Jonathan Afolabi

Last updated

Jonathan Afolabi
Personal information
Date of birth (2000-01-14) 14 January 2000 (age 24)
Place of birth Dublin, Republic of Ireland
Height 1.89 m (6 ft 2 in)
Position(s) Forward
Team information
Current team
Cambuur
(on loan from Kortrijk)
Number 9
Youth career
Shamrock Rovers
St Joseph's Boys
2016–2019 Southampton
Senior career*
YearsTeamApps(Gls)
2019–2022 Celtic 0 (0)
2020Dunfermline Athletic (loan) 6 (2)
2020–2021Dundee (loan) 19 (3)
2021–2022Ayr United (loan) 14 (1)
2022Airdrieonians (loan) 12 (2)
2022–2023 Bohemians 37 (15)
2024– Kortrijk 13 (1)
2024–Cambuur (loan) 7 (1)
International career
Republic of Ireland U17
2017–2019 Republic of Ireland U19 16 (6)
2019–2021 Republic of Ireland U21 5 (1)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 20:00, 10 November 2024 (UTC)
‡ National team caps and goals, correct as of 21:47, 2 June 2021 (UTC)

Jonathan Afolabi (born 14 January 2000) is an Irish professional footballer who plays as a forward for Eerste Divisie club Cambuur, on loan from Kortrijk in the Belgian Pro League. His previous clubs include Celtic, Dunfermline Athletic, Dundee, Ayr United, Airdrieonians and Bohemians.

Contents

Club career

Early career

Born and raised in Tallaght, Dublin, in the Republic of Ireland, Afolabi played his youth football with Mark Celtic, Shamrock Rovers, Lourdes Celtic, and St Joseph's Boys before earning a move to the Academy of Premier League club Southampton. [1]

Celtic

On 21 August 2019, Afolabi joined Scottish Premiership Champions Celtic. [2]

After various loan spells, his contract was not renewed on expiry at the end of June 2022. [3]

Dunfermline Athletic (loan)

On 27 January 2020, Afolabi signed for Dunfermline Athletic of the Scottish Championship on loan until the end of the season. [4] His debut in senior football came on 1 February 2020, in a 3–2 win away to Queen of the South. [5] He made six appearances for the club, scoring twice, before the season was ended prematurely due to the COVID-19 pandemic. [6]

Dundee (loan)

On 29 September 2020, Afolabi joined Dundee on a season-long loan. [7] He scored his first goal for the club at home in the league against Greenock Morton. He scored against Hearts and Ayr United in crucial games for Dundee as they won the promotion playoffs in the 2020–21 season. [8]

Ayr United (loan)

On 2 August 2021, Afolabi signed for Ayr United on loan until the end of the season. [9]

Airdrieonians (loan)

On 11 February 2022, Afolabi was recalled from Ayr and was immediately sent on loan to Scottish League One side Airdrieonians for the rest of the season. [10]

Bohemians

On 5 August 2022, Afolabi returned home to Dublin, signing for League of Ireland Premier Division club Bohemians. [11] Afolabi was awarded the League of Ireland Player of the Month award for July 2023, after scoring nine total goals over seven consecutive games. [12] [13] He finished the 2023 League of Ireland Premier Division season as the joint-top league goalscorer and was named in the PFAI Team of the Year. He opened the scoring in the 2023 FAI Cup final but the Bohs lost the game to St Patrick's Athletic. [14]

Kortrijk

On 29 December 2023, it was announced that Afolabi would be joining Belgian Pro League side Kortrijk for an undisclosed fee, from 1 January 2024 on a contract until June 2026. [15] Afolabi made his debut on 20 January 2024, coming on as a substitute in a league victory away to Standard Liège. [16] Afolabi scored his first goal for De Kerels in a league draw away to Club Brugge. [17]

Cambuur loan

On 2 September 2024, Afolabi signed for Eerste Divisie club Cambuur on a season long loan. [18]

