Early career Born in Athens to Albanian parents from
Vermosh, Mitaj began playing football at a young age before joining the
youth academy of
AEK Athens in 2017, after being scouted while playing for local academies in Albania. Having moved to Greece at a young age, he quickly adapted to AEK’s system and was regarded as one of the most promising defenders in the club’s youth setup. Known for his tactical intelligence, composure on the ball, and versatility, he was regularly deployed both as a left-back and as a central defender in the
Super League Greece U-19 championship. During the 2018–19 and 2019–20 seasons, Mitaj became a standout performer for AEK’s under-17 and under-19 teams, contributing to the club’s strong showings in domestic youth competitions and attracting attention from the senior team staff. His maturity on and off the pitch led AEK to promote him to first-team training sessions in the summer of 2020.
AEK Athens On 12 August 2020, Mitaj signed his first professional contract with
AEK Athens and officially became part of the senior squad. Just two months later, on 18 October 2020, he made his first
Super League Greece appearance in a 1–1 draw against
PAOK, becoming the youngest foreign player in AEK’s history to feature in an official match, at only 17 years, 2 months, and 13 days old. His debut came in a high-profile away fixture in Thessaloniki, where he delivered a composed and promising performance despite his young age, drawing positive notes from sports media. Following his debut season, on 2 February 2021, AEK rewarded him with a new contract running until the summer of 2023, reflecting the club’s confidence in his potential. Under managers
Massimo Carrera and later
Vladan Milojević, Mitaj gradually earned more first-team minutes, often used as a deputy for experienced left-back
Ehsan Hajsafi. Known for his composure, intelligent positioning, and ability to advance play from the back, he established himself as one of the most technically refined young defenders in the Greek league. On 10 August 2021, the Albanian left-back extended his contract until 2026, securing his long-term future with the club. During the 2020–21 season, he featured in 13 matches across all competitions, including the
Super League Greece and the
UEFA Europa Conference League qualifiers, earning recognition from Greek sports media as one of the most promising young defenders in the competition. During the 2021–22 campaign, besides making three further appearances with the first team, Mitaj was also registered with
AEK Athens B, the club’s reserve side newly established that season and competing in the
Super League Greece 2. He became a regular starter for AEK B, making around 20 league appearances throughout the season and gaining valuable experience at the senior professional level. His performances with the B team were noted for consistency and maturity, reinforcing his reputation as one of AEK’s most promising academy graduates. Throughout his time at AEK, Mitaj has been recognized for his composure, tactical discipline, and leadership qualities uncommon for a player of his age, which have also earned him regular call-ups to the
Albania national senior team. His technical ability, confidence under pressure, and maturity made him a key prospect for both AEK and the Albania national team, with several European clubs reportedly monitoring his development. He was also regarded as one of the brightest products of the club’s academy, alongside Konstantinos Galanopoulos. Greek media often described him as a modern full-back with strong tactical awareness and confidence on the ball. His performances reportedly attracted interest from Italian clubs such as
Udinese and
Torino, though AEK opted to keep him as part of their long-term project. In total, Mitaj made 16 official appearances for AEK Athens’ first team and played 20 matches for AEK Athens B in the Super League 2 before leaving the club in 2022.
Lokomotiv Moscow On 27 August 2022, Mitaj signed a five-year contract with
Russian Premier League club
Lokomotiv Moscow. The transfer fee was reported to be €3 million, with AEK Athens retaining a sell-on percentage for any future transfer. Mitaj made his debut for Lokomotiv on 31 August 2022 in a
Russian Cup match against
Pari Nizhny Novgorod, suffering a 2–0 away loss. Four days later, on 4 September 2022, he made his League debut against
Akhmat Grozny in a 2–1 defeat. By the end of the season, Mitaj had made 14 league appearances, accumulating a total of 774 minutes on the pitch, with the club finishing 8th in the league table. During the
2023–24 Russian Premier League season, Mitaj established himself as a regular starter under head coach
Mikhail Galaktionov, primarily operating as a left-back in both four-man and three-man defensive systems. His consistent performances earned him praise from Russian sports media for his tactical discipline and crossing ability. By the end of the 2023–24 campaign, Mitaj had featured in over 25 league matches and contributed several assists, helping Lokomotiv finish in the 4th place in league ranking At the start of the 2024–25 season, Mitaj remained part of the Lokomotiv squad and appeared in four league and cup matches during July and August 2024, recording one assist in a 4–0 Russian Cup victory over
Khimki. Shortly afterward, he moved abroad for the first time in his career.
Al-Ittihad On 3 September 2024, Mitaj was loaned to
Saudi Pro League club
Al-Ittihad for one year, with an option to buy. The fee was reported to be around €1.2 million. During his loan spell, he quickly established himself as a regular starter for the Saudi side, making 18 league appearances and scoring once. Having missed match action since 1 February due to injury, Mitaj returned to the starting lineup against
Al-Riyadh under coach
Laurent Blanc. Mitaj played a key role in Al-Ittihad’s title-winning campaign, helping the club secure the 2024–25
Saudi Pro League championship in his debut season. He featured prominently in the King’s Cup, including playing 105 minutes in the quarter-final win over
Al-Hilal decided by penalties, and starting in the final, where Al-Ittihad defeated Al-Qadisiya 3–1 to lift the trophy. He also registered an assist in a 2–0 league victory over Al-Fateh in November 2024, which temporarily placed Al-Ittihad at the top of the standings. On 31 January 2025, Al-Ittihad exercised their option and purchased Mitaj for a reported fee of €4 million. In the 2025–26 season, Mitaj has appeared as a starter in two league matches so far, keeping one clean sheet and receiving a yellow card. Across all competitions, he has played three full matches in domestic Saudi competitions, without scoring or assisting. On 19 August 2025, Mitaj featured in the
2025 Saudi Super Cup semi-final against
Al-Nassr, starting the match against five-time Ballon d'Or winner
Cristiano Ronaldo as Al-Ittihad were eliminated following a 2–1 defeat. He made his
AFC Champions League debut on 15 September 2025 in the group stage against
Al-Wahda of the United Arab Emirates, playing the full 90 minutes in a 1–1 draw. ==International career==