On 5 January 2023, his loan move was made permanent.<ref>{{cite press release |publisher=[[Carrarese Calcio 1908]] |url=https://www.carraresecalcio.it/news/bozhanaj-azzurro-al-100 |title=Bozhanaj azzurro al 100% |date=5 January 2023 |language=it |access-date=17 January 2023}}</ref> 20 days later, he signed for [[Serie B]] club [[Modena F.C. 2018|Modena]], but returned on loan to Carrarese until the end of the season.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://modenacalcio.com/calciomercato-bozhanaj-e-del-modena/|title=CALCIOMERCATO: BOZHANAJ È DEL MODENA|trans-title=TRANSFER MARKET: BOZHANAJ IS OF MODENA|language=Italian|website=modenacalcio.com|date=25 January 2023|accessdate=25 January 2023}}</ref> In the mid-season, Bozhanaj established himself as a regular starter in [[Central midfield]], playing significant amount of minutes, and early in this period, he provided an assist and received four consecutive yellow cards, but then the squad went unbeaten in 13 matches, including eight victories, with Bozhanaj scoring three consecutive goals throughout the spring.<ref name=”WorldFootball.net 2022/23″/> Bozhanaj made a total of 33 appearances as Carrarese was ranked fourth in the table and qualified for the [[2022–23 Serie C#Group play-offs first round|group play-offs first round]].<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.soccerway.com/italy/serie-c-group-b-2022-2023/#/GWFgzBNr/standings/overall/ |title=Serie C – Group B 2022/23 standings |publisher=Soccerway |access-date=21 January 2026}}</ref> Bozhanaj featured for 71 minutes in the play-off match against [[AC Ancona|Ancona]], which ended in a 1–0 defeat, resulting in Carrarese’s elimination and their retention in Serie C.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.soccerway.com/match/ancona-pjq9BL0p/carrarese-hG4fg4z3/?mid=KfMqtqPE |title=Carrarese 0–1 Ancona live scores & match info |publisher=Soccerway |access-date=21 January 2026}}</ref>
On 5 January 2023, his loan move was made permanent.<ref>{{cite press release |publisher=[[Carrarese Calcio 1908]] |url=https://www.carraresecalcio.it/news/bozhanaj-azzurro-al-100 |title=Bozhanaj azzurro al 100% |date=5 January 2023 |language=it |access-date=17 January 2023}}</ref> 20 days later, he signed for [[Serie B]] club [[Modena F.C. 2018|Modena]], but returned on loan to Carrarese until the end of the season.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://modenacalcio.com/calciomercato-bozhanaj-e-del-modena/|title=CALCIOMERCATO: BOZHANAJ È DEL MODENA|trans-title=TRANSFER MARKET: BOZHANAJ IS OF MODENA|language=Italian|website=modenacalcio.com|date=25 January 2023|accessdate=25 January 2023}}</ref> In the mid-season, Bozhanaj established himself as a regular starter in [[Central midfield]], playing significant amount of minutes, and early in this period, he provided an assist and received four consecutive yellow cards, but then the squad went unbeaten in 13 matches, including eight victories, with Bozhanaj scoring three consecutive goals throughout the spring.<ref name=”WorldFootball.net 2022/23″/> Bozhanaj made a total of 33 appearances as Carrarese was ranked fourth in the table and qualified for the [[2022–23 Serie C#Group play-offs first round|group play-offs first round]].<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.soccerway.com/italy/serie-c-group-b-2022-2023/#/GWFgzBNr/standings/overall/ |title=Serie C – Group B 2022/23 standings |publisher=Soccerway |access-date=21 January 2026}}</ref> Bozhanaj featured for 71 minutes in the play-off match against [[AC Ancona|Ancona]], which ended in a 1–0 defeat, resulting in Carrarese’s elimination and their retention in Serie C.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.soccerway.com/match/ancona-pjq9BL0p/carrarese-hG4fg4z3/?mid=KfMqtqPE |title=Carrarese 0–1 Ancona live scores & match info |publisher=Soccerway |access-date=21 January 2026}}</ref>
Following his loan spell, Bozhanaj returned to Modena; however, at the start of the 2023–24 season he was sidelined by injury and missed the early matchday squads while completing post-injury physical recovery programmes, particularly during September.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.tifocosenza.it/2023/08/28/avversari-cosenza-sono-24-i-convocati-di-bianco/ |title=Avversari Cosenza: sono 24 i convocati di Bianco |publisher=TifoCosenza |language=it |date=28 August 2023 |access-date=21 January 2026}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=https://modenacalcio.com/ripresa/ |title=Allenamenti: Guiebre e Riccio nazionali |publisher=Modena FC |language=it |date=5 September 2023 |access-date=21 January 2026}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=https://modenacalcio.com/24-convocati/ |title=Sudtirol-Modena: i convocati di Bianco |publisher=Modena FC |language=it |date=25 September 2023 |access-date=21 January 2026}}</ref>
Following his loan spell, Bozhanaj returned to Modena; however, at the start of the 2023–24 season he was sidelined by injury and missed the early matchday squads while completing post-injury physical recovery programmes, particularly during September.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.tifocosenza.it/2023/08/28/avversari-cosenza-sono-24-i-convocati-di-bianco/ |title=Avversari Cosenza: sono 24 i convocati di Bianco |publisher=TifoCosenza |language=it |date=28 August 2023 |access-date=21 January 2026}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=https://modenacalcio.com/ripresa/ |title=Allenamenti: Guiebre e Riccio nazionali |publisher=Modena FC |language=it |date=5 September 2023 |access-date=21 January 2026}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=https://modenacalcio.com/24-convocati/ |title=Sudtirol-Modena: i convocati di Bianco |publisher=Modena FC |language=it |date=25 September 2023 |access-date=21 January 2026}}</ref>
On 14 July 2025, Bozhanaj returned to Carrarese on loan with an option to buy.<ref>{{cite web|publisher=[[Carrarese Calcio 1908]]|url=https://www.carraresecalcio1908.it/bentornato-kleis-bozhanaj/|title=Bentornato Kleis Bozhanaj|trans-title=Welcome back Kleis Bozhanaj|date=14 July 2025|access-date=14 July 2025|language=it}}</ref>
On 14 July 2025, Bozhanaj returned to Carrarese on loan with an option to buy.<ref>{{cite web|publisher=[[Carrarese Calcio 1908]]|url=https://www.carraresecalcio1908.it/bentornato-kleis-bozhanaj/|title=Bentornato Kleis Bozhanaj|trans-title=Welcome back Kleis Bozhanaj|date=14 July 2025|access-date=14 July 2025|language=it}}</ref>
Albanian footballer
Kleis Bozhanaj (Albanian pronunciation: [ˈklɛis bɔzaˈnaj]; born 1 March 2001) is an Albanian professional footballer who plays as a midfielder or forward for Italian Serie B club Reggiana on loan from Modena.