International career

Afolabi was born in Dublin, Republic of Ireland. [19] Afolabi has played for the Republic of Ireland right up to under-21 level. On 31 July 2019 he was named in the 2019 UEFA European Under-19 Championship Team of the Tournament, alongside Ferran Torres and Félix Correia in the forward positions. [20] He scored his first goal for the Republic of Ireland U21s on 26 March 2021 in a 2–1 friendly win over Wales U21 in Wrexham. [21]

On 8 September 2023, he received his first call up to the senior Republic of Ireland squad when he was included in the extended squad for the UEFA Euro 2024 qualifier at home to the Netherlands, [22] but did not make the final squad. [23] [24]

Career statistics

As of match played on 8 November 2024 [25]
Appearances and goals by club, season and competition
ClubSeasonLeagueNational cup [a] League cup [b] OtherTotal
DivisionAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoals
Southampton 2016–17 [26] Premier League 0000001 [c] 010
2017–18 [27] Premier League0000002 [c] 020
2018–19 [28] Premier League0000002 [c] 020
Total0000005050
Celtic 2019–20 [29] Scottish Premiership 00000000
2020–21 [30] Scottish Premiership000000
2021–22 [31] Scottish Premiership000000
Total0000000000
Dunfermline Athletic (loan) 2019–20 [29] Scottish Championship 620062
Dundee (loan) 2020–21 [30] Scottish Championship1932110224
Ayr United (loan) 2021–22 [31] Scottish Championship14110100 [d] 0161
Airdrieonians (loan) 2021–22 [31] Scottish League One 1223 [e] 1153
Bohemians 2022 [32] League of Ireland Premier Division 301141
2023 [33] League of Ireland Premier Division3415551 [f] 04020
Total37156600104421
Kortrijk 2023–24 [33] Belgian Pro League 1310 [g] 0131
2024–25 [34] Belgian Pro League000000
Total1310000131
Cambuur (loan) 2024–25 [34] Eerste Divisie 710071
Career total1082597209112833

Honours

Dundee

Bohemians

Individual

Related Research Articles

Seamus Joseph Conneely is an Irish professional footballer who plays as a central midfielder for EFL League Two club Accrington Stanley. He has previously played for Galway United, Sheffield United and Alfreton Town. He was born in London, but moved with his parents to Connemara.

Samuel Stanton is a Scottish footballer who plays as a midfielder for Scottish Championship club Raith Rovers. He has also previously played for Hibernian, with loan spells at each of Cowdenbeath, Livingston & Dumbarton, before moving to Dundee United, Phoenix Rising and Dundalk as well as representing Scotland at youth international level.

Cameron Smith is a Scottish footballer who plays as a midfielder or a forward for Peterhead. He began his career with Aberdeen, and initially played for Dundee United on loan in 2016 before joining St Mirren. He rejoined Dundee United permanently in 2019, and was on loan to Irish club Dundalk in 2020. After brief stints with Ayr United and Indy Eleven, Smith joined Partick Thistle in July 2021. Smith has represented Scotland at various levels up to under-21 international.

Billy King is a Scottish professional footballer who plays as a winger for USL League One club Northern Colorado Hailstorm. He has previously played for Heart of Midlothian, Rangers, Inverness Caledonian Thistle, Dundee United, Gillingham, Greenock Morton and St Patrick's Athletic and has represented Scotland up to under-21 level.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Declan McDaid</span> Scottish footballer

Declan McDaid is a Scottish footballer who plays as a midfielder. McDaid started his career as a youth player at Greenock Morton, before being promoted to the club's first team in April 2013. However, McDaid left the club a short time later and signed for then Scottish First Division side Partick Thistle in June 2013. After two successful seasons with Ayr United, he signed for Scottish Championship side Dundee in June 2019 and enjoyed promotion to the Scottish Premiership with them in 2021. He also played for Falkirk on loan before spending two and a half seasons with Irish club Bohemians.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Lee Ashcroft (Scottish footballer)</span> Scottish footballer

Lee Ashcroft is a Scottish footballer who plays as a defender for Scottish Championship club Partick Thistle. Ashcroft previously played for Kilmarnock, Dunfermline Athletic and Dundee, as well as on loan for Raith Rovers.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Lawrence Shankland</span> Scottish footballer (born 1995)

Lawrence Shankland is a striker who plays as a striker for Scottish Premiership club Heart of Midlothian and the Scotland national team.

