Caleb Okoli

Last updated

Caleb Okoli
Personal information
Full name Memeh Caleb Okoli [1]
Date of birth (2001-07-13) 13 July 2001 (age 24) [2]
Place of birth Vicenza, Italy
Height 1.91 m (6 ft 3 in) [2]
Position(s) Centre-back
Team information
Current team
Leicester City
Number 5
Youth career
2015–2016 Vicenza
2016–2020 Atalanta
Senior career*
YearsTeamApps(Gls)
2020–2024 Atalanta 17 (0)
2020–2021SPAL (loan) 16 (1)
2021–2022Cremonese (loan) 27 (0)
2023–2024Frosinone (loan) 34 (0)
2024– Leicester City 20 (1)
International career
2019–2020 Italy U19 10 (0)
2021 Italy U20 1 (0)
2021–2023 Italy U21 14 (1)
* Club domestic league appearances and goals as of 23:35, 10 August 2025 (UTC)

Memeh Caleb Okoli (born 13 July 2001) is an Italian professional footballer who plays as a centre-back for EFL Championship club Leicester City.

Contents

Club career

Atalanta

Okoli started his career with the youth academy of Vicenza, and then he joined the youth teams of Atalanta in the summer of 2015, where he started playing for their under-19 squad in the 2018–19 season. [3] Okoli was occasionally called up to Atalanta's senior team in that season and the next, but never appeared on the field. He also represented the club in the UEFA Youth League.

Loan to SPAL

On 25 September 2020, Okoli joined Serie B club SPAL on loan. [4]

He made his Serie B debut for SPAL on 21 November 2020 in a game against Pescara. Okoli started and played the full game in a 2–0 victory. [5]

He grabbed his first ever career goal on 10 April 2021 in a Serie B game, which was in a 2–1 away win against Leece, where he scored the winner in the 54th minute. [6]

Loan to Cremonese

On 12 July 2021, Okoli joined Serie B club Cremonese on a season-long loan. [7]

Return to Atalanta

He returned to Atalanta in July 2022, after his loan ended, and was integrated into Atalanta's first team for the following season. Okoli made his Serie A debut with Atalanta on 13 August 2022 in a 2–0 victory over Sampdoria. [8]

Loan to Frosinone

On 1 September 2023, he moved to newly promoted Serie A club Frosinone on a season-long loan. [9]

Leicester City

On 9 July 2024, Okoli signed for newly promoted English Premier League club Leicester City on a five-year deal. [10] He made his competitive debut for the club on 1 September 2024 in a 2–1 home defeat to Aston Villa. [11] He then grabbed his first-ever Premier League goal on 12 April 2025 in a 2–2 away draw to Brighton. [12]

International career

Born in Italy to parents of Nigerian origin, Okoli is Igbo and Yoruba by descent. [13] He was first called up to represent Italy in 2019 with the Italy U19 side. [14]

Okoli made his debut with the Italy U21 team on 7 September 2021, playing as a starter in the qualifying match 1–0 win against Montenegro. [15] He was called up to the senior Italy squad for 2024–25 UEFA Nations League matches against France and Israel on 6 and 9 September 2024, respectively. [16]

Career statistics

As of match played 10 August 2025 [17]
Appearances and goals by club, season and competition
ClubSeasonLeagueNational cup [a] League cupEuropeTotal
DivisionAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoals
Atalanta 2020–21 Serie A 00000000
2021–22 Serie A00000000
2022–23 Serie A17000170
2023–24 Serie A00000000
Total1700000170
SPAL (loan) 2020–21 Serie B 16130191
Total16130191
Cremonese (loan) 2021–22 Serie B27010280
Total27010280
Frosinone (loan) 2023–24 Serie A34030370
Total34030370
Leicester City 2024–25 Premier League 191103 [b] 0231
2025–26 Championship 10000010
Total2011030241
Career total11428030001252
Notes
  1. Includes Coppa Italia, FA Cup
  2. Appearances in EFL Cup

References

  1. "2024/25 Premier League squad lists". Premier League. 13 September 2024. Retrieved 13 September 2024.
  2. 1 2 "Caleb Okoli: Overview". Premier League. Retrieved 13 September 2024.
  3. Caleb Okoli at TuttoCalciatori.net (in Italian)
  4. "OKOLI DALL'ATALANTA E RANIERI DALLA FIORENTINA IN PRESTITO ALLA SPAL" [Okoli from Atalanta and Ranieri from Fiorentina on loan at SPAL] (in Italian). SPAL. 25 September 2020. Archived from the original on 25 September 2020. Retrieved 25 November 2020.
  5. "SPAL v Pescara game report". Soccerway. 21 November 2020.
  6. "SPAL 2–1 Lecce (10 Apr, 2021) Final Score – ESPN (UK)". ESPN. Retrieved 12 April 2025.
  7. "OKOLI NUOVO CALCIATORE GRIGIOROSSO" (in Italian). Cremonese. 12 July 2021. Archived from the original on 19 October 2021. Retrieved 12 July 2021.
  8. "Okoli festeggia il debutto in A con l'Atalanta: "La prima non si scorda"". alfredopedulla.com (in Italian). 14 August 2022. Retrieved 2 September 2022.
  9. "Caleb Okoli joins Frosinone". Atalanta BC. 1 September 2023. Retrieved 1 September 2023.
  10. "Defender Caleb Okoli Signs From Atalanta". lcfc.com. 9 July 2024. Retrieved 9 July 2024.
  11. Stevens, Sam (9 January 2024). "Okoli: We're On The Right Way". lcfc.com. Retrieved 5 January 2025.
  12. Aarons, Ed (12 April 2025). "Caleb Okoli pegs Brighton back as Leicester end miserable run of defeats". The Observer. ISSN   0029-7712 . Retrieved 12 April 2025.
  13. "Atalanta's Okoli Could Spark International Tug-Of-War Between Nigeria And Italy:: All Nigeria Soccer – The Complete Nigerian Football Portal". allnigeriasoccer.com.
  14. "Okoli Italy U19 profile" (in Italian). Italian Football Federation. Retrieved 25 November 2020.
  15. "Italy 1–0 Montenegro". UEFA. 7 September 2021. Retrieved 7 September 2021.
  16. "Okoli In Line For Italy Debut In Upcoming Internationals". lcfc.com. 4 September 2024. Retrieved 9 September 2024.
  17. Caleb Okoli at Soccerway