Bo Niklas Hult (born 13 February 1990) is a Swedish professional footballer who plays as a left back for IF Elfsborg.[1] Beginning his career with IFK Värnamo in 2008, he went on to represent IF Elfsborg, Nice, Panathinaikos, AEK Athens, and Hannover 96 before returning to Swedish football in 2022. A full international since 2012, he has won eight caps for the Sweden national team.

Niklas Hult
Personal information
Full name Bo Niklas Hult
Date of birth (1990-02-13) 13 February 1990 (age 34)
Place of birth Värnamo, Sweden
Height 1.73 m (5 ft 8 in)
Position(s) Left-back
Team information
Current team
IF Elfsborg
Number 23
Youth career
1999–2008 IFK Värnamo
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2007–2008 IFK Värnamo 22 (1)
2009–2014 IF Elfsborg 92 (11)
2014–2016 Nice 45 (2)
2016Nice II 1 (0)
2016–2018 Panathinaikos 42 (0)
2018–2020 AEK Athens 44 (0)
2020–2022 Hannover 96 57 (3)
2022– IF Elfsborg 67 (1)
International career
2007 Sweden U17 3 (0)
2008–2009 Sweden U19 8 (0)
2011–2012 Sweden U21 13 (0)
2012–2018 Sweden 8 (0)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 13 November 2024
‡ National team caps and goals, correct as of 19:26, 15 June 2022 (UTC)

Club career

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Nice

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In May 2014 Niklas Hult was signed by OGC Nice for a fee around €1 million, the French Ligue 1 club as they looked to strengthen for the 2014–15 season. He was described as a midfield workhorse with attacking and defensive qualities.[2]

Panathinaikos

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On 30 June 2016, he signed a three-years contract with Greek Super League club Panathinaikos for a transfer fee of €300,000. His contract, which ran until 2019, was worth €250,000 per year.[3][4]

During the summer of 2017, the Swedish international rejected a suggestion from Standard Liège, and at the same time he filed an appeal claiming his late payment from Panathinaikos. Later in the summer, the player's side claimed that the international left-back could leave as free from the club, either for Konyaspor or Standard Liège that was once again interested in his acquisition. Hult had no trouble withdrawing his appeal as long as he had a raise in his annual salary and extending his contract for another year. The greens put all the odds down, and as they figured that the player was one of the best player in the roster, on 21 July 2017, took the decision to table a new proposal for co-operation and increase his annual earnings by more than €100,000 while expanding his contract by 2020, that make the player's side to respond positively.[5] Unfortunately during the 2017–18 season the financial problems of the club remained unresolved with Hult reportedly looking his next step in his career.[6]

On 30 January 2018, after his first appeal, Hult took again legal actions against Panathinaikos because of the money the Greens owe to him. He had not received his December's fee and in order to ensure his money decided to sue financially struggling greens. Nevertheless, between two sides there are negotiations in order to find a mutual solution and Panathinaikos receive money from his possible transfer in January's window.[7]

AEK Athens

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On 31 January 2018, Hult signed a two-and-a-half-year contract with rivals AEK Athens for an estimated amount of €200,000.[8] In the 2019–20 season Hult competed in 18 matches for AEK across all competitions, with the 30-year-old Swedish having previously won the Super League two years ago after transferring from Panathinaikos in January 2018. On 30 June 2020, he mutually solved his contract with the club.[9]

Hannover 96

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On 28 August 2020, Hult signed a two-year contract with German club Hannover 96.[10][11]

Return to Sweden

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After his contract with Hannover expired, Hult signed a three-year contract with IF Elfsborg, where he had previously played from 2009 to 2014.[12]

Career statistics

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Club

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As of 15 July 2022
Club Season League Cup Continental Other Total
Division Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals
IF Elfsborg 2009 Allsvenskan 1 0 1 0 0 0 2 0
2010 Allsvenskan 9 1 0 0 0 0 9 1
2011 Allsvenskan 28 6 3 1 3 0 34 7
2012 Allsvenskan 27 3 0 0 3 1 30 4
2013 Allsvenskan 17 1 6 3 5 3 28 7
2014 Allsvenskan 10 0 0 0 7 1 17 1
Total 92 11 10 4 18 5 0 0 120 20
Nice 2014–15 Ligue 1 30 1 1 0 0 0 31 1
2015–16 Ligue 1 15 1 0 0 1 0 16 1
Total 45 2 1 0 0 0 1 0 47 2
Panathinaikos 2016–17 Super League Greece 30 0 5 0 6 0 41 0
2017–18 Super League Greece 12 0 0 0 4 0 16 0
Total 42 0 5 0 10 0 57 0
AEK Athens 2017–18 Super League Greece 8 0 3 0 0 0 11 0
2018–19 Super League Greece 22 0 6 0 10 0 38 0
2019–20 Super League Greece 14 0 3 0 1 0 18 0
Total 44 0 12 0 11 0 67 0
Hannover 96 2020–21 2. Bundesliga 30 2 1 0 31 2
2021–22 2. Bundesliga 27 1 4 0 31 1
Total 57 3 5 0 62 3
IF Elfsborg 2022 Allsvenskan 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
Career total 280 16 33 4 39 5 1 0 353 25

International

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Appearances and goals by national team and year[13]
National team Year Apps Goals
Sweden 2012 2 0
2013 0 0
2014 2 0
2015 0 0
2016 0 0
2017 2 0
2018 2 0
Total 8 0

Honours

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IF Elfsborg

AEK Athens

References

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  1. ^ "Niklas Hult". Retrieved 25 February 2012.
  2. ^ "2 arrivées".
  3. ^ Klart: Niklas Hult till Panathinaikos
  4. ^ Ο Μπεργκ βοήθησε και ο Χουλτ γίνεται «πράσινος»
  5. ^ Προφορική συμφωνία με Χουλτ για επέκταση του συμβολαίου του
  6. ^ RSCA-target Hult wil contract verbreken
  7. ^ ΑΕΚ ή εξωτερικό ο Χουλτ
  8. ^ Επίσημο: Στην ΑΕΚ ο Νίκλας Χουλτ
  9. ^ ΑΕΚ: Αποχαιρέτησαν οι Χουλτ και Κλωναρίδης
  10. ^ "Mit Champions-League-Erfahrung: Niklas Hult schließt sich 96 an" (Press release) (in German). Hannover 96. 28 August 2020. Retrieved 28 August 2020.
  11. ^ "Linksverteidiger mit CL-Erfahrung: Hult wird Hannoveraner". kicker.de (in German). Kicker. 28 August 2020. Retrieved 28 August 2020.
  12. ^ "Välkommen tillbaka Niklas Hult!". elfsborg.se (in Swedish). IF Elfsborg. 15 July 2022. Retrieved 16 July 2022.
  13. ^ "Niklas Hult - Spelarstatistik - Svensk fotboll". www.svenskfotboll.se. (in Swedish). Retrieved 3 April 2023.
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