Michael Frey (born 19 July 1994) is a Swiss professional footballer who plays as a forward for EFL Championship club Queens Park Rangers.
.JPG) Frey playing for Lille in 2014 | |||
| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Date of birth | 19 July 1994 | ||
| Place of birth | Münsingen, Switzerland | ||
| Height | 1.88 m (6 ft 2 in) | ||
| Position(s) | Forward | ||
| Team information | |||
Current team | Queens Park Rangers | ||
| Number | 12 | ||
| Youth career | |||
| 2000–2006 | FC Münsingen | ||
| 2006–2010 | Thun | ||
| 2010–2012 | Young Boys | ||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
| 2012–2014 | Young Boys | 73 | (17) |
| 2014–2016 | Lille | 15 | (2) |
| 2016 | → Luzern (loan) | 16 | (4) |
| 2016–2017 | Young Boys | 29 | (8) |
| 2017–2018 | FC Zürich | 34 | (12) |
| 2018–2021 | Fenerbahçe | 15 | (3) |
| 2019–2020 | → 1. FC Nürnberg (loan) | 29 | (4) |
| 2020–2021 | → Beveren (loan) | 27 | (12) |
| 2021–2024 | Royal Antwerp | 53 | (31) |
| 2023 | → Schalke 04 (loan) | 15 | (0) |
| 2024– | Queens Park Rangers | 15 | (4) |
| International career | |||
| 2010–2011 | Switzerland U17 | 4 | (0) |
| 2011–2013 | Switzerland U19 | 12 | (4) |
| 2014 | Switzerland U20 | 1 | (1) |
| 2013–2016 | Switzerland U21 | 14 | (2) |
| *Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 17:06, 22 September 2024 (UTC) | |||
Club career
editIn June 2017, Frey signed a four-year contract with FC Zürich.[1]
In August 2018, Frey joined Turkish club Fenerbahçe for a reported transfer fee of €2.64 million. He signed a four-year deal.[2] After his first season in Turkey, Frey joined 2. Bundesliga side 1. FC Nürnberg on loan for the 2019–20 season. The club retained an option to make the move permanent.[3]
On 17 June 2021, Fenerbahçe announced that Frey had joined Antwerp on a permanent deal after an impressive loan spell with Beveren in the Belgian First Division A during the 2020–21 season.[4] On 8 August 2021, Frey scored all five goals for Antwerp in their 5–2 league win over Standard Liège.[5]
On 20 January 2023, after two and a half seasons in Belgium, he was loaned to German side Schalke 04, newly promoted to the Bundesliga, with an option to make the deal permanent.[6][7]
Queens Park Rangers
editOn 28 January 2024, Frey signed for English club Queens Park Rangers.[8][9] Frey scored his first goal for QPR in a 2–2 draw with Norwich City on 10 February 2024.[10]
Frey opened his account in the 2024–25 season with a goal in a 2–1 defeat of Cambridge United in the first round of the EFL Cup on 13 August.[11] The victory earned QPR their first win in the competition for three years.[11] He then scored his first league goal of the season in a 1–1 draw with Plymouth Argyle on 24 August.[12] Six days later, he scored the game winner in a come-from-behind 2–1 win over Luton Town in the league.[13]
Style of play
editDescribed as a "high energy," "decisive" and "burly" striker, Frey's height, speed and strength make him a classic number 9, with the ability to hold the ball up and take on defenders, allied to precision and power in front of goal.[14][15]
Career statistics
edit| Club | Season | League | National cup[a] | League cup[b] | Europe | Other | Total | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Division | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | ||
| Young Boys | 2011–12 | Swiss Super League | 2 | 1 | 0 | 0 | — | — | — | 2 | 1 | |||
| 2012–13 | Swiss Super League | 31 | 4 | 2 | 4 | — | 10[c] | 1 | — | 43 | 9 | |||
| 2013–14 | Swiss Super League | 33 | 9 | 2 | 0 | — | — | — | 35 | 9 | ||||
| 2014–15 | Swiss Super League | 7 | 3 | 0 | 0 | — | 4[c] | 2 | — | 11 | 5 | |||
| Total | 73 | 17 | 4 | 4 | — | 14 | 3 | — | 91 | 24 | ||||
| Lille | 2014–15 | Ligue 1 | 15 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 3[c] | 0 | — | 21 | 3 | |
| Luzern (loan) | 2015–16 | Swiss Super League | 16 | 4 | 1 | 0 | — | — | — | 17 | 4 | |||
