Eric Ayuk

Eric Ayuk

Personal information
Full name	Eric Ayuk Mbu
Date of birth	(1997-02-17) 17 February 1997 (age 27)
Place of birth	Yaoundé, Cameroon
Height	1.70 m (5 ft 7 in)
Position(s)	Midfielder
Youth career
2012–2013	Buriram United
Senior career*
Years	Team	Apps	(Gls)
2014	Surin City	12	(3)
2014	Phichit	18	(7)
2015–2018	Philadelphia Union	29	(2)
2015	→ Harrisburg City Islanders (loan)	1	(1)
2016	→ Bethlehem Steel (loan)	17	(3)
2017	→ Jönköpings Södra IF (loan)	12	(1)
2018	→ Bethlehem Steel (loan)	4	(1)
2018–2021	Ankaraspor	71	(10)
2021–2022	Pharco	1	(0)
2023–2024	Adanaspor	16	(0)
International career‡
2016–2017	Cameroon U20	3	(2)
2019	Cameroon U23	3	(1)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 11 May 2024 ‡ National team caps and goals, correct as of 18 November 2020

Eric Ayuk Mbu (born February 17, 1997) is a Cameroonian footballer who plays as a winger.

Club career

Youth

Ayuk played football while attending Lycée Bilingue de Yaoundé in his native Cameroon. In June 2012, he moved to Thailand as part of a program to introduce young Camaroonian players to a professional environment. Joining Buriram United of Thai Premier League and playing with its academy and reserve teams for the rest of 2012 and 2013.

Club

Surin City F.C.

Ayuk joined Surin City F.C., an affiliate of Buriram United at the start of its 2014 season in the 2014 Thai Division 2 League North Eastern Region, the third level of Thai football league system. His first game with the team was a qualifying game in the 2014 Thai League Cup – a 2–1 loss to Loei City F.C. on January 29, 2014. He made his league debut on February 16, 2014, in a 2–2 tie against Sisaket United F.C. His first goal was the game-winning goal on February 22, 2014, in a 1–0 win over Mahasarakham United F.C. He also scored against Nong Khai F.C. in a 2–2 draw on March 29, 2014, and another in a 4–1 win over Chaiyaphum United on April 26, 2014.

Phichit F.C.

On June 19, 2014, Ayuk joined Phichit F.C. in the 2014 Thai Division 2 League Northern Region. He made his debut on June 28, 2014, in a 3–2 win over Chiangrai F.C. Ayuk's first goal came in a 5–0 win over Tak F.C. on July 6, 2014. On August 11, 2014, Ayuk scored against Uttaradit F.C. in his team's 4–1 victory. He added another goal on August 30, 2014, in his team's 4–3 defeat to Phrae United F.C. On September 7, 2014, Ayuk had his first 2-goal game in a 7–0 victory over Phayao F.C. He also scored in his team's lone goal in a 2–1 loss to Nakhon Sawan F.C. on September 13, 2014. Ayuk's performances helped Phichit F.C. gain promotion to the Thai Division 1 League for the 2015 season after placing in 2nd place in its 2014 Regional League Division 2 Champions League group. During the group games, he scored in Phichit F.C.'s 4–0 Champions Leaguevictory over Hua Hin City F.C. on November 22, 2014. ^[1]

Philadelphia Union

Ayuk was signed by Philadelphia Union on March 3, 2015, after a successful pre-season trial. ^[2] He was signed on a free transfer. ^[3] He scored his first goal in a 4–1 loss to Columbus Crew on April 25, 2015. ^[4]

Bethlehem Steel FC

Ayuk was loaned to Philadelphia Union USL affiliate, Bethlehem Steel FC for the 2016 season. ^[5] Ayuk would be a regular starter for Steel FC and scored the first home goal in the team's history against FC Cincinnati. ^[6] he would go on to make 17 appearances and scored three goals during the season.

