Footballer (born 1994)
Seny Timothy Dieng (born 23 November 1994) is a professional footballer who plays as a goalkeeper for EFL Championship club Middlesbrough. Born in Switzerland, Dieng represents the Senegal national team.
Club career
Early career
In July 2011, Dieng signed for Grasshoppers from Red Star Zurich.[3]
In November 2012, Dieng made his debut in adult football at the age of 17, for FC Grenchen whilst on loan from Grasshoppers.[4] He signed his first professional contract with Grasshoppers on 1 August 2014.[5]
In 5 August 2014, Dieng was named on the bench in a 3rd qualifying round Champions League match against Lille.[6]
On 2 February 2016, aged 21, Dieng signed for MSV Duisburg on a free transfer but relegation to 3. Liga meant he was released months later without having made any appearances.[4]
Dieng left for a career in England where he went on trial with AFC Fylde, Rochdale and Barnsley.[7]
Queens Park Rangers
On 26 August 2016, Dieng signed for Queens Park Rangers on a free transfer until 2018.[4]
On 3 July 2019, Dieng signed a new two-year deal with QPR, keeping him at the club until 2021.[8]
Loan spells
On 2 December 2017, while playing for Whitehawk (in National League South) on loan, Dieng scored a goal in the 91st minute of a game against Chippenham Town.[9] Going up into the Chippenham box for a late corner, he headed in from 8 yards.[10]
Dieng spent the first half of the 2018–19 season, on loan at Stevenage,[11] making his debut on 14 August 2018 in an EFL Cup match against Norwich City.[12]
On 10 January 2019, Dieng joined Dundee on a loan deal for the remainder of the 2018–19 season.[13]
On 26 July 2019, having still not made a senior appearance for QPR, Dieng went out on loan again, this time joining League One side Doncaster Rovers until 4 January 2020.[14] Dieng made his Rovers debut in an EFL Cup match against Grimsby Town on 13 August 2019. This loan was extended to the end of the season on 3 January 2020.
[15]
Return to QPR
On 20 September 2020, Dieng signed a new four-year deal with QPR, keeping him at the club until 2024.[16]
Dieng made his first league start for Queens Park Rangers on 26 September 2020, in a 1–1 draw at home to Middlesbrough. [17] Dieng was named QPR's Player of the Month on two occasions during the season, in November[18] and January.[19] On 17 April 2021, Dieng received a red card on the 58th minute after a late challenge on Duncan Watmore in a 2–1 away win at Middlesbrough.[20] Throughout the 2020–21 season, Dieng made 42 appearances and kept 11 clean sheets in his first full season for QPR.[21] At the end of the season, Dieng was named Players' Player of the Year alongside Rob Dickie.[22]
Dieng was handed the No.1 jersey for the 2021–22 campaign.[23]
On 13 August 2022 he scored his first goal for the club with a last minute header to equalise away to Sunderland.[24]
Middlesbrough
On July 8 2023, Dieng completed a transfer for Middlesbrough for a reported transfer fee of £2 million, signing a four year contract.[25]
International career
In May 2014, Dieng received his first call-up for Senegal for their friendly against Colombia, remaining on the bench for the 2–2 draw.[26]
Dieng was again called up to the Senegal team in March 2021[27] and made his debut on 30 March in a 1–1 draw with Eswatini as Senegal qualified top of 2021 Africa Cup of Nations qualification Group I .[28] Dieng was subsequently named in the Senegal squad for the 2021 Africa Cup of Nations[29] and following a positive test for COVID-19 from first-choice goalkeeper Edouard Mendy, Dieng started in Senegal's two opening matches. He kept a clean sheet in each of those appearances, actions proving to be vital given Senegal only managed 1 goal throughout the entirety of the group stages before going on to win the tournament, beating Egypt on penalties.
Dieng was non-playing member of Senegal's squad for the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar.[30]
In December 2023, he was named in Senegal's squad for the postponed 2023 Africa Cup of Nations held in the Ivory Coast.[31]
Personal life
Dieng was born and raised in Zürich to a Senegalese father and a Swiss mother. Parallel to his football education at Red Star and Grasshopper Club, he completed his school education at the Sport Academy Zurich.[32]
He was appointed a Grand Officer of the National Order of the Lion by President of Senegal Macky Sall following the nation's victory at the 2021 Africa Cup of Nations.[33]
