Shefki Kuqi Bio Send To Friend  

Fulham made the move to sign Kuqi on loan from Crystal Palace after star striker Brian McBride was ruled out until Christmas with a dislocated kneecap.

Kuqi first earned a move to the Premiership in the summer of 2005 following the expiry of his contract at Ipswich Town.

The Finland international had enjoyed a superb season in the Championship, but Ipswich's failure to earn promotion meant a mass exodus from Portman Road.

The striker signed a three-year contract with Blackburn Rovers.

A sometimes erratic player but also effective, Kuqi is well known for his flying goal celebration.

Kuqi was born in the Balkans, but his family fled to Finland due to the troubled in the area. He made his name with HJK Helsinki and FC Jokerit before being signed by Stockport County for £300,000 in January 2001. At the time he was the Finnish Player of the Year.

He made his debut in a 1-1 draw at home to Tranmere Rovers and struggled to settle in at first, having to wait until his ninth appearance to get off the mark. His first goal was the consolation in a 2-1 defeat at Portsmouth.

He improved as the season wore on, netting a total of six goals before the end of 2000/01.

Kuqi started the 2001/02 season well, and a move to the Premiership looked to be on the cards when Blackburn made their first move but the two clubs could not agree a fee.

But he did move in January when Sheffield Wednesday paid a fee worth up to £1million, based largely on clauses, to take him to Hillsborough.

He enjoyed a fine start to his Owls career, scoring five goals in his first eight games. But he then didn't score again until the final day of the season.

The 2002/03 season was a battle for the Owls. He scored only eight goals as the club were relegated, with the Finn taking a share of the blame for a succession of bad misses.

Down in the Second Division, Kuqi found life much easier and his scored five goals in the first five league games. Then, after two indifferent team displays, Chris Turner promised a revolution and within days Kuqi had been loaned to Ipswich.

The player scored 19 goals in 68 games for the South Yorkshire club.

His bow came in a 2-1 victory at Watford, scoring the leveller before the Tractor Boys went on to claim all three points.

After scoring four goals in ten starts the move was made permanent as the Owls allowed him to move on a free, with £150,000 to be paid should Ipswich reach the Premiership.

Although Kuqi would frustrate at times he still bagged 12 Championship goals for Ipswich in 2003/04.

And in 2004/05 he enjoyed his finest season, scoring 20 goals plus another brace for Finland in a World Cup qualifier at home to Armenia.

But as Ipswich lost in the Championship play-offs for the second successive season, Kuqi decided to take up the offer of a three-year deal with Blackburn as they got their man at the second time of asking.

Kuqi scored 32 goals in 88 games for Ipswich.

After failing to hold down a first-team place at Rovers, he joined Crystal Palace for a reported £2.5 million transfer fee at the end of the August transfer window in 2006.

Kuqi had a fairly poor first season at Selhurst Park, only scoring seven goals in thirty-eight starts, and at the end of August 2007, he signed for Fulham on a four-month loan deal.