| Young Boys | 2016–17 | Swiss Super League | 29 | 8 | 4 | 4 | — | 8[d] | 1 | — | 41 | 13 | ||
| FC Zürich | 2017–18 | Swiss Super League | 31 | 12 | 5 | 4 | — | — | — | 36 | 16 | |||
| 2018–19 | Swiss Super League | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | — | — | 3 | 0 | ||||
| Total | 34 | 12 | 5 | 4 | — | — | — | 39 | 16 | |||||
| Fenerbahçe | 2018–19 | Süper Lig | 14 | 3 | 3 | 0 | — | 5[c] | 2 | — | 22 | 5 | ||
| 2020–21 | Süper Lig | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | — | — | 1 | 0 | ||||
| Total | 15 | 3 | 3 | 0 | — | 5 | 2 | — | 23 | 5 | ||||
| 1. FC Nürnberg (loan) | 2019–20 | 2. Bundesliga | 29 | 4 | 1 | 1 | — | — | 2[e] | 0 | 32 | 5 | ||
| Beveren (loan) | 2020–21 | Belgian Pro League | 27 | 12 | 2 | 3 | — | — | 2[f] | 2 | 31 | 17 | ||
| Antwerp | 2021–22 | Belgian Pro League | 39 | 24 | 1 | 0 | — | 6[c] | 0 | — | 46 | 24 | ||
| 2022–23 | Belgian Pro League | 14 | 7 | 3 | 1 | — | 6[g] | 2 | — | 23 | 10 | |||
| Total | 53 | 31 | 4 | 1 | — | 12 | 2 | — | 69 | 34 | ||||
| Schalke 04 (loan) | 2022–23 | Bundesliga | 15 | 0 | — | — | — | — | 15 | 0 | ||||
| Queens Park Rangers | 2023–24 | Championship | 9 | 1 | — | — | — | — | 9 | 1 | ||||
| 2024–25 | Championship | 6 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | — | — | 7 | 4 | |||
| Total | 15 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | — | — | 16 | 5 | ||||
| Career total | 321 | 97 | 25 | 17 | 3 | 2 | 42 | 8 | 4 | 2 | 395 | 126 | ||
- ^ Includes Swiss Cup, Coupe de France, Turkish Cup, DFB-Pokal, Belgian Cup
- ^ Includes Coupe de la Ligue, EFL Cup
- ^ a b c d e Appearances in UEFA Europa League
- ^ Two appearances in UEFA Champions League, six appearances and one goal in UEFA Europa League
- ^ Appearances in 2. Bundesliga relegation play-offs
- ^ Appearances in Belgian Pro League relegation play-offs
- ^ Appearances in UEFA Europa Conference League
Honours
editFC Zürich
Individual
- Swiss Super League Young Footballer of the Year: 2013–14[18]
References
edit- ^ "Der FC Zürich verpflichtet Michael Frey". fcz.ch (in German). 19 June 2017. Retrieved 19 June 2017.
- ^ "Michael Frey joins Fenerbahce from FC Zurich". Turkish Football News. 23 August 2018. Retrieved 8 December 2021.
- ^ "Frey joins Nurnberg on loan from Fenerbahce". AA. 19 August 2019. Retrieved 8 December 2021.
- ^ "Welkom op De Bosuil, Michael Frey!". Royal Antwerp FC (in Dutch). 17 June 2021. Retrieved 17 June 2021.
- ^ "Standard humiliated at home by Antwerp (2-5), Michael Frey author of five goals". Archy Sport. 8 August 2021. Retrieved 16 August 2021.
- ^ "Striker Michael Frey joins Schalke 04". FC Schalke 04. 20 January 2023. Retrieved 20 January 2023.
- ^ "Michael Frey naar Schalke 04". Royal Antwerp FC (in Dutch). 20 January 2023. Retrieved 20 January 2023.
- ^ "Striker Michael Frey joins QPR". QPR FC. Retrieved 28 January 2024.
- ^ "QPR sign Swiss striker Frey from Royal Antwerp" – via www.bbc.co.uk.
- ^ "Queens Park Rangers 2-2 Norwich City: Recent signings combine to earn Rs a draw with Canaries". BBC. 10 February 2024. Retrieved 25 September 2024.
- ^ a b "QPR won a superb Carabao Cup tie 2-1 at Cambridge to record their first win in the competition for three years". BBC. 13 August 2024. Retrieved 25 September 2024.
- ^ "Queens Park Rangers 1-1 Plymouth Argyle". EFL. 24 August 2024. Retrieved 25 September 2024.
- ^ "Match Report: Luton Town 1, QPR 2". QPR. Retrieved 25 September 2024.
- ^ "Luton Town 1-2 Queens Park Rangers". BBC Sport. 30 August 2024. Retrieved 10 September 2024.
- ^ "QPR sign Swiss striker Frey from Royal Antwerp". BBC Sport. 28 January 2024. Retrieved 10 September 2024.
- ^ "Michael Frey - Club matches". worldfootball.net.
- ^ "Michael Frey statistics". Ogol.
- ^ "Super League – Salah zum SL-"Spieler des Jahres" gewählt". Schweizer Radio und Fernsehen (SRF) (in German). 27 January 2014. Retrieved 1 December 2022.
External links
edit- Switzerland U21 stats
- Michael Frey at Soccerway
- Michael Frey at WorldFootball.net