Elias Hoff Melkersen (born 31 December 2002) is a Norwegian professional footballer who plays for Strømsgodset as a forward.
| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | Elias Hoff Melkersen[1] | ||
| Date of birth | 31 December 2002 | ||
| Place of birth | Stjørdal, Norway | ||
| Height | 1.73 m (5 ft 8 in) | ||
| Position | Forward | ||
| Team information | |||
Current team | Strømsgodset | ||
| Number | 9 | ||
| Youth career | |||
| –2018 | Stjørdals-Blink | ||
| 2018–2020 | Bodø/Glimt | ||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
| 2018–2019 | Bodø/Glimt 2 | 14 | (5) |
| 2020–2021 | Bodø/Glimt | 0 | (0) |
| 2020 | → Hødd (loan) | 7 | (4) |
| 2021 | → Ranheim (loan) | 26 | (17) |
| 2022–2024 | Hibernian | 24 | (0) |
| 2023 | → Sparta Rotterdam (loan) | 2 | (0) |
| 2023 | → Strømsgodset (loan) | 12 | (4) |
| 2024– | Strømsgodset | 48 | (9) |
| International career | |||
| 2019 | Norway U17 | 6 | (2) |
| 2020 | Norway U18 | 3 | (0) |
| 2021–2022 | Norway U20 | 7 | (2) |
| 2023–2024 | Norway U21 | 5 | (0) |
| * Club domestic league appearances and goals as of 31 May 2026 | |||
Club career
editEarly career
editMelkersen played in his native Norway with Bodø/Glimt, Hødd and Ranheim.[1][2]
Hibernian
editMelkersen signed for Scottish club Hibernian in January 2022.[3][4][5] His transfer was delayed due to work permit issues.[6][7]
Melkersen and Norwegian compatriot Runar Hauge made their Hibernian debuts on 2 March 2022, both appearing as substitutes.[8][9][10] Following the match, and a later injury to Kevin Nisbet, Hibernian manager Shaun Maloney praised Melkersen's hard work and told him to 'step up' to first-team football.[11] On 13 March 2022, Melkersen scored a brace in his first start for Hibernian, both proving decisive in the club's 2–1 win in the Scottish Cup quarter-finals against Motherwell.[12][13]
Melkersen moved on loan to Dutch club Sparta Rotterdam in January 2023.[14] He returned to Hibs at the end of the 2022–23 season, and made a few appearances early in the 2023–24 season before moving on loan to Strømsgodset.[15]
Stromsgodset
editThe loan at Strømsgodset was successful, as Melkersen scored four goals and their manager Jørgen Isnes said he wished to sign the player permanently.[16] A deal was agreed in December 2023, with the Norwegian club paying £1.2 million for the transfer.[17][18] Melkersen signed a five-year contract with Strømsgodset.[19]
International career
editCareer statistics
edit| Club | Season | League | National Cup[a] | League Cup[b] | Other | Total | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Division | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | ||
| Bodø/Glimt 2 | 2018 | 4. divisjon | 1 | 1 | — | — | — | 1 | 1 | |||
| 2019 | 3. divisjon | 13 | 4 | — | — | — | 13 | 4 | ||||
| Total | 14 | 5 | — | — | — | 14 | 5 | |||||
| Bodø/Glimt | 2019 | Eliteserien | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | — | — | 1 | 0 | ||
| 2020 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | — | 0 | 0 | ||||
| Total | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | — | — | 1 | 0 | ||||
| Hødd (loan) | 2020 | 2. divisjon | 7 | 4 | 0 | 0 | — | — | 7 | 4 | ||
| Ranheim (loan) | 2021 | 1. divisjon | 26 | 17 | 3 | 2 | — | — | 29 | 19 | ||
| Hibernian | 2021–22[21] | Scottish Premiership | 10 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 12 | 2 |
| 2022–23[22] | Scottish Premiership | 13 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 17 | 1 | |
| 2023–24[23] | Scottish Premiership | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2[c] | 0 | 3 | 0 | |
| Total | 24 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 4 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 32 | 3 | ||
| Sparta Rotterdam (loan) | 2022–23 | Eredivisie | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | — | 2 | 0 | ||
| Strømsgodset (loan) | 2023 | Eliteserien | 12 | 4 | 0 | 0 | — | — | 12 | 4 | ||
| Strømsgodset | 2024 | 30 | 6 | 3 | 1 | — | — | 33 | 7 | |||
| 2025 | 8 | 0 | 2 | 1 | — | — | 10 | 1 | ||||
| 2026 | 1. divisjon | 10 | 3 | 0 | 0 | — | — | 10 | 3 | |||
| Total | 60 | 13 | 5 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 65 | 15 | ||
| Career total | 129 | 39 | 11 | 6 | 4 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 146 | 46 | ||
- ↑ Includes Norwegian Cup, Scottish Cup
- ↑ Includes Scottish League Cup
- ↑ Appearances in UEFA Europa Conference League
Honours
editIndividual
- Norwegian First Division Young Player of the Month: July 2021,[24] October 2021[25]
References
edit- 1 2 3 4 Elias Melkersen at Soccerway
- 1 2 3 Elias Melkersen at the Norwegian Football Federation (in Norwegian)
- 1 2 "Hibs sign Bodo/Glimt striker Melkersen". BBC Sport.
