{{short description|Albanian footballer (born 2004)}} {{EngvarB|date=May 2026}} {{Use dmy dates|date=May 2026}} {{Infobox football biography | name = Erald Maksuti | image = | caption = | birth_date = {{Birth date and age|2004|5|10|df=y}} | birth_place = Shkodër, Albania | height = 1.82 m | position = Forward | currentclub = Akhmat Grozny | clubnumber = | youthyears1 = 2013–2014 | youthclubs1 = Bërdica | youthyears2 = 2018–2020 | youthclubs2 = Brians | youthyears3 = 2020–2025 | youthclubs3 = Apolonia Fier | years1 = 2021–2025 | clubs1 = Apolonia Fier | caps1 = 74 | goals1 = 20 | years2 = 2025–2026 | clubs2 = Flamurtari | caps2 = 34 | goals2 = 12 | years3 = 2026– | clubs3 = Akhmat Grozny | caps3 = 0 | goals3 = 0 | nationalyears1 = 2018–2019 | nationalteam1 = Albania U15 | nationalcaps1 = 3 | nationalgoals1 = 2 | nationalyears2 = 2022 | nationalteam2 = Albania U19 | nationalcaps2 = 3 | nationalgoals2 = 0 | nationalyears3 = 2024– | nationalteam3 = Albania U21 | nationalcaps3 = 8 | nationalgoals3 = 1 | nationalyears4 = | nationalteam4 = | nationalcaps4 = | nationalgoals4 = | club-update = 16 May 2026 | nationalteam-update = 30 March 2026 }}
'''Erald Maksuti''' (born 10 May 2004) is an Albanian professional footballer who plays as a forward for Akhmat Grozny in the Russian Premier League and the Albania national under-21 team.<ref name="WorldFootball.net">{{WorldFootball.net|new_id=pe864198 |access-date=30 May 2026}}</ref><ref name="BeSoccer">{{BeSoccer|e-maksuti-3218163 |access-date=30 May 2026}}</ref>
He came through the youth academies of Bërdica, Brians, and Apolonia Fier, making his senior debut for the latter at the age of 17 before spending four seasons in the Albanian second tier and joining Flamurtari for the 2025–26 season in top-flight.<ref name="FSHF">{{FSHF|245257 |access-date=30 May 2026}}</ref><ref name="Soccerway">{{Soccerway|new_id=maksuti-erald/KloSKVxO |access-date=30 May 2026}}</ref>
He has also represented Albania at various youth international levels, including the under-15, under-19 and under-21 national teams.<ref name="FSHF" /><ref name="BeSoccer" />
==Club career== ===Early career=== Born in Shkodër, Albania, Maksuti emigrated to Greece with his family at the age of four, where he began playing football in local youth academies and spent several years developing his skills before returning to Albania at the age of nine.<ref name="2023 season" /> In 2013, he joined Bërdica in their youth system at under-11 level.<ref name="FSHF" /> He played for Brians at under-17 level during the 2018–19 season.<ref name="FSHF" /> He later underwent trials with several clubs in Italy, but due to restrictions related to the COVID-19 pandemic, he returned back to Albania.<ref name="2023 season" />
He joined Apolonia Fier in 2020, initially featuring for the club's under-17 side and subsequently progressing to the under-19 team, with whom he won the Albanian Under-19 Superliga title during the 2021–22 season.<ref name="FSHF" /><ref>{{cite news |url=https://fkapolonia.al/erald-maksuti/ |title=Erald Maksuti, sulmuesi i talentuar 19 vjeçar |publisher=FK Apolonia Fier |date=8 August 2023 |access-date=30 May 2026}}</ref> During the 2022–23 season, he took part in the 2022–23 UEFA Youth League and scored three goals across two knockout-round ties.<ref name="WorldFootball.net" />
===Apolonia Fier=== He received his first senior team call-up at the age of 17 for an Albanian Cup group stage match against Flamurtari on 13 October 2021, although he did not feature in the match.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://fshf.org/garat/?query=info&match_id=561561179 |title=Apolonia 1 - 1 Flamurtari Kupa e Shqipërisë 21/22 Grupi B 1/16 |trans-title=Apolonia 1 - 1 Flamurtari - Albanian Cup 21/22 Group B 1/16 |publisher=Albanian Football Federation |language=sq |date=13 October 2021 |access-date=30 May 2026}}</ref> He made his senior debut in the 2021–22 Kategoria e Parë match against Turbina on 24 November 2021, coming on as a substitute in the 62nd minute and scoring his first senior goal ten minutes later in a 2–0 victory.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://fshf.org/garat/?query=info&match_id=538230618 |title=Apolonia 2 - 0 Turbina – Kategoria e Parë 2021–22 |trans-title=Apolonia 2–0 Turbina – Albanian First Division 2021–22 |publisher=Albanian Football Federation |language=sq |date=24 November 2021 |access-date=30 May 2026}}</ref> He went on to make two further substitute appearances for the club during the same season.<ref name="FSHF" />
