Florent Hoti

{{Infobox football biography

| name = Florent Hoti

| image = Florent Hoti October 2017.jpg

| caption = Hoti playing for Rochdale U18 in October 2017

| fullname = Florent Hoti{{Cite web |title=Club list of registered players: As at 18th May 2019: Rochdale |url=https://www.efl.com/siteassets/image/201920/efl-professional-retain-list--free-transfers---2018-19.pdf |access-date=20 March 2020 |publisher=English Football League |page=63}}

| birth_date = {{birth date and age|2000|12|11|df=y}}{{soccerway|569495|accessdate=20 March 2020}}

| birth_place = Manchester, England

| height = {{convert|1.82|m|order=flip}}{{Cite web |title=Florent Hoti |url=https://www.dundeeunitedfc.co.uk/team/first-team/florent-hoti |access-date=5 December 2020 |website=dundeeunitedfc.co.uk |publisher=Dundee United F.C. |language=en |archive-date=3 July 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220703061742/https://www.dundeeunitedfc.co.uk/team/first-team/florent-hoti |url-status=dead }}

| position = Midfielder

| currentclub = FC Halifax Town

| clubnumber = 18

| youthyears1 = 2011–2018

| youthclubs1 = Rochdale

| years1 = 2018–2019

| clubs1 = Rochdale

| caps1 = 0

| goals1 = 0

| years2 = 2020–2022

| clubs2 = Dundee United

| caps2 = 9

| goals2 = 0

| years3 = 2020–2021

| clubs3 = → Forfar Athletic (loan)

| caps3 = 6

| goals3 = 0

| years4 = 2022–2023

| clubs4 = Arbroath

| caps4 = 6

| goals4 = 0

| years5 = 2023

| clubs5 = Tranmere Rovers

| caps5 = 5

| goals5 = 0

| years6 = 2023–

| clubs6 = FC Halifax Town

| caps6 = 42

| goals6 = 8

| nationalyears1 = 2021–2022

| nationalteam1 = Kosovo U21

| nationalcaps1 = 7

| nationalgoals1 = 0

| club-update = 22:59, 17 November 2024 (UTC)

| nationalteam-update = 09:46, 24 March 2023 (UTC)

}}

Florent Hoti (born 11 December 2000) is a professional footballer who plays as a midfielder for {{English football updater|FCHalifT}} club Halifax Town. He has previously played for Rochdale, Dundee United and Arbroath, and had a loan spell at Forfar Athletic. Born in England, he is a youth international for Kosovo.

Club career

Having been part of Rochdale's academy since the age of 10, Hoti signed for the club on a two-year scholarship in 2017.{{Cite web |date=4 July 2017 |title=Introducing 2017/18 First Year Scholars |url=https://www.rochdaleafc.co.uk/news/2017/july/introducing_201718_firstyearscholars/ |access-date=20 March 2020 |website=www.rochdaleafc.co.uk |publisher=Rochdale A.F.C. |language=en-gb}} He made his debut for Rochdale on 4 September 2018, coming on as a 79th minute substitute in a 2–1 home victory against Bury in the EFL Trophy.{{Cite web |date=4 September 2018 |title=Rochdale 2-1 Bury (Checkatrade Trophy) - Match Report |url=https://www.rochdaleafc.co.uk/news/2018/september/report--checktradetrophy_bury2018/ |access-date=20 March 2020 |website=www.rochdaleafc.co.uk |publisher=Rochdale A.F.C. |language=en-gb}} On 7 November 2018, he started in Rochdale's 2–2 draw at home to Leicester City Under-23s in the EFL Trophy.{{Cite web |date=7 November 2018 |title=Report {{!}} Dale 2-2 Leicester City Under-21s (3-4 Pens) |url=https://www.rochdaleafc.co.uk/news/2018/november/report-leicestetcityu21s_071118/ |access-date=20 March 2020 |website=www.rochdaleafc.co.uk |publisher=Rochdale A.F.C. |language=en-gb}} Hoti was offered his first professional contract with the club at the end of the 2018–19 season.{{Cite web |date=8 May 2019 |title=Retained/Released List 2018/19 |url=https://www.rochdaleafc.co.uk/news/2019/may/retained-released-list-201819/ |access-date=20 March 2020 |website=www.rochdaleafc.co.uk |publisher=Rochdale A.F.C. |language=en-gb}}

Hoti had a trial at Scottish Premiership club Dundee United in August 2020,{{Cite news |last=Burns |first=Scott |date=26 August 2020 |title=Dundee United transfer latest as midfielder Florent Hoti joins on trial |newspaper=Daily Record |url=https://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/sport/football/football-transfer-news/dundee-united-transfer-latest-midfielder-22581884}} and signed a two-year contract with the club for an undisclosed fee the following month.{{Cite news |last=Roache |first=Ian |date=11 September 2020 |title=Midfielder Florent Hoti 'buzzing' after signing two-year deal with Dundee United |newspaper=The Courier |url=https://www.thecourier.co.uk/fp/sport/football/dundee-united/1573609/midfielder-florent-hoti-buzzing-after-signing-two-year-deal-with-dundee-united/ |access-date=11 September 2020}}{{Cite web |date=11 September 2020 |title=Dundee Utd sign midfielder Hoti |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/54120458 |access-date=11 September 2020 |website=BBC Sport |language=en-GB}} He joined Scottish League One club Forfar Athletic on loan in October,{{Cite web|last=|first=|date=16 October 2020|title=United midfielder joins the Loons|url=https://www.forfarathletic.co.uk/item/4301-united-midfielder-joins-the-loons|archive-url=|archive-date=|access-date=18 October 2020|website=forfarathletic.co.uk}} then returned to Dundee United in January 2021 following the suspension of the lower divisions due to the COVID-19 pandemic.{{cite news |title=Loan players return |url=https://www.dundeeunitedfc.co.uk/news/6745/LOAN-PLAYERS-RETURN.html |access-date=28 January 2021 |publisher=Dundee United F.C. |date=15 January 2021}} He made his debut for Dundee United on 10 April 2021 in a 1–0 Scottish Premiership win away to Hamilton Academical, with Dundee United manager Micky Mellon stating that "he has come on and showed what a lad of great promise he is."{{Cite web |date=11 April 2021 |title=Brian Rice takes the positives out of a damaging defeat for Hamilton |url=https://www.bt.com/sport/news/2021/april/brian-rice-takes-the-positives-out-of-a-damaging-defeat-for-hamilton |access-date=11 April 2021 |language=en |via=BT.com}}

