 Obertan playing forNewcastle United in 2012 | |||
| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | Gabriel Antoine Obertan[1] | ||
| Date of birth | (1989-02-26)26 February 1989 (age 36)[2] | ||
| Place of birth | Paris, France | ||
| Height | 1.86 m (6 ft 1 in)[3] | ||
| Position | Winger | ||
| Youth career | |||
| 1997–2002 | Paris-Pantin | ||
| 2002–2003 | Paris | ||
| 2003–2004 | Paris-Saint Germain | ||
| 2004–2005 | INF Clairefontaine | ||
| 2005–2006 | Bordeaux | ||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
| 2006–2009 | Bordeaux | 79 | (6) |
| 2009 | →Lorient (loan) | 17 | (2) |
| 2009–2011 | Manchester United | 27 | (0) |
| 2011–2016 | Newcastle United | 77 | (3) |
| 2016–2017 | Anzhi Makhachkala | 9 | (1) |
| 2017 | Wigan Athletic | 12 | (1) |
| 2017–2019 | Levski Sofia | 59 | (5) |
| 2019–2021 | Erzurumspor | 71 | (8) |
| 2021 | Charlotte Independence | 15 | (5) |
| 2022–2024 | Charlotte Independence | 66 | (12) |
| Total | 432 | (43) | |
| International career | |||
| 2009–2010 | France U21 | 11 | (1) |
| Managerial career | |||
| 2025– | Charlotte Independence | ||
| * Club domestic league appearances and goals | |||
Gabriel Antoine Obertan (born 26 February 1989) is a French retired professionalfootballer who is currently an assistant coach forUSL League One sideCharlotte Independence.
A former attendee of the famousClairefontaine academy, Obertan began his professional career playing forBordeaux in France. He then joinedManchester United in July 2009 for an undisclosed fee, before signing forNewcastle United for another undisclosed fee in August 2011. Obertan was released by Newcastle in May 2016.
Obertan represented his country atunder-16,under-17,under-18,under-19 andunder-21 level.
Obertan began his career playing for his local club Paris-Pantin before moving to a higher level joiningParis FC in 2002. After spending a year there, he did what most youths at Paris FC often do and joinedParis-Saint Germain. Following another year of training, he moved to the famedClairefontaine academy in order to further his development.[4] It was here where he was first spotted byBordeaux scouts and after one year at Clairefontaine, he moved to Bordeaux to begin training with them.[5]
After spending only a year in thereserves, in the2006–07 season Obertan signed his first professional contract where he was given the number 26 shirt for the senior squad, signing a three-year contract.[6] On 30 September 2006, at the age of 17 he made his professional debut, playing the last 15 minutes of a 2–0 defeat toValenciennes[7] and made his Champions League debut a month later, in a 3–0 loss againstLiverpool.[8] He scored his first goal on 22 April 2007 againstSaint-Étienne in a 2–0 away league victory, netting duringinjury time to seal the win.[9] He made 17 league appearances and a total of 23 matches scoring one goal during his debut season.[citation needed]
Thefollowing season, he signed a contract extension[10] and his playing time increased to 37 matches and three goals, though he was still limited to mostly substitute appearances.[citation needed] For the first half of the2008–09 season, his play was limited again, though he impressed as he scored a brace in Bordeaux's 4–2 win overGuingamp in theCoupe de la Ligue on 11 November 2008.[11] With Bordeaux contending for a title and Obertan not likely to receive playing time, Blanc decided to loan him out to fellow Ligue 1 sideLorient for the rest of the season, where Blanc believed the player would receive more playing time.[12][13] Bordeaux went on to win the2008–09 Ligue 1 title in Obertan's absence, though he had already contributed 11 league appearances before he departed on loan.[14]
Obertan scored his first goal for Lorient on 24 January 2009, netting the first in a 2–1 home win overTours in theCoupe de France campaign.[15] Obertan netted his only league goal for Lorient in a 3–1 away win overGrenoble on 4 April.[16] During his loan spell at Lorient, Obertan made a total of 17 appearances scoring two goals.[citation needed]
On 6 July 2009, FrenchnewspaperL'Equipe announced that Bordeaux presidentJean-Louis Triaud had reached an agreement with English clubManchester United for the transfer of Obertan with Triaud stating that an agreement had been reached several weeks ago and that the player had agreed contract terms.[17] The following day, Obertan successfully passed his medical inManchester[18] and, on 8 July, signed his contract officially making him a Manchester United player.[19] The transfer fee was undisclosed, but is believed to be in the region of£3 million,[20] with Obertan joining the club on a four-year deal.[21]