During the first half of the 2023–24 Kategoria e Parë season, Maksuti recorded four goals, four assists and won four penalties in his favour.<ref name="2023 season">{{cite web |url=https://fkapolonia.al/maksuti/ |title=Maksuti, lojtari i golit |trans-title=Maksuti, the goalscoring player |publisher=FK Apolonia |language=sq |date=6 February 2024 |access-date=30 May 2026}}</ref> He finished with seven goals as Apolonia finished in 5th place and reached the promotion play-off final, where they were defeated by Flamurtari.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.panorama.com.al/sport/nga-paraqitja-me-apolonine-te-ftesa-e-shpreses-erald-maksuti-ne-qiellin-e-shtate/ |title=Nga paraqitja me Apoloninë te ftesa e Shpresës, Erald Maksuti në “qiellin e shtatë” |trans-title=From his performances with Apolonia to the Albania U21 call-up, Erald Maksuti in “seventh sky” |publisher=Panorama Sport |language=sq |date=30 May 2024 |access-date=30 May 2026}}</ref>
In his final season with Apolonia, Maksuti was one of the club's standout performers, scoring 12 goals in 23 appearances in the 2024–25 Kategoria e Parë before leaving in July 2025 after four seasons to join Flamurtari.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://fkapolonia.al/maksuti-2/ |title=Erald Maksuti transferohet te FC Flamurtari |trans-title=Erald Maksuti transfers to FC Flamurtari |publisher=FK Apolonia |language=sq |date=21 July 2025 |access-date=30 May 2026}}</ref>
===Flamurtari=== On 21 July 2025, Maksuti completed his transfer to Flamurtari in the Kategoria Superiore ahead of the 2025–26 season.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://newsport.al/vendi/superiore/zyrtare-tjeter-goditje-e-flamurtarit-ne-merkato-vlonjatet-prezan-i519267 |title=ZYRTARE/ Tjetër “goditje” e Flamurtarit në merkato, vlonjatët prezantojnë sulmuesin e Kombëtares |trans-title=OFFICIAL/ Another signing for Flamurtari in the transfer market, the Vlorë side present the national team forward |publisher=Newsport.al |language=sq |date=21 July 2025 |access-date=30 May 2026}}</ref>
On 29 April 2026, Maksuti scored a hat-trick in Flamurtari's 3–1 home victory over Dinamo City on matchday 33 of the 2025–26 Kategoria Superiore, becoming the only domestic player in the league to score a hat-trick that season.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://newsport.al/vendi/superiore/video-shkaterroi-i-vetem-dinamon-erald-maksuti-i-pakonkurrueshem-i531742 |title=VIDEO/ “Shkatërroi” i vetëm Dinamon, Erald Maksuti i “pakonkurrueshëm”! Talenti nuk “llogarit” as Bekim Balajn e Dejvi Bregun |trans-title=VIDEO/ He single-handedly destroyed Dinamo, Erald Maksuti “unmatched”! The talent does not “consider” even Bekim Balaj and Dejvi Bregu |publisher=Newsport.al |language=sq |date=29 April 2026 |access-date=30 May 2026}}</ref>
Following a standout season, Maksuti was sold to Russian Premier League club Akhmat Grozny in May 2026 for a reported fee of €700,000, a record sale for the club in recent years.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.panorama.com.al/sport/u-largua-per-shifren-rekord-nga-flamurtari-reagon-erald-maksuti-vit-i-mbushur-me-kujtime-te-paharrueshme/ |title=U largua për shifrën rekord nga Flamurtari, reagon Erald Maksuti: Vit i mbushur me kujtime të paharrueshme |trans-title=After leaving for a record fee from Flamurtari, Erald Maksuti reacts: A year full of unforgettable memories |publisher=Panorama Sport |language=sq |date=26 May 2026 |access-date=31 May 2026}}</ref>
===Akhmat Grozny=== {{Empty section|date=May 2026}}
==International career== {{Empty section|date=May 2026}}
==References== {{Reflist|30em}}
==External links== *{{Sports links}}
{{FC Akhmat Grozny squad}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Maksuti, Erald}} Category:2004 births Category:Living people Category:Footballers from Shkodër Category:Albanian men's footballers Category:Men's association football forwards Category:FK Apolonia Fier players Category:Flamurtari FC players Category:FC Akhmat Grozny players Category:Kategoria e Parë players Category:Kategoria Superiore players Category:Albania men's youth international footballers Category:Albania men's under-21 international footballers Category:Albanian expatriate men's footballers Category:Albanian expatriate sportspeople in Russia Category:Expatriate men's footballers in Russia Category:21st-century Albanian sportsmen