Diamond Edwards

Diamond Edwards

Personal information
Full name	Milan Diamond Lazane Edwards [1]
Date of birth	(2003-09-18) 18 September 2003 (age 21) [2]
Place of birth	Reading, England
Height	1.75 m (5 ft 9 in) [3]
Position(s)	Midfielder
Team information
Current team	Port Vale
Number	25
Youth career
2016–2019	Reading
2019–2022	Southampton
Senior career*
Years	Team	Apps	(Gls)
2022–2024	Southampton	0	(0)
2024–	Port Vale	0	(0)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 20:16, 20 August 2024(BST)

Milan Diamond Lazane Edwards (born 18 September 2003) is an English professional footballer who plays as a midfielder for EFL League Two club Port Vale. He previously played for Southampton.

Career

Southampton

Edwards joined Southampton from Reading in 2019. He signed his first professional contract in December 2020. ^[4] He was a part of the Under-18s Premier League South title-winning team of the 2021–22 season. ^[5] Manager Ralph Hasenhüttl brought him along to train with the first-team in Austria in July 2022. ^[6]

On 23 August 2022, Edwards made his first professional appearance in a 0–3 victory against Cambridge United in the EFL Cup, replacing Ibrahima Diallo in the 90th minute. ^[7] On 16 September, Edwards was forced off due to injury against Leeds U21; B team head coach Dave Horseman later revealed he suffered an ACL injury and would likely miss the remainder of the 2022–23 season. ^{[8] [9]} On 17 November, Edwards signed a contract extension until 2025. ^{[10] [11]}

Port Vale

He spent July 2024 on trial at Port Vale, where he impressed manager Darren Moore. ^{[12] [13]} On 14 August, Edwards joined Port Vale on a one-year contract. ^{[14] [15]} He scored on his debut for the Valiants six days later, in a 2–0 win at Salford City in the EFL Trophy. ^[16]

Style of play

Edwards is an attacking midfielder with excellent dribbling skills. ^[17]

Career statistics

As of match played 20 August 2024

Appearances and goals by club, season and competition

Club	Season	League			National cup		League cup		Other		Total
		Division	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals
Southampton	2022–23 [18]	Premier League	0	0	0	0	1	0	0	0	1	0
	2023–24 [19]	Championship	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
	Total		0	0	0	0	1	0	0	0	1	0
Port Vale	2024–25 [20]	League Two	0	0	0	0	0	0	1 [lower-alpha 1]	1	1	1
Career total			0	0	0	0	0	0	1	1	2	0

1. Appearance(s) in the EFL Trophy

References

1. "2021/22 Premier League squads confirmed". Premier League. 10 June 2022. Retrieved 23 August 2022.
2. Diamond Edwards at Soccerway
3. Diamond Edwards at WorldFootball.net
4. "Four youngsters sign professional deals". southamptonfc.com. 11 December 2020. Retrieved 23 August 2022.
5. "Diamond Edwards". www.southamptonfc.com. Retrieved 6 July 2024.
6. House, Alfie (27 July 2022). "'We'll get good players' - Horseman's verdict on B team, Diamond and new loans". Daily Echo. Retrieved 6 July 2024.
7. "Cambridge United 0–3 Southampton". BBC Sport. 23 August 2023. Retrieved 29 May 2023.
8. "Leeds U21 v Southampton U21". Premier League. 16 September 2022. Retrieved 29 May 2023.
9. House, Alfie (12 October 2022). "Promising Southampton youngster ruled out for remainder of the season with injury". Southern Daily Echo. Retrieved 29 May 2023.
10. "Diamond Edwards signs contract extension". Southampton FC. 17 November 2022. Retrieved 29 May 2023.
11. "Saints' starlet signs new deal". BBC Sport. 17 November 2022. Retrieved 29 May 2023.
12. Baggaley, Mike (8 July 2024). "Darren Moore embracing big decisions". Valiant's Substack. Retrieved 8 July 2024.
13. "Diamond Edwards: Port Vale sign winger from Southampton". BBC Sport. 14 August 2024. Retrieved 14 August 2024.
14. "Edwards departs for permanent Port Vale move". Port Vale FC. 14 August 2024. Retrieved 14 August 2024.
15. "Diamond Edwards is a Valiant | Port Vale FC". Port Vale FC. 14 August 2024. Retrieved 14 August 2024.
16. "Match Report | Salford City 0-2 Port Vale [Bristol Street Motors Trophy] | Port Vale FC". Port Vale FC. 20 August 2024. Retrieved 21 August 2024.
17. Baggaley, Mike (14 August 2024). "Vale in talks about player deal". Valiant's Substack. Retrieved 14 August 2024.
18. "Games played by Diamond Edwards in 2022/2023". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 26 June 2024.
19. "Games played by Diamond Edwards in 2023/2024". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 26 June 2024.
20. "Games played by Diamond Edwards in 2024/2025". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 14 August 2024.