for the club against Bari
A.S. Bari
Associazione Sportiva Bari is an Italian football club founded in 1908, they are based in Bari, Apulia and plays in Serie B. The club have spent many seasons bouncing between the top two divisions in Italian football, Serie A and Serie B....
on 3 February 2011. At the end of his loan spell, Inter decided not to give the player a permanent deal, and so returns back to Genoa.
On 18 August 2011, Fiorentina
ACF Fiorentina
ACF Fiorentina, commonly referred to as simply Fiorentina, is a professional Italian football club from Florence, Tuscany. Founded by a merger in 1926, Fiorentina have played at the top level of Italian football for the majority of their existence; only four clubs have played in more Serie A...
signed the player on a co-ownership deal, signing a two-year deal.