Peter Olayinka

Peter Olayinka

Olayinka playing for Skënderbeu
Personal information
Full name	Peter Olayinka Oladeji
Date of birth	(1995-11-18) 18 November 1995 (age 28)
Place of birth	Ibadan, Nigeria
Height	1.88 m (6 ft 2 in)
Position(s)	Left winger/Forward
Team information
Current team	Red Star Belgrade
Number	14
Youth career
2010–2012	JB Sport FC
2012–2013	Bylis
Senior career*
Years	Team	Apps	(Gls)
2012–2014	Bylis	14	(0)
2013–2014	→ Yenicami SK (loan)	21	(8)
2014–2016	Skënderbeu	33	(16)
2016–2018	Gent	0	(0)
2016–2017	→ Dukla Prague (loan)	29	(6)
2017–2018	→ Zulte Waregem (loan)	35	(11)
2018–2023	Slavia Prague	115	(33)
2023–	Red Star Belgrade	30	(8)
International career‡
2019–	Nigeria	4	(0)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 20 April 2024 ‡ National team caps and goals, correct as of 23 January 2022

Peter Olayinka Oladeji (born 18 November 1995) is a Nigerian professional footballer who plays as a left winger or forward for Serbian club Red Star Belgrade and the Nigeria national team.

Club career

Early career

Olayinka started his career with (Baba Boss) in Ibadan before in January 2012 he joined Bylis in the Kategoria Superiore, where he initially joined the club's under-19s due to being just 17 at the time. He was promoted to the senior team under Agim Canaj during the 2012–13 season, and he made his professional debut on 20 October 2012 in an Kategoria Superiore game against Luftëtari, in which he came on as an 84th-minute substitute for Jetmir Sefa in the 2–0 win. ^[1] With the departure of Canaj and the arrival of Naci Şensoy as head coach in November, Olayinka received more playing time under Şensoy who showed faith in the young player. He scored his first goal on 3 February 2013 against Teuta an Albanian Cup tie that ended in a 2–2 draw. ^[2] He scored again month later on 3 March against Laçi in a 3–2 away loss. ^[3] He scored again in the Albanian Cup in the first leg of the semi-finals against Skënderbeu, scoring the first goal in a 1–1 draw at the Skënderbeu Stadium. ^[4] He featured in 14 league games during the 2012–13 campaign without scoring, and helped his side narrowly avoid relegation to the Kategoria e Parë, starting 6 games and completing the full 90 minutes on 2 two occasions. He scored three times in the Albanian Cup in 10 appearances, as his side reached the final for the first time in their history. He started up front in the final against Laçi but was substituted off late in extra time, just before Laçi snatch the game through an Emiliano Çela winner in the 119th minute. ^[5]

Yenicami Ağdelen

Following the end of the 2012–13 season he attracted clubs from both within Albania and abroad, and it was reported that Portuguese club FC Porto offered Bylis €500,000 for his services but the offer was turned down. Olayinka left the club in the summer of 2013, and asked the governing body of football FIFA to release him from his contract with the club, but Bylis also contacted FIFA, who eventually ruled in favour of the club as he was still under contract. Bylis then took up the option to renew his contract, meaning he was unable to play for another club without their permission, but in order to get around this he joined Northern Cypriot club Yenicami Ağdelen for the 2013–14 season as the North Cyprus Süper Lig is not officially recognised by FIFA. He scored 8 league goals in 21 games to help the club win the Süper Lig for the first time in 20 years. He also scored 6 times in 5 Federasyon Kupası games as his side were beaten finalists, taking his goal tally to 14 goals in 26 games for the club. ^[6]

Skënderbeu

Olayinka had allegedly agreed terms with Kukësi but on 28 August 2014 he agreed terms with reigning Albanian champions Skënderbeu, and was seen as a replacement for Pero Pejić who had recently moved to Kukësi. His transfer to Skënderbeu was heavily disputed by Kukësi and its president Safet Gjici, who also appealed the move to the Albanian Football Association and reported the player to the police. Nonetheless, Olayinka joined up with the rest of the Skënderbeu squad ahead of the 2014–15 season, and he played his first game for the club in a 0–0 away draw at Apolonia on 19 September, where he played the full 90 minutes. ^{[7] [8]}

He returned to Albania in August before the start of the 2015–16 Kategoria Superiore, season and rejoined Skënderbeu, where he was allowed to play once again after serving his suspension.

On 12 September 2015, Olayinka scored his first league goals of 2015–16 season against newly promoted side Tërbuni, scoring both goals of 0–2 away win. ^[9]

Gent

Olayinka signed a three-year deal with K.A.A. Gent for €1.1 million. ^[10] He joined Czech First League side Dukla Prague on a year-long loan in July 2016. ^[11]

Slavia Prague

Olayinka with Slavia Prague in September 2018.

On 21 July 2018, Slavia Prague signed Olayinka on a four-year contract from Gent for €3,200,000. ^[12]

Red Star Belgrade

In the evening of 9 January 2023, Red Star Belgrade and Olayinka agreed on the transfer, which will become active after the end of Peter's contract with Slavia. ^[13]

International career

Because of his talent, Albanian FA made numerous attempts of making Olayinka the first African player to play for Albanian national team. ^[14] At that time Olayinka himself said that he was willing to play for Albania if he got the Albanian passport. ^[15] However, in September 2019, he was nominated for an international friendly match between Nigeria and Brazil. ^[16] Ever since 2019, he has made 4 appearances for the Nigerian national team.

Personal life

In March 2021, he married Nigerian model Yetunde Barnabas. ^[17]

Career statistics

As of match played 22 April 2023 ^[18]

Appearances and goals by club, season and competition

Club	Season	League			National cup [lower-alpha 1]		Europe		Other		Total
		Division	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals
Bylis	2012–13	Kategoria Superiore	14	0	10	3	—		—		24	3
Skënderbeu	2014–15	Kategoria Superiore	15	6	2	3	—		—		17	9
	2015–16	Kategoria Superiore	18	10	3	0	6 [lower-alpha 2]	0	—		27	10
	Total		33	16	5	3	6	0	0	0	44	19
Dukla Prague (loan)	2016–17	Czech First League	29	6	2	0	—		—		31	6
Zulte Waregem (loan)	2017–18	Belgian First Division A	34	11	1	0	4 [lower-alpha 3]	0	1 [lower-alpha 4]	0	40	11
Slavia Prague	2018–19	Czech First League	24	6	5	0	10 [lower-alpha 5]	0	—		39	6
	2019–20	Czech First League	20	4	0	0	8 [lower-alpha 6]	1	1	0	29	5
	2020–21	Czech First League	24	6	2	1	12 [lower-alpha 7]	3	—		38	10
	2021–22	Czech First League	24	6	3	1	13 [lower-alpha 8]	4	—		40	11
	2022–23	Czech First League	19	11	2	2	11 [lower-alpha 9]	4	—		32	17
	Total		111	33	12	4	44	12	1	0	178	49
Career total			221	66	30	