However, at the start of the 2009–10 season, Obertan suffered a setback when he suffered a spinal problem that kept him on the sidelines for a month.[22] Following three games for the Manchester United reserve team, including a 3–0 win overOldham Athletic on his debut,[23][24] Obertan made his senior debut in the club's 2–0 away win overBarnsley in theLeague Cup fourth round on 27 October.[25] He made hisPremier League debut for Manchester United on 31 October, coming on as asubstitute in the 2–0 win overBlackburn Rovers atOld Trafford.[26] HisChampions League debut came that same week, replacingFederico Macheda in the 82nd minute in the 3–3 home draw againstCSKA Moscow on 3 November 2009.[27] On 8 December, Obertan set up the second ofMichael Owen's hat-trick in a 3–1 away victory atWolfsburg in the Champions League, taking on 3 players before teeing Owen up for a simple tap-in.[28] On 15 December, Obertan made his first league start for United, being replaced in the 71st minute byDanny Welbeck in a 3–0 home win overWolves.[29] In his first season at Manchester United, Obertan made 13 appearances in all competitions.
Obertan scored his first goal for United in a 1–0 win overPhiladelphia Union on 21 July 2010 on the club's pre-season tour of North America.[30] Just one week later Obertan was forced to miss the start of the new season as he was injured midway through the first half during United's 5–2 victory in the2010 MLS All-Star Game.[31] On 22 September, Obertan made his return from injury, replacingJavier Hernández in the 68th minute of United's 5–2 awayLeague Cup win overScunthorpe United.[32] Obertan's first official goal for United came on 2 November, netting the second of a 3–0 away win overBursaspor in theChampions League, this also being Obertan's first European goal.[33]
Ahead of the 2011–12 season, with his first team place increasingly limited, Newcastle United confirmed their interest in signing Obertan as a direct replacement forJoey Barton,[34] as Manchester United planned a rebuild of their squad.[35]
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Obertan signed for Premier League clubNewcastle United on a five-year contract on 9 August 2011, for an undisclosed fee believed to be approximately £3 million.[36][37]
He made his debut on 13 August as a half-time substitute at home toArsenal.[38] Obertan provided an assist forDemba Ba, before being substituted in the 65th minute, in a 3–1 win overStoke City on 31 October 2011.[39] After the match, it was revealed that Obertan had an infection in his toe and was sidelined for some weeks.[40] On 26 November 2011, Obertan returned to Old Trafford with Newcastle in a fixture against Manchester United in a 1–1 draw.[41] Obertan later came under criticism from Newcastle United supporters as he failed to make a significant impression in the first half of the season. He lost his place in the starting 11 to fellow FrenchmanHatem Ben Arfa.[42][43] He scored his first goal for Newcastle on 1 February 2012 in the 2–0 victory againstBlackburn Rovers after coming on as a sub just four minutes before.[44] Obertan provided an assist for Ben Afra, in a 2–1 loss against Arsenal on 12 March 2012.[45] However, Obertan was once again injured when he suffered ankle injury that kept him out for a month.[46] He made his return to the first team coming on as a late substitute in a 2–0 win overChelsea on 2 May 2012.[47] Obertan finished the 2011–12 season, making 23 appearances and scoring once.
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Ahead of the 2012–13 season, managerAlan Pardew expected Obertan to make an impact,[48] which Obertan hoping to reproduce his same form in the previous season.[49] Obertan scored his first goal of the 2012–13 season with a low drive against Belgian sideClub Brugge in the Europa League on 25 October.[50] However, Obertan failed to make an impact once again, due to unused substitute, absent from the squad[51] and was often sent tothe reserve. After making his return againstQPR,[52] Obertan provided an assist in each of Newcastle's first two games after Christmas, against Manchester United and Arsenal, though both finished in defeats.[53][54] Obertan later finished the season, making 14 appearances.
