Valon Berisha (born 7 February 1993) is a Kosovan professional footballer who plays as a midfielder for A-League club Melbourne City, on loan from Ligue 1 club Reims, and the Kosovo national team. He previously represented Norway at youth and full international level. Club career Early years Berisha was born in Malmö, Sweden, to Kosovan immigrants from Podujevo, but grew up in Norway, living in Egersund, a town south of Stavanger. He spent his early years at local club Egersunds IK. Berisha spent three trial periods with Premier League side Chelsea between the ages of 14 and 15, whilst also spending time with Manchester City and Aston Villa. The latter two clubs offered him a contract, both of which he turned down in favour of staying in Norway. On 20 June 2008, at the age of just 15 years, Berisha made his senior debut for EIK against Staal Jørpeland IL in the Norwegian Third Division. Viking Berisha signed for Viking FK in March 2009. He made his Tippeligaen debut against Brann on 21 March 2010, coming on for Vidar Nisja in the 85th minute. He started twelve league appearances that season, four in the starting line-up and all on the left wing. It was from the left that he scored his first professional goal on 31 October in a 1–1 draw against Lillestrøm. The goal, which showcased a 20-yard in-field dribble and shot 25 yards from goal, was nominated for Tippeligaen 2010 Goal of the Season. Berisha kept his place in the side for the season ender against Kongsvinger, where his man of the match performance inspired Viking to a 3–1 come back. Before Tippeligaen 2011, Viking manager Åge Hareide talked up Berisha as one of the best players he had coached, and in May, he won the Statoil Talent Prize, an award handed to outstanding young Norwegian footballers each month. Each winner is given the opportunity to donate a scholarship of 50,000 Norwegian kroner to the club he or she thought had the most importance to their development; Berisha chose to give the money to his first club, Egersunds IK. As with 2010, one of his season's highlights was a goal scored from an almost replicate 25-yard shot against Lillestrøm on 3 July 2011. Throughout that year, Berisha duly became a guaranteed starter for Viking, playing 88% of possible playing time. Despite continuing to play on the left wing