Born in Tirana, Bozhanaj began his youth football in 2011 with local side Ali Demi, before joining Dinamo Tirana in 2012, remaining until 2014, after which he moved to Partizani to stay until 2016, before later joining Internacional Tirana.[1]
In Summer 2017 Bozhanaj joined the youth academy of Italian Serie A side Empoli; he was initially registered with the club’s under-17 side.[2]
In the second-half of the 2019–20 season, Bozhanaj was sent on loan to the youth academy of Napoli, another Serie A club.[3]
On 31 August 2021 he signed for another Serie A side Spezia a 3 years deal; he was immediately sent on loan to Portuguese second division club Casa Pia.[4]
On 10 October 2021, Bozhanaj made his debut for Casa Pia appearing as a late substitute during the 2021–22 Liga Portugal 2 matchday 8 against Mafra, which ended in a 1–1 draw.[5] Six days later, Bozhanaj again appeared for Casa Pia in the 2021–22 Taça de Portugal against Valadares Gaia, which ended in a 3–1 win.[6] On 15 January 2022, Bozhanaj made his third and final appearance of the season for Casa Pia in a league match against Académico Viseu, which ended in a 1–0 defeat.[7]
On 13 July 2022, Bozhanaj moved on loan to Carrarese.[8] On 4 September 2022, Bozhanaj made his debut for Carrarese during the opening match of the 2022–23 Serie C away against Cesena, coming on as a substitute in the 60th minute and scoring the winning goal in the 80th minute of a 2–1 victory.[9] During the first half of the season, Bozhanaj was mainly used as a substitute, making only two starts. On 20 November 2022, Bozhanaj scored the only goal late in a 1–0 win against Olbia in round 14 of the 2022–23 Serie C, coming on as a substitute around the half-hour mark.[11]
On 5 January 2023, his loan move was made permanent.[12] 20 days later, he signed for Serie B club Modena, but returned on loan to Carrarese until the end of the season.[13] In the mid-season, Bozhanaj established himself as a regular starter in Central midfield, playing significant amount of minutes, and early in this period, he provided an assist and received four consecutive yellow cards, but then the squad went unbeaten in 13 matches, including eight victories, with Bozhanaj scoring three consecutive goals throughout the spring. Bozhanaj made a total of 33 appearances as Carrarese was ranked fourth in the table and qualified for the group play-offs first round.[14] Bozhanaj featured for 71 minutes in the play-off match against Ancona, which ended in a 1–0 defeat, resulting in Carrarese’s elimination and their retention in Serie C.[15]
Following his loan spell, Bozhanaj returned to Modena; however, at the start of the 2023–24 season he was sidelined by injury and missed the early matchday squads while completing post-injury physical recovery programmes, particularly during September.[16][17][18]
On 14 July 2025, Bozhanaj returned to Carrarese on loan with an option to buy.[19]
On 15 January 2026, he moved on a new loan to Reggiana, with an option to buy.[20]
International career
[edit]
![[icon]](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Wiki_letter_w_cropped.svg){kind=small} |
This section is empty. You can help by adding to it. (January 2026)
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- As of match played 20 January 2026[21]
| Club | Season | League | National cup | League cup | Continental | Other | Total | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Division | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | ||
| Casa Pia | 2021–22 | Liga Portugal 2 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 0 | — | — | — | 3 | 0 | |||
| Carrarese | 2022–23 | Serie C | 33 | 4 | 1 | 0 | — | — | 1 | 0 | 35 | 4 | ||
| 2025–26 | Serie B | 12 | 0 | 1 | 0 | — | — | — | 13 | 0 | ||||
| Total | 45 | 4 | 2 | 0 | — | — | 1 | 0 | 48 | 4 | ||||
| Modena | 2023–24 | Serie B | 21 | 3 | — | — | — | — | 21 | 3 | ||||
| 2024–25 | Serie B | 27 | 2 | 1 | 0 | — | — | — | 28 | 2 | ||||
| Total | 48 | 5 | 1 | 0 | — | — | — | 49 | 5 | |||||
| Reggiana | 2025–26 | Serie B | 1 | 0 | — | — | — | — | 1 | 0 | ||||
| Career total | 96 | 9 | 4 | 0 | — | — | 1 | 0 | 101 | 9 | ||||