Jönköpings Södra IF

On April 4, it was announced that Ayuk had joined Swedish first division outfit Jönköpings Södra IF on loan for the rest of the 2017 Allsvenskan Season. ^[7] He would make 12 league appearances and one cup appearance in Sweden, scoring one goal. ^[8]

Return to Philadelphia

In December 2017, it was announced that the Union exercised Ayuk's 2018 contract option. ^[8]

Ankaraspor

On 28 August 2018, Ayuk was transferred TFF First League side Ankaraspor (named "Osmanlıspor" at the time of transfer) for no fee but included a 15-percent sell-on fee for the Union. ^{[9] [10]} Ayuk became a regular starter for Ankaraspor, starting 27 of 29 appearances and scoring 5 goals during his first season. ^[11]

Adanaspor

In July 2023, Ayuk signed for Adanaspor following a short spell with Egyptian Premier League club Pharco. ^[12]

International career

In April 2015, Ayuk was called into the Cameroon U-23 team for the 2015 CAF U-23 Championship but declined the call up to focus on his club career with the Philadelphia Union.^{[ citation needed ]} In May 2016, Ayuk was called up for the Cameroon U-20 team for their 2017 Africa U-20 Cup of Nations qualifier versus Zimbabwe. ^[13]

Career Statistics

Club

As of 18 November 2020 ^[14]

Club performance			League		Cup		Continental		Total
Season	Club	League	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals
2014	Surin City F.C.	Regional League Division 2	12	3	0	0	0	0	12	3
	Phichit F.C.		18	7	0	0	0	0	18	7
2015	Philadelphia Union	MLS	28	2	4	1	0	0	32	3
	Harrisburg City Islanders (loan)	USL	1	0	0	0	0	0	1	0
2016	Philadelphia Union	MLS	1	0	0	0	0	0	1	0
	Bethlehem Steel FC (loan)	USL	17	3	0	0	0	0	17	3
2017	Jönköpings Södra IF (loan)	Allsvenskan	12	1	1	0	0	0	13	1
2018	Philadelphia Union	MLS	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
	Bethlehem Steel FC (loan)	USL	4	1	0	0	0	0	4	1
2018-19	Ankaraspor	TFF First League	29	5	2	0	0	0	31	5
2019-20			32	3	0	0	0	0	32	3
2020-21			1	0	0	0	0	0	1	0
Career Total			155	25	7	1	0	0	162	26

References

1. "สรุปผลการแข่งขัน นัดที่ 6 กลุ่ม เอ ผู้ทำประตู ใบเหลือง-แดง รายได้ในสนาม | ฅนดี2.com | เว็บไซต์ที่ไม่หลับไม่นอน เพื่อคนดิวิชั่น2". Archived from the original on April 2, 2015. Retrieved March 23, 2015.
2. "Philadelphia Union Sign Raymond Lee and Eric Ayuk Mbu". Philadelphia Union. March 3, 2015. Retrieved January 22, 2018.
3. "2015 MLS Transactions". MLSsoccer.com. November 1, 2015. Retrieved January 22, 2018.
4. "Union Drop Match To Columbus Crew SC 4–1". Philadelphia Union. April 26, 2015. Retrieved January 22, 2018.
5. Mihir Pandya (March 24, 2016). "Preview: Bethlehem Steel FC Face FC Montreal In Inaugural Game". Philadelphia Union. Retrieved January 22, 2018.
6. Charlotte Muscroft (April 3, 2016). "Bethlehem Steel FC Fall 2–1 To FC Cincinnati In Home Opener". Philadelphia Union. Retrieved January 22, 2018.
7. "Philadelphia Union Loan Eric Ayuk To Jönköpings Södra IF". Philadelphia Union. April 4, 2017. Retrieved January 22, 2018.
8. "Philadelphia Union Exercise Contract Option Of Midfielder Eric Ayuk". Philadelphia Union. December 12, 2017. Retrieved January 22, 2018.
9. "Union Transfer Eric Ayuk To Turkey's Osmanlispor FK". Philadelphia Union. August 28, 2018. Retrieved November 18, 2020.
10. Jonathan Tannenwald (August 28, 2018). "Union sell Eric Ayuk to Turkish club Osmanlispor". The Philadelphia Inquirer. Retrieved November 18, 2020.
11. "Eric Ayuk Mbu | Soccerway Statistics". soccerway.com. Retrieved November 18, 2020.
12. "Eric Ayuk Adanaspor'umuzda" [Eric Ayuk is in Adanaspor]. www.adanaspor.com.tr (in Turkish). July 28, 2023. Retrieved July 28, 2023.
13. RohnJossi (May 16, 2016). "Eric Ayuk called up to Cameroon U20s". brotherlygame.com. Retrieved June 22, 2016.
14. "Cameroon – E. Ayuk – Profile with news, career statistics and history – Soccerway". us.soccerway.com.

External links

• Eric Ayuk at Major League Soccer
• Eric Ayuk at Soccerway