- ↑ Newport, Andrew (8 January 2022). "Elias Hoff Melkersen hailed as Hibs transfer coup despite call up concern". Daily Record.
- ↑ Banks, Ben (11 January 2022). "Elias Melkersen and Hibs' brave transfer call as mentor eyes Parkhead reunion". Daily Record.
- ↑ "Elias Melkersen forced to wait to make Hibs debut amid work permit woes". www.edinburghnews.scotsman.com. 14 January 2022.
- ↑ "Elias Melkersen gets Hibs green light as Norwegian striker's work permit is sorted". www.edinburghnews.scotsman.com. 25 January 2022.
- ↑ "Maloney hails Hauge and Melkersen as Hibs boss calls for more from his young team". www.edinburghnews.scotsman.com. 3 March 2022.
- ↑ "Elias Melkersen reflects on 'amazing' Hibs debut as he discusses adapting to Scottish football". www.edinburghnews.scotsman.com. 3 March 2022.
- ↑ Pilcher, Ross (3 March 2022). "Elias Melkersen admits Hibs debut 'goosebumps'". footballscotland.
- ↑ "Melkersen urged to step up for Hibs in Nisbet's absence a Maloney hails striker's hard work". www.edinburghnews.scotsman.com. 10 March 2022.
- ↑ "Elias Melkersen has dream first Hibs start as Bevis Mugabi's first-minute red card sets tone for dramatic Scottish Cup tie". www.scotsman.com. 13 March 2022.
- ↑ "Motherwell 1–2 Hibernian". bbc.co.uk. 13 March 2022. Retrieved 13 March 2022.
- ↑ Cassidy, Peter (16 January 2023). "Hibs forward Elias Melkersen joins Sparta Rotterdam on six-month loan". STV Sport. Retrieved 16 January 2023.
- ↑ "Elias Melkersen: Hibs forward joins Stromsgodset on loan". BBC Sport. 14 August 2023. Retrieved 15 August 2023.
- ↑ Bjerkeseth, Anders Wam (2 November 2023). "Senket Odd og Viking – nå vil Godset beholde spisstalentet". www.nrk.no (in Norwegian). NRK Oslo and Viken. Retrieved 17 November 2023.
- ↑ "Elias Melkersen: Hibernian sell striker to Stromsgodset for more than £1m". BBC Sport. 8 December 2023. Retrieved 9 December 2023.
- ↑ Greechan, John (8 December 2023). "Hibs turn huge profit on forward flop as youngster exits in £1 million-plus deal". Edinburgh Evening News. Retrieved 9 December 2023.
- ↑ "Signed long-term contract: Melkersen becomes SIF player!" (in Norwegian). Strømsgodset. 8 December 2023. Retrieved 9 December 2023.
- ↑ McPartlin, Patrick (16 June 2023). "International involvement for Hibs pair Elias Melkersen and Rocky Bushiri". Edinburgh Evening News. Retrieved 16 June 2023.
- ↑ "Games played by Elias Melkersen in 2021/2022". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 6 March 2022.
- ↑ "Games played by Elias Melkersen in 2022/2023". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 10 July 2022.
- ↑ "Games played by Elias Melkersen in 2023/2024". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 13 August 2023.
- ↑ "Månedenes kåringer" (in Norwegian). OBOS-ligaen. 9 August 2021. Retrieved 22 September 2025.
- ↑ "Månedens spiller, trener og unge spiller for oktober, presentert av OBOS!". Facebook (in Norwegian). OBOS-ligaen. 26 November 2021. Retrieved 22 September 2025.