“Ki-Jana has already had a rich football journey at the age of 24, playing regularly in France’s Ligue 1 and the English Championship. He also came through the academies of Ajax and Liverpool, environments where players learn from a young age to want to win,” says Tomáš Rosický.
“On the right side, he brings us pace, strength, technical quality and the courage to play forward. At the same time, his previous experience means he is used to a physical style of play and is not afraid of duels. We believe he will show his great potential here and help the team win,” Sparta’s sporting director adds.
Hoever was born on January 18, 2002, in Amsterdam to parents of Surinamese descent. His father, who was a former american football player, named his son after running back and NFL Draft first overall pick Ki-Jana Carter. His son, however, chose to chase a round ball, beginning his football journey in the Ajax academy. In August 2018, Hoever had several offers from top English clubs, eventually choosing Liverpool.
Five months later, just eleven days before his 17th birthday, Hoever was already sitting on the bench for Liverpool’s first team in an FA Cup match against Wolverhampton. When Dejan Lovren got injured, manager Jürgen Klopp turned to Hoever, making the Dutch youngster the third-youngest player at the time to appear in a competitive match for Liverpool. Six months later, he signed his first professional contract.
The following season, he even found the net, with MK Dons suffering from his goal in the third round of the EFL Cup. The youth international, who won the European Under-17 Championship with the Netherlands in 2019, eventually impressed enough for Wolverhampton to sign him at the beginning of the 2020/21 season for almost €10 million. Incidentally, the transfer took place at roughly the same time that Diogo Jota moved in the opposite direction.
At the end of his second season with Wolves, Ki-Jana was still only a 20-year-old talent but had already made 20 Premier League appearances. The club’s management nevertheless believed he needed further experience on loan. Hoever therefore first returned to the Netherlands, where he spent half a season with PSV. He subsequently established himself in the starting line-up at Stoke City, where he played in the Championship until the summer of 2024.
He spent the 2024/25 season on loan in France’s top flight, with Auxerre finishing 11th. He then returned to the Midlands to fight for a place in the Premier League squad under manager Vítor Pereira. He even shared the Wolves defence with our former captain Ladislav Krejčí. However, Wolves found themselves in the relegation zone from the start of the season, and Hoever was subsequently sent out on loan to Sheffield United. Now he becomes our player.
Welcome, Ki-Jana!
