Reda Khadra

Reda Khadra (born 4 July 2001) is a German professional footballer who plays as a attacking midfielder or winger for club Reims.

A youth product of Borussia Dortmund, Khadra moved to Brighton & Hove Albion in 2020 and made his Premier League debut in 2021. He was loaned to three Championship clubs: Blackburn Rovers for the 2021–22 season, followed by Sheffield United and Birmingham City in the 2022–23 season before signing for Ligue 1 side Reims in summer of 2023.

Khadra has represented Germany internationally at youth level since 2018.

Early life
Originally from Tyre, Lebanon, Khadra's parents fled the country due to the ongoing civil war and settled in Berlin, Germany. Khadra's two older sisters were born in Lebanon, while he and his brother were born in Berlin.

Borussia Dortmund
Khadra played youth football for CFC Hertha 06 and TeBe Berlin, before joining Borussia Dortmund's youth sector in 2016. In 2017–18 Khadra played 11 games for the under-17 team, helping them win the Under 17 Bundesliga. In 2018–19 he was promoted to the under-19 team, playing 20 games in the Under 19 Bundesliga, and helping his team win the league title. Khadra also participated in the 2018–19 UEFA Youth League, playing six games. On 9 June 2019, Khadra played for the senior team in a friendly game against Energie Cottbus, scoring the first goal in a 5–0 win.

During the 2019–20 season, he contributed to nine goals in 25 games for the under-19 team, and made an appearance for the reserve team in the Regionalliga West, in a 2–0 away defeat to Rödinghausen on 7 March 2020. Khadra played six games in the 2019–20 UEFA Youth League. Between 2016 and 2020, Khadra played 69 youth team matches for Borussia Dortmund, scoring two goals and providing 11 assists. He was released in June 2020.

Brighton & Hove Albion
On 1 October 2020, Khadra moved to Premier League club Brighton & Hove Albion, joining their Under-23 team. He made his debut for the U23s on 3 October 2020, scoring the match opener in a 3–2 away win against West Ham United. On 13 January 2021, Khadra made his Premier League debut, coming on in the 86th minute in a 1–0 away defeat to Manchester City. He picked up an injury in early February, and was ruled out for the rest of the season. Khadra signed a new contract on 13 April, until June 2023.

Loan to Blackburn Rovers
On 31 August 2021, Khadra joined EFL Championship club Blackburn Rovers on a season-long loan deal. He made his debut on 14 September, coming on as a 54th-minute substitute for John Buckley in the 2–0 home victory over Hull City. Khadra scored the first senior goal of his career on 6 November, the equaliser in a 3–1 home win over Sheffield United. He scored his second goal for Rovers three weeks later in a 1–0 away win over Stoke City. Khadra scored on his FA Cup debut on 8 January 2022, putting his side 1–0 up in an eventual 3–2 third round loss to local rivals Wigan Athletic.

He had played 27 league games for Rovers, before being ruled out for the rest of a season due to a calf injury he picked up against Reading on 19 March.

Loans to Sheffield United and Birmingham City
On 26 July 2022, Khadra joined fellow Championship club Sheffield United on loan for the 2022–23 season. He scored his only goal for United on 13 September, helping his side win 1–0 against Swansea City. However, because Sheffield United's formation of choice did not include wingers, Khadra was used out of position and infrequently, and by the January transfer window, he had requested and been granted an early termination of his loan. Shortly afterwards, a transfer embargo was imposed on the club, whose manager Paul Heckingbottom said later that had he known he would be unable to sign a replacement, he might well have refused to release Khadra.

Khadra returned to Brighton, signed a contract extension until June 2024, and joined another Championship club, Birmingham City, on 10 January 2023 on loan for the rest of the season. He marked his debut with a goal away to Bristol City four days later, in a 4–2 defeat. Away to Swansea City in February, he was fouled for a penalty, converted by Scott Hogan, but Birmingham went 3–2 down, only to come back to win 4–3. Khadra injured a hamstring during the game, and was out for a month. In what remained of the season, he scored twice, in a 2–0 win against fellow relegation candidate Rotherham United and the only goal against Blackburn Rovers, his former loan club, and set up the goal for Lukas Jutkiewicz at Millwall that confirmed Birmingham's Championship status for the 2023–24 season.

Reims
On 21 July 2023, Khedra signed for Ligue 1 side Reims for undisclosed terms.

International career
Born in Germany, Khadra is also eligible to represent Lebanon internationally through his parents, who are from Tyre. He stated his preference to play for the Germany national team.

Khadra represented Germany internationally at under-18 level three times between 2018 and 2019, in a friendly against Cyprus and two friendlies against France. He was called-up to the under-21 squad for the first time in March 2022. However, due to an injury, Khadra withdrew from the camp. He eventually made his under-21 debut on 23 September 2022, in a 1–0 friendly defeat to France.

Style of play
Mainly a right winger, Khadra is a versatile player also capable of playing on the left or as an attacking midfielder. His main characteristics are his pace, dribbling and finishing.

Honours
Borussia Dortmund
 * Under 19 Bundesliga: 2018–19
 * Under 17 Bundesliga: 2017–18
 * Under 17 Bundesliga West: 2017–18