Joseph Alexander Thomson is a Scottish professional footballer, who plays as a midfielder for NIFL Premiership side Larne. Thomson started his senior career at Celtic and he has played on loan at Dumbarton, Livingston, two spells at Queen of the South, Dunfermline Athletic and Derry City. Thomson has also been capped for Scotland at every age level from under-15 to under-21. He is one of only two Scottish players to score in both the Champions League and the Europa League

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Jake Mulraney</span> Irish footballer

Jake David Mulraney is an Irish professional footballer who plays as a midfielder for League of Ireland Premier Division club St Patrick's Athletic.

Liam Smith is a Scottish footballer who plays as a right-back for Bohemians. He has previously played for Heart of Midlothian, East Fife, Raith Rovers, St Mirren, Ayr United, Dundee United, Cheltenham Town and Grimsby Town.

Matthew Smith is a Scottish footballer who plays as a forward for League of Ireland Premier Division side Shelbourne. He started his career with Dundee United and made his first team debut in May 2016, and subsequently had loan periods with Montrose and Cove Rangers before moving to Ireland with Waterford, St Patrick's Athletic and Derry City.

Scott Allardice is a Scottish footballer who plays as a defensive midfielder for Scottish Premiership club Ross County. He began his career with Dundee United, making his first team debut in April 2017. He spent loan spells with East Fife and Dumbarton in 2018 before joining Bohemians in 2019. In 2020 he joined Inverness Caledonian Thistle and player there until 2023, when he joined their Highland rivals Ross County. He has represented the Scotland national under-19 team.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mikey Johnston</span> Irish footballer (born 1999)

Michael "Mikey" Andrew Johnston is a professional footballer who plays as a winger for EFL Championship club West Bromwich Albion. Born in Scotland, he plays for the Republic of Ireland national team.

Conor Glynn Shaughnessy is an Irish professional footballer who plays as a central defender for EFL Championship club Portsmouth.

Aidan Keena is an Irish footballer who plays as a forward for League of Ireland Premier Division club St Patrick's Athletic. He has previously played for Heart of Midlothian, Hartlepool United, Queen's Park, Dunfermline Athletic, Falkirk, Sligo Rovers and Cheltenham Town.

Aaron John Drinan is an Irish professional footballer who plays as a striker for EFL League Two club Swindon Town.

Declan David Glass is a Scottish footballer who plays as a midfielder for Scottish League One side Cove Rangers. He made his senior debut for Dundee United in October 2017, and has also played on loan for Airdrieonians, Partick Thistle, Kilmarnock, Derry City.

Ross Doohan is a Scottish professional footballer who plays as a goalkeeper for Scottish Premiership club Aberdeen.

Kian Leavy is an Irish footballer who plays as a midfielder for League of Ireland Premier Division club St Patrick's Athletic.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Liam Scales</span> Irish footballer (born 1998)

Liam Scales is an Irish professional footballer who plays as a centre-back or a left-back for Scottish Premiership club Celtic and the Republic of Ireland national team.

