{{short description|Congolese footballer}} {{Use dmy dates|date=June 2024}} {{Infobox football biography | name = Jonathan Okita | image = File:Jonathan_Okita.png | full_name = Jonathan Yula Okita | birth_date = {{birth date and age|1996|10|5|df=yes}} | birth_place = Cologne, Germany | height = 1.80 m | position = Winger | currentclub = Damac<br/>(on loan from Bodrum) | clubnumber = 14 | youthyears1 = {{0|0000}}–2012 | youthclubs1 = RCS Brainois | youthyears2 = 2012–2013 | youthclubs2 = Tubize | years1 = 2013–2014 | clubs1 = Tubize | caps1 = 16 | goals1 = 0 | years2 = 2016–2017 | clubs2 = Standard Liège | caps2 = 2 | goals2 = 0 | years3 = 2016 | clubs3 = → Roeselare (loan) | caps3 = 0 | goals3 = 0 | years4 = 2017 | clubs4 = → Royale Union Saint-Gilloise (loan) | caps4 = 6 | goals4 = 0 | years5 = 2017–2018 | clubs5 = MVV | caps5 = 36 | goals5 = 18 | years6 = 2018–2022 | clubs6 = NEC | caps6 = 124 | goals6 = 32 | years7 = 2022–2025 | clubs7 = Zürich | caps7 = 75 | goals7 = 19 | years8 = 2025– | clubs8 = Bodrum | caps8 = 17 | goals8 = 0 | years9 = 2026– | clubs9 = → Damac (loan) | caps9 = 5 | goals9 = 2
| nationalyears1 = 2021– | nationalteam1 = DR Congo | nationalcaps1 = 1 | nationalgoals1 = 0 | club-update = 12 March 2026 | nationalteam-update = 21:49, 10 October 2021 (UTC) }} '''Jonathan Yula Okita''' (born 5 October 1996) is a Congolese professional footballer who plays as a winger for Saudi Pro League club Damac, on loan from TFF 1. Lig club Bodrum. Born in Germany, he plays for the DR Congo national team.
==Club career== Okita made his Belgian First Division A debut for Standard Liège on 17 April 2016 in a game against Royal Excel Mouscron.<ref>{{cite web|website=Soccerway|url=https://int.soccerway.com/matches/2016/04/17/belgium/pro-league/rrc-peruwelz/standard-de-liege/2220185/|title=Game Report by Soccerway|date=17 April 2016}}</ref>
===NEC=== On 24 August 2018, Okita signed a four-year contract with Eerste Divisie club NEC Nijmegen.<ref>{{cite web |title=N.E.C. bindt Jonathan Okita |url=https://www.nec-nijmegen.nl/nieuws/artikel/n.e.c.-bindt-jonathan-okita.htm |website=nec-nijmegen.nl |language=nl-NL |date=24 August 2018}}</ref> Three days later, he made his debut for the club in the 2–1 away win over Jong FC Utrecht. On 8 September, he scored his first goal for the club in the 3–2 away win against Roda JC Kerkrade.<ref>{{cite web |title=Roda JC verliest met 2-3 van NEC Nijmegen |url=https://www.rodajckerkrade.nl/nieuwsbericht/08-09-2018/roda-jc-verliest-met-2-3-van-nec-nijmegen |website=Roda JC Kerkrade |language=nl |date=8 September 2018}}</ref> In his first season, he impressed with NEC, scoring 15 goals and providing 13 assists in 41 appearances.<ref name="WF">{{WorldFootball.net|jonathan-okita}}</ref>
The following season, Okita struggled with his form, but still managed to score six goals and provide seven assists in 28 games.<ref name="WF" /> He was set to leave the club in the summer of 2020, but partly due to the COVID-19 pandemic he stayed at the Nijmegen-based club.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Broek |first1=Danny van den |title=Flegmatieke vleugelspits bij NEC: Met Okita is het hollen of stilstaan |url=https://www.gelderlander.nl/nec/flegmatieke-vleugelspits-bij-nec-met-okita-is-het-hollen-of-stilstaan~a709f516/ |work=de Gelderlander |date=20 August 2020 |language=nl}}</ref>
As new head coach Rogier Meijer took over the reins, Okita was again utilised in his attacking formation. On 23 May 2021, Okita won promotion to the Eredivisie with NEC by beating NAC Breda 2–1 in the final of the play-offs.<ref>{{cite news |title=NEC verslaat NAC in slotfase en keert na vier jaar terug in de eredivisie |url=https://nos.nl/artikel/2382041-nec-verslaat-nac-in-slotfase-en-keert-na-vier-jaar-terug-in-de-eredivisie |work=nos.nl |date=23 May 2021 |language=nl}}</ref> Okita, who had once again gone through a mediocre season with four goals and four assists in 33 games,<ref name="WF" /> lived up in the play-offs. With four goals in three play-off games, including the matchwinner against NAC, he was a key player in the club's promotion.<ref>{{cite news |title=Trainer Meijer prijst matchwinner en 'enorme twijfelaar' Okita na promotie NEC |url=https://www.nu.nl/voetbal/6135181/trainer-meijer-prijst-matchwinner-en-enorme-twijfelaar-okita-na-promotie-nec.html |work=NU |date=23 May 2021 |language=nl}}</ref>
