Razak Boukari

Abdoul-Razak "Razak" Boukari (born 25 April 1987) is a Togolese professional footballer who plays as a winger for LB Châteauroux and the Togo national team.

Razak Boukari
Boukari with Rennes in January 2011
Personal information
Full name Abdoul-Razak Boukari
Date of birth (1987-04-25) 25 April 1987
Place of birth Lomé, Togo
Height 1.87 m (6 ft 2 in)
Playing position(s) Right winger
Club information
Current team
 Châteauroux
Number 11
Youth career
2002–2004 Châteauroux
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2004–2006 Châteauroux 48 (7)
2006–2010 Lens 119 (11)
2010–2012 Rennes 37 (7)
2012–2016 Wolverhampton Wanderers 4 (0)
2013–2014 → Sochaux (loan) 10 (0)
2016– Châteauroux 62 (12)
National team‡
2006 France U-21 1 (0)
2010– Togo 19 (1)
* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only and correct as of 1 July 2019
‡ National team caps and goals correct as of 23:16, 6 March 2020 (UTC)

He progressed from Châteauroux to play top level football in France for both Lens and Rennes, before joining Wolves in 2012.

Club career

Early days

Boukari began his career with Châteauroux, for whom his father Sadou also played. He made his professional debut during the 2004–05 season in Ligue 2, ending the campaign with two goals from his fourteen appearances. In the following season he became regular player and caught the eye of several top division clubs, such as FC Nantes, LOSC Lille Métropole and AS Monaco.

Ligue 1 moves

In June 2006 he signed a five-year contract with Lens of French Ligue 1. He played 29 league games for Lens in his first year and 19 in his second season but could not prevent the club from being relegated. Promised more playing time, Boukari remained after relegation to be part of the team that won promotion back to the top flight as Ligue 2 champions in 2009–10.

In January 2011 he left Lens to sign for fellow Ligue 1 club Rennes for €4.5 million in a four-and-a-half-year deal.[1] He scored four goals for his new club in 18 games, most of them as a starter, before injury kept him out for the remainder of the season.

However, he lost his starting position during the following campaign to Jonathan Pitroipa. This situation was compounded by suffering from a torn left thigh injury in January 2012, which kept Boukari on the sidelines for four weeks.[2] He did though manage 20 appearances for the club, 13 of them as a substitute and scored three goals as Rennes finished in 6th place.[3]

Wolverhampton Wanderers

Boukari moved to Wolverhampton Wanderers of the English Championship on 27 August 2012, signing a four-year deal for an undisclosed fee.[4] Only weeks before, Boukari had spent time on trial at newly promoted Premier League side West Ham United, but they instead opted to buy Wolverhampton Wanderers winger Matt Jarvis, opening up a position at Wolverhampton Wanderers for Boukari to eventually fill.[5]

After a promising start to the season, Boukari was substituted during a 1–0 win over Sheffield Wednesday on 29 September 2012, after suffering a calf injury.[6] It was subsequently reported that he would be out of action for three to six weeks, but it was later reported he wouldn't be fit until Autumn 2013.[7]

On 12 August 2013, Ligue 1 side Sochaux announced that Boukari was to spend a week on trial with them, with a view to a season-long loan deal.[8] Although it was reported after this initial week that the player could not agree terms,[9] on 27 August, a loan deal to cover the 2013–14 season was completed.[10] His time with Sochaux was again impaired by injury problems, making only ten appearances (all as substitute), as the team suffered relegation.

International career

Boukari, who holds dual citizenship with Togo and France, made his France U-21 debut against Sweden U-21 on 14 November 2006. In July 2010, he confirmed with the Togolese Football Federation to represent Togo thereafter.[11]

Career statistics

Club
As of 12 August 2013
Club Season League Domestic League Domestic Cups Europe Total
Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals
Châteauroux 2004–05 Ligue 2 14511–156
2005–06 34240–382
Total4875100538
Lens 2006–07 Ligue 1 2905081421
2007–08 1902130241
2008–09 Ligue 2 26451–315
2009–10 Ligue 1 27441–315
2010–11 18310–233
Total1191117311114715
Rennes 2010–11 Ligue 1 18431–215
2011–12 2032182337
Total38752825411
Wolverhampton Wanderers 2012–13 Championship 4020–60
Sochaux (loan) 2013–14 Ligue 1 10000–100
Career total2192529619326734

International goals
Scores and results list Togo's goal tally first.[12]
NoDateVenueOpponentScoreResultCompetition
1.29 February 2012Nyayo National Stadium, Nairobi, Kenya Kenya1–11–22013 Africa Cup of Nations qualification

Honours

Lens

France U21

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References
  1. "Togo's Razak Boukari signs for Rennes from Lens". BBC Sport. 4 January 2011.
  2. "Injuries : several weeks for Boukari, at least one for Pajot". Stade Rennais Online. 17 January 2012.
  3. "Stade Rennes 5–0 Dijon FCO". ESPNSoccernet. 20 May 2012.
  4. "Wolves sign winger Razak Boukari from Rennes". BBC Sport. 27 August 2012.
  5. "Rennes, Boukari andrà in prova al West Ham". Tutto Mercato Web. 15 August 2012.
  6. "Wolves 1 Sheffield Wednesday 0". BBC Sport. 29 September 2012.
  7. "Boss gives injury update". Wolverhampton Wanderers F.C. 1 October 2012. Archived from the original on 4 November 2012.
  8. "Transfer news: Wolves forward Razak Boukari joins Sochaux on trial". Sky Sports. 12 August 2013.
  9. "Razak Boukari back at Wolves as move falters". Express & Star. 20 August 2013.
  10. "Wolves winger Razak Boukari to join Sochaux on season-long loan". Sky Sports. 27 August 2013.
  12. "Boukari, Razak". National Football Teams. Retrieved 25 April 2017.
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