References

  1. "Extratime.ie – Jonathan Afolabi". www.extratime.ie.
  2. "Jonathan Afolabi: Celtic sign forward from Southampton on three-year deal". BBC Sport. 21 August 2019.
  3. Sullivan, Joe (7 July 2022). "Ross Doohan moves to Tranmere Rovers". Celtic F.C. Retrieved 19 July 2022.
  4. "Jonathan Afolabi signs for Pars | Dunfermline Athletic Football Club". dafc.co.uk.
  5. "Queen of the South vs. Dunfermline Athletic – 1 February 2020 – Soccerway". int.soccerway.com.
  6. "Republic of Ireland - J. Afolabi - Profile with news, career statistics and history - Soccerway". ie.soccerway.com.
  7. "Jonathan joins". Dundee FC. 29 September 2020. Retrieved 29 September 2020.
  8. "Dundee v Greenock Morton". BBC. 24 October 2020. Retrieved 24 October 2020.
  9. "United sign Afolabi". Ayr United FC. Archived from the original on 2 August 2021. Retrieved 2 August 2021.
  10. "Celt Afolabi makes Diamonds loan switch". airdrie. Retrieved 11 February 2022.
  11. "Bohs announce signing of Ireland U-21 cap Jonathan Afolabi from Celtic". independent.
  12. Team, Extratime. "Jonathan Afolabi crowned SSE Airtricity/Soccer Writers Ireland Player of the Month for July". extratime.com. Retrieved 11 August 2023.
  13. "In-form Jonathan Afolabi hoping to keep run going in crucial Dublin derby". Independent.ie. 10 August 2023. Retrieved 11 August 2023.
  14. "'Hurt' Declan Devine offers no defence as clinical Saints punish Bohs". Independent.ie. 13 November 2023. Retrieved 13 November 2023.
  15. Kelly, Niall (29 December 2023). "Jonathan Afalobi leaves Bohs for move to Belgian top-flight club" . The42.ie. Retrieved 10 January 2024.
  16. "Standard Liège vs. Kortrijk - 20 January 2024 - Soccerway". uk.soccerway.com. Retrieved 20 January 2024.
  17. "Club Brugge 3-3 KV Kortrijk (30 Jan, 2024) Final Score - ESPN (UK)". ESPN. Retrieved 31 January 2024.
  18. https://cambuur.nl/nieuws/jonathan-afolabi-nieuwe-spits-van-sc-cambuur/
  19. Fennessy, Paul (27 June 2019). "'My ma wants me to play for Nigeria... But I've been playing with Ireland for a long time'". The42.
  20. "Afolabi honoured to make Team of the Tournament | Football Association of Ireland". www.fai.ie.
  21. "U21s comeback to beat Wales". www.fai.ie. 26 March 2021. Retrieved 6 June 2021.
  22. "Stephen Kenny selects 25-man squad for France & Netherlands | Football Association of Ireland". fai.ie.
  23. "Republic of Ireland - Netherlands | 2024 - UEFA European Qualifiers | 2036407 | Football Association of Ireland". www.fai.ie.
  24. "QPR man Sinclair Armstrong makes the cut for Dutch tie but Bohs' Jonathan Afolabi misses out". Independent.ie. 10 September 2023.
  25. "Republic of Ireland – J. Afolabi – Profile with news, career statistics and history – Soccerway". int.soccerway.com.
  26. "Games played by Jonathan Afolabi in 2016/2017". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 13 June 2023.
  27. "Games played by Jonathan Afolabi in 2017/2018". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 13 June 2023.
  28. "Games played by Jonathan Afolabi in 2018/2019". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 13 June 2023.
  29. 1 2 "Games played by Jonathan Afolabi in 2019/2020". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 13 June 2023.
  30. 1 2 "Games played by Jonathan Afolabi in 2020/2021". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 13 June 2023.
  31. 1 2 3 "Games played by Jonathan Afolabi in 2021/2022". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 13 June 2023.
  32. "Games played by Jonathan Afolabi in 2022/2023". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 13 June 2023.
  33. 1 2 "Games played by Jonathan Afolabi in 2023/2024". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 10 January 2024.
  34. 1 2 "Games played by Jonathan Afolabi in 2024/2025". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 11 June 2024.
  35. "Dundee promoted as Kilmarnock drop down for first time in 28 years". BBC. 24 May 2021. Retrieved 24 May 2021.
  36. Dempsey, Andrew. "Bohemians secure Leinster Senior Cup crown with win over Usher Celtic". extratime.com. Retrieved 19 September 2023.
  37. "2019 U19 EURO team of the tournament". UEFA.com. 30 July 2019.

}}