 Van La Parra playing forWolverhampton Wanderers in 2015 | |||
| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | Rajiv Ramon van La Parra[1] | ||
| Date of birth | (1991-06-04)4 June 1991 (age 34)[2] | ||
| Place of birth | Rotterdam, Netherlands | ||
| Height | 1.81 m (5 ft 11 in)[2] | ||
| Position | Winger | ||
| Team information | |||
Current team | Beerschot | ||
| Number | 77 | ||
| Youth career | |||
| 1999–2008 | Feyenoord | ||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
| 2008–2011 | Caen B | 13 | (1) |
| 2008–2011 | Caen | 16 | (1) |
| 2011–2014 | SC Heerenveen | 82 | (14) |
| 2014–2016 | Wolverhampton Wanderers | 53 | (1) |
| 2015–2016 | →Brighton & Hove Albion (loan) | 6 | (2) |
| 2016 | →Huddersfield Town (loan) | 8 | (0) |
| 2016–2019 | Huddersfield Town | 85 | (5) |
| 2019 | →Middlesbrough (loan) | 3 | (0) |
| 2019–2020 | Red Star Belgrade | 4 | (0) |
| 2020–2021 | Logroñés | 3 | (0) |
| 2021 | Würzburger Kickers | 10 | (1) |
| 2021–2022 | Apollon Smyrnis | 18 | (0) |
| 2023–2024 | Almere City | 40 | (3) |
| 2025– | Beerschot | 12 | (0) |
| International career | |||
| 2005–2008 | Netherlands U17 | 17 | (0) |
| 2009–2010 | Netherlands U19 | 13 | (1) |
| 2012–2013 | Netherlands U21 | 6 | (0) |
| * Club domestic league appearances and goals as of 11 May 2025 | |||
Rajiv Ramon van La Parra (born 4 June 1991) is a Dutch professionalfootballer. Awinger, he can also play as astriker forBeerschot. At the international level, he has represented theNetherlands U21.
Van La Parra played his first senior games in France withCaen before returning to the Netherlands in 2011 for a three-season-long stay withSC Heerenveen. In June 2014, he moved to England to joinWolverhampton Wanderers, who loaned him toBrighton & Hove Albion andHuddersfield Town before he joined the latter in 2016.
Van La Parra is a product of theFeyenoord youth system, but made his senior debut instead forFrench Ligue 1 clubCaen on 8 November 2008, having agreed a four-year contract in June 2008.[3] He cited the potential to reach the highest level while playing in France as the reason for his transfer.[3]
The right winger made only two appearances for Caen's first team during his first season, and the club ended the campaign being relegated. Despite this relegation, Van La Parra would make only a further eight appearances as the team won promotion back to the top flight, but did register his first senior goal; againstGuingamp on 5 April 2009.[4] During these seasons, he instead gained playing time in Caen's second team that competed in theChampionnat de France amateur.[4]
In summer 2011, his contract was terminated and he returned to the Netherlands in search of a new club. After an unsuccessful trial atAZ Alkmaar,[5] he eventually signed a one-year contract with fellow Eredivisie sideSC Heerenveen on 30 August 2011.[6] After scoring six times during 26 appearances in his debut season, Heerenveen elected to take up an option in his contract for two further seasons.[7] Over these three seasons, Van La Parra made 94 appearances (including playing in theEuropa League), scoring 16 times.[8]
His contract from Heerenveen expired in the summer of 2014, and after rejecting a new contract,[9] on 10 June it was announced that he would move toEnglish Championship sideWolverhampton Wanderers, with whom he had signed a three-year contract.[10] He made his debut in the first match on 10 August 2014 againstNorwich City, and was namedman of the match. He scored his first goal for Wolves againstFulham in theFA Cup on 13 January 2015.[11] His first league goal came against future clubBrighton & Hove Albion in a 1–1 draw on 14 March 2015.[12]
On 26 November 2015, Van La Parra signed a loan deal with Brighton, lasting until 2 January 2016.[13]