===Zürich=== On 23 June 2022, Okita signed a three-year contract with Zürich in Switzerland.<ref>{{cite web|publisher=Zürich|url=https://www.fcz.ch/de/profis/news/2022/der-stadtclub-verpflichtet-jonathan-okita/|title=Der Stadtclub verpflichtet Offensivspieler Jonathan Okita|date=23 June 2022|access-date=23 June 2022|language=de|archive-date=30 June 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220630093022/https://www.fcz.ch/de/profis/news/2022/der-stadtclub-verpflichtet-jonathan-okita/|url-status=dead}}</ref>
===Bodrum=== On 10 January 2025, Okita moved to Bodrum in Turkey.<ref>{{cite web|publisher=FC Zürich|url=https://www.fcz.ch/pages/news/jonathan-okita-wechselt-in-die-tuerkische-sueper-lig|title=Jonathan Okita wechselt in die türkische Süper Lig|trans-title=Jonathan Okita moves to the Turkish Süper Lig|date=10 January 2025|access-date=13 January 2025|language=de}}</ref>
==International career== Born in Germany, Okita is of Congolese descent.<ref>{{cite news |title=Jonathan Okita wants a move away from the Netherlands |url=https://www.kick442.com/jonathan-okita-wants-a-move-away-from-the-netherlands/|work=Kick442|date=1 June 2020 |language=en}}</ref> He debuted with the DR Congo national team in a 1–0 2022 FIFA World Cup qualification loss to Madagascar on 10 October 2021.<ref name="FIFA 2021">{{cite web | title=FIFA | website=FIFA | date=10 October 2021 | url=https://www.fifa.com/tournaments/mens/worldcup/qatar2022/qualifiers/caf/match-center/400204271 | access-date=10 October 2021}}</ref>
==References== {{Reflist}}
==External links== * {{Soccerway|jonathan-okita/304902}}
{{Damac F.C. squad}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Okita, Jonathan}} Category:Living people Category:1996 births Category:Footballers from Cologne Category:Men's association football forwards Category:Democratic Republic of the Congo men's footballers Category:Democratic Republic of the Congo men's international footballers Category:German men's footballers Category:German people of Democratic Republic of the Congo descent Category:Sportspeople of Democratic Republic of the Congo descent Category:Challenger Pro League players Category:Belgian Pro League players Category:Eerste Divisie players Category:Eredivisie players Category:Swiss Super League players Category:Süper Lig players Category:TFF 1. Lig players Category:Saudi Pro League players Category:Royale Union Tubize-Braine players Category:Standard Liège players Category:KSV Roeselare players Category:Royale Union Saint-Gilloise players Category:MVV Maastricht players Category:NEC Nijmegen players Category:FC Zürich players Category:Bodrum F.K. footballers Category:Damac Club players Category:Democratic Republic of the Congo expatriate men's footballers Category:German expatriate men's footballers Category:Expatriate men's footballers in the Netherlands Category:Democratic Republic of the Congo expatriate sportspeople in the Netherlands Category:Expatriate men's footballers in Switzerland Category:Democratic Republic of the Congo expatriate sportspeople in Switzerland Category:Expatriate men's footballers in Turkey Category:Democratic Republic of the Congo expatriate sportspeople in Turkey Category:Expatriate men's footballers in Saudi Arabia Category:Democratic Republic of the Congo expatriate sportspeople in Saudi Arabia Category:21st-century German sportsmen Category:21st-century Democratic Republic of the Congo sportsmen