On 11 November 2022, Hoti signed for Scottish Championship side Arbroath on a short-term deal.{{Cite web |url=https://www.arbroathfc.co.uk/florent-hoti/ |title=Florent Hoti |publisher=Arbroath FC |date=11 November 2022 |access-date=5 December 2022}} On 25 January 2023, Arbroath confirmed that Florent had left the club.{{Cite web |url=https://www.arbroathfc.co.uk/florent-hoti-departs/ |title=Florent Hoti |publisher=Arbroath FC |date=25 January 2023 |access-date=26 January 2023}}

In March 2023, Hoti joined EFL League Two side Tranmere Rovers on a short-term deal after a successful trial.{{cite web|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/65057193|title=Florent Hoti: Tranmere Rovers sign ex-Arbroath midfielder on short-term deal|publisher=BBC|date=23 March 2023|accessdate=24 March 2023}} On 9 May 2023 the club announced he was being released.{{Cite web |date=2023-05-09 |title=Tranmere Rovers in talks with keeper Murphy, 41 |url=https://www.bbc.com/sport/football/65533188 |access-date=2023-05-09 |website=BBC Sport |language=en-GB}}

International career

Hoti was selected to participate in an Albania national under-21 team's training camp and practice matches in March 2021, but was unable to join the squad due to COVID-related travel restrictions.{{cite news |title=International joy and COVID-19 despair for midfielder |url=https://www.dundeeunitedfc.co.uk/news/6796/INTERNATIONAL-JOY-AND-COVID-19-DESPAIR-FOR-MIDFIELDER.html |access-date=24 March 2021 |publisher=Dundee United F.C. |date=23 March 2021}} Two months later, he received a call-up from Kosovo national under-21 team for a 2023 UEFA European Under-21 Championship qualification match against Andorra U21,{{cite news |title=Flo Hoti receives Kosovo under-21 call-up |url=https://www.dundeeunitedfc.co.uk/news/6837/FLO-HOTI-RECEIVES-KOSOVO-UNDER-21-CALL-UP.html |access-date=11 May 2021 |publisher=Dundee United F.C. |date=10 May 2021}} and made his debut after being named in the starting line-up.{{cite news|url=https://telegrafi.com/formacionet-zyrtare-kosova-u21-andorra-u21-dardanet-nisin-kualifikimet-per-kampionatin-evropian/|title=Formacionet zyrtare, Kosova U21 – Andorra U21: Dardanët nisin kualifikimet për Kampionatin Evropian|trans-title=Official formations, Kosovo U21 – Andorra U21: Dardanians start qualifying for the European Championship|language=Albanian|publisher=Telegrafi|date=8 June 2021}}

Personal life

Hoti was born in Manchester, England, to Kosovo-Albanian parents from the Hoti tribe. This makes him eligible to represent all three nations of England, Albania and Kosovo internationally.{{Cite web |last=Woodger |first=Calum |date=13 April 2021 |title=Florent Hoti: The cross-border kid aiming to hit the big time with Dundee United after making long-awaited debut |url=https://www.thecourier.co.uk/fp/sport/football/dundee-united/2126395/florent-hoti-dundee-united-hamilton-kosovo-albania/ |access-date=9 June 2021 |website=The Courier |language=en-GB}}

Career statistics

rowspan="2"\|Club !rowspan="2"\|Season !colspan="3"\|League !colspan="2"\|FA Cup !colspan="2"\|League Cup !colspan="2"\|Other !colspan="2"\|Total
class="wikitable" style="text-align: center" \|+ Appearances and goals by club, season and competition
Division	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals
rowspan="3"\|Rochdale \|2018–19{{soccerbase season\|115876\|2018\|accessdate=20 March 2020}} \|EFL League One \|0	0	0	0	0	0	2{{Efn\|Appearance(s) in EFL Trophy}}	0	2	0
2019–20{{soccerbase season\|115876\|2019\|accessdate=10 November 2020}} \|EFL League One \|0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
colspan="2"\|Total !0	0	0	0	0	0	2	0	2	0
rowspan=3\|Dundee United \|2020–21{{soccerbase season\|115876\|2020\|accessdate=10 November 2020}} \|Scottish Premiership \|4	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	4	0
2021–22{{soccerbase season\|115876\|2021\|access-date=11 July 2021}} \|Scottish Premiership \|5	0	0	0	4	0	0	0	9	0
colspan=2\|Total !9	0	0	0	4	0	0	0	13	0
Forfar Athletic (loan) \|2020–21 \|Scottish League One \|6	0	1	0	2	0	0	0	9	0
colspan="3"\|Career total !15	0	1	0	6	0	2	0	24	0