On 11 March 2016, after some speculation, Van La Parra signed on loan for fellow Championship sideHuddersfield Town for the rest of the season, with the move becoming a permanent deal in the summer, on a three-year contract. He made his debut for the Terriers in the 4–1West Yorkshire derby win againstLeeds United atElland Road on 19 March, and scored his first goal in their 1–0 win over his former club Wolves at theKirklees Stadium on 27 August.[14]
On 31 August 2019, Van La Parra signed a three-year contract with Serbian clubRed Star Belgrade in a€1.2 million transfer from Huddersfield Town.[15]
On 16 November 2020,free agent van La Parra signed a one-year deal with SpanishSegunda División sideUD Logroñés.[16] He was released from his contract on 31 January 2021, having made four appearances for the side.[17]
Van La Parra joined2. Bundesliga clubWürzburger Kickers on a free transfer on 1 February 2021, a day after being released by Logroñes.[18]
Born in the Netherlands, Van La Parra is ofSurinamese descent.[19] He was named afterprime minister of India,Rajiv Gandhi, who wasassassinated two weeks before his birth.[20] He is the half-brother of footballersGeorginio Wijnaldum andGiliano Wijnaldum, the former of whom became a senior international for theNetherlands.[21] He is the cousin ofGiovanni Drenthe andRoyston Drenthe, who were capped bySuriname and the Netherlands respectively.[22]
| Club | Season | League | Cup | League Cup | Other | Total | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Division | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | ||
| Caen B | 2010–11 | CFA | 12 | 1 | — | — | — | 12 | 1 | |||
| 2011–12 | CFA | 1 | 0 | — | — | — | 1 | 0 | ||||
| Total | 13 | 1 | — | — | — | 13 | 1 | |||||
| Caen | 2008–09 | Ligue 1 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | 2 | 0 | |
| 2009–10 | Ligue 2 | 8 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | 8 | 1 | ||
| 2010–11 | Ligue 1 | 6 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | — | 7 | 0 | ||
| Total | 16 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | — | 17 | 1 | |||
| SC Heerenveen | 2011–12 | Eredivisie | 23 | 4 | 3 | 2 | — | 0 | 0 | 26 | 6 | |
| 2012–13 | Eredivisie | 29 | 5 | 1 | 0 | — | 6 | 0 | 36 | 5 | ||
| 2013–14 | Eredivisie | 30 | 5 | 3 | 0 | — | 2 | 0 | 35 | 5 | ||
| Total | 82 | 14 | 7 | 2 | — | 8 | 0 | 97 | 16 | |||
| Wolverhampton Wanderers | 2014–15 | Championship | 40 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 41 | 2 |
| 2015–16 | Championship | 13 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 16 | 0 | |
| Total | 53 | 1 | 3 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 57 | 2 | ||
| Brighton & Hove Albion (loan) | 2015–16 | Championship | 6 | 2 | 0 | 0 | — | 0 | 0 | 6 | 2 | |
| Huddersfield Town (loan) | 2015–16 | Championship | 8 | 0 | — | — | 0 | 0 | 8 | 0 | ||
| Huddersfield Town | 2016–17 | Championship | 43 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 46 | 2 |
| 2017–18 | Premier League | 33 | 3 | 4 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 38 | 4 | |
| 2018–19 | Premier League | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 5 | 0 | |
| 2019–20 | Championship | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 5 | 0 | |
| Total | 93 | 5 | 6 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 102 | 7 | ||
| Middlesbrough (loan) | 2018–19 | Championship | 3 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 6 | 0 |
| Red Star | 2019–20 | Serbian SuperLiga | 4 | 0 | 2 | 1 | — | 5[a] | 0 | 11 | 1 | |
| Logroñés | 2020–21 | Segunda División | 3 | 0 | 1 | 0 | — | — | 4 | 0 | ||
| Würzburger Kickers | 2020–21 | 2. Bundesliga | 10 | 1 | 0 | 0 | — | — | 10 | 1 | ||
| Apollon Smyrnis | 2021–22 | Super League Greece | 18 | 0 | 1 | 0 | — | — | 19 | 0 | ||
| Almere City | 2022–23 | Eerste Divisie | 8 | 1 | 0 | 0 | — | 6[b] | 2 | 14 | 3 | |
| 2023–24 | Eredivisie | 8 | 1 | 0 | 0 | — | — | 8 | 1 | |||
| Total | 16 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 6 | 2 | 22 | 4 | ||
| Career total | 317 | 27 | 21 | 6 | 4 | 0 | 19 | 2 | 362 | 35 | ||
Huddersfield Town