In the 2013–14 season saw Obertan's first team opportunities limited further and made his first appearance of the season on 25 September 2013, in a 2–0 win overLeeds United in the third round of League Cup, where he played for 30 minutes.[55] After the match, manager Pardew stated Obertan still has a future at the club[56] After his hopes of being loaned out to Ligue 1 sideEvian was never materialised,[57] Obertan suffered knocks, which soon kept him out for months.[58] Despite this, Obertan finished the season, making three appearances.
In the 2014–15 season, Obertan was among several players to be available for transfers and expected to leave, but stayed, as no suitors came forward to sign him over his wages.[59] In the pre-season, Obertan made an impressive display and scored in a 3–1 loss againstMálaga on 2 August 2014.[60] This prompted Pardew to respond, who praised Obertan's performance.[61] Obertan then made his first league appearance in almost a year, playing 27 minutes, in a 2–0 loss againstManchester City in the opening game of the season.[62] Obertan scored his first Newcastle United goal in two years, atSt James' Park, with a 1–0 win overLeicester City on 18 October 2014.[63] In a match againstLiverpool on 1 November 2014, Obertan sustained a thigh injury that kept him out between 3–4 months.[64] After returning to training in January,[65] Obertan made his return to the first team, playing 21 minutes, in a 1–1 draw againstStoke City on 8 February 2015.[66] Obertan later finished the 2014–15 season, making 13 appearances and scoring once.
In the 2015–16 season, Obertan expressed his desire to stay at the club under the new management ofSteve McClaren after the talks between the pair went well.[67] In the opening game of the season, Obertan provided an assist for newly signingGeorginio Wijnaldum to score, in a 2–2 draw againstSouthampton.[68] His last outing forNewcastle United was on 26 September 2015 in a 2–2 draw at home toChelsea, appearing as a 54th-minute substitute replacing the injuredJack Colback.[69] However, Obertan suffered a hamstring injury in training[70] and after undergoing a surgery, it was announced that Obertan would be sidelined for three months.[71] Up until late-March, Obertan remained on the sidelines and soon made his return to training.[72]
On 5 May 2016, Newcastle United announced that Obertan and team-mateSylvain Marveaux had been released.[73]
On 24 August 2016, he signed a two-year contract with the Russian sideAnzhi Makhachkala.[74] Reflecting to his move to Anzhi Makhachkala, Obertan revealed thatLassana Diarra, who used to play for Anzhi, helped him with a move to Russia and vowed to help the club to win trophies.[75][76]
Obertan made his Anzhi Makhackala debut, where he played 63 minutes before being substituted forLorenzo Ebecilio, in a 2–0 loss againstSpartak Moscow on 28 August 2016.[77] Three weeks later on 17 September 2016, Obertan scored his first Anzhi Makhackala goal, in a 1–0 away win overUral Yekaterinburg.[78] However, Obertan soon suffered an injury after sustaining a meniscus injury that kept him out for a month.[79] At the end of 2016, Anzhi was sold to a different owner who significantly reduced club's spending and Obertan was released from his contract by mutual consent.[80]
On 31 January 2017, Obertan returned to England, signing withWigan Athletic.[81] He scored his first goal for Wigan in a 3–2 win overRotherham United on 8 April 2017.[82] Following relegation toEFL League One, Obertan was one of four players released by the club.[83]
On 20 July 2017, Obertan signed a two-year contract with Bulgarian clubLevski Sofia and was given the number 32 shirt.[84] He made his debut on 30 July, coming on as a substitute in the 2–0 win overVitosha Bistritsa atGeorgi Asparuhov Stadium. He scored his first goal for Levski on 15 September in the 2–0 victory againstSeptemvri Sofia. Obertan finished the 2017–18 season, making 31 appearances and scoring four goals.
In July 2018, Obertan was announced as the 3rd captain.[85] He captained Levski for the first time in a 2–2 home draw againstCherno More Varna on 30 July 2018.[86] Obertan signed a new two-year contract in October 2018 to keep him at Levski until 2021.[87]
On 31 January 2019, Obertan was sold to TurkishSüper Lig sideErzurumspor. He signed for two and a half years.[88][89]
On 19 August 2021, Obertan signed with US sideCharlotte Independence who played in the second-tierUSL Championship in 2021.[90] After starting 2022 on trial with MLS expansion sideCharlotte FC, Obertan re-signed with the Independence for the remainder of the2022 season on 16 June 2022.[91]
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Obertan has been active withFrance on theyouth level. He has received caps with theunder-16s,under-17s,under-18s, and theunder-19s. With the under-16s, Obertan made 10 appearances scoring only one goal.[citation needed] The following season, he played with the under-17s making 12 appearances and scoring three goals.[citation needed] Obertan and the team failed to qualify for the2006 UEFA European Under-17 Football Championship, due to their second-place finish in theElite Round.[citation needed] With the under-18s, Obertan made nine total appearances, but failed to get on the scoresheet.[citation needed] He rarely played with the under-19 team making just two appearances and scoring his lone goal againstSweden in a 2–1 victory during the2008 UEFA European Under-19 Football Championship elite qualification round.[92]
Obertan earned his first cap with theunder-21 team on 11 February 2009 againstTunisia. On 31 March 2009, he scored his first under-21 goal against theEngland under-21s in afriendly at theCity Ground inNottingham.[93]
Obertan was born inParis.[94] He decided to become a footballer after watchingthe World Cupfinal, which sawFrance beatBrazil 3–0. While growing up, his father worked atIKEA and his mother worked for the organisation in Environmental Research.[95] Obertan is of Guadeloupean descent through his father.[96]
| 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 | ||
| Bordeaux | 2006–07 | Ligue 1 | 17 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 4[c] | 0 | 0 | 0 | 23 | 1 |
| 2007–08 | Ligue 1 | 26 | 2 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 7[d] | 0 | 0 | 0 | 37 | 3 | |
| 2008–09 | Ligue 1 | 11 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 5[c] | 0 | 1[e] | 0 | 19 | 2 | |
| Total | 54 | 3 | 5 | 0 | 3 | 3 | 16 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 79 | 6 | ||
| Lorient (loan) | 2008–09 | Ligue 1 | 15 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 0 | – | – | 17 | 2 | ||
| Manchester United | 2009–10 | Premier League | 7 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 3[c] | 0 | 0 | 0 | 13 | 0 |
| 2010–11 | Premier League | 7 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 3[c] | 1 | 0 | 0 | 15 | 1 | |
| Total | 14 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 5 | 0 | 6 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 28 | 1 | ||
| Newcastle United | 2011–12 | Premier League | 23 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | – | – | 25 | 1 | ||
| 2012–13 | Premier League | 14 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 8[d] | 1 | – | 24 | 1 | ||
| 2013–14 | Premier League | 3 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | – | 5 | 0 | ||
| 2014–15 | Premier League | 13 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | – | 16 | 1 | ||
| 2015–16 | Premier League | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | – | 6 | 0 | ||
| Total | 58 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 8 | 0 | 8 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 76 | 3 | ||
| Anzhi Makhachkala | 2016–17 | Russian Premier League | 8 | 1 | 0 | 0 | – | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 8 | 1 | |
| Wigan Athletic | 2016–17 | Championship | 12 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | – | – | 12 | 1 | ||
| Levski Sofia | 2017–18 | First League | 31 | 4 | 5 | 0 | – | 0 | 0 | – | 36 | 4 | ||
| 2018–19 | First League | 20 | 1 | 1 | 0 | – | 2[d] | 0 | – | 23 | 1 | |||
| Total | 51 | 5 | 6 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 59 | 5 | ||
| Erzurumspor | 2018–19 | Süper Lig | 10 | 1 | 0 | 0 | – | – | – | 10 | 1 | |||
| 2019–20 | Süper Lig | 13 | 1 | 1 | 0 | – | – | – | 14 | 1 | ||||
| Total | 23 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 24 | 2 | ||
| Charlotte Independence | 2021 | USL Championship | 15 | 5 | – | – | – | – | 15 | 5 | ||||
| 2022 | USL League One | 16 | 4 | – | – | – | – | 16 | 4 | |||||
| 2023 | USL League One | 28 | 4 | 1 | 0 | – | – | – | 29 | 4 | ||||
| Total | 59 | 13 | 1 | 0 | – | – | – | 60 | 13 | |||||
| Career total | 294 | 28 | 20 | 1 | 16 | 3 | 32 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 363 | 34 | ||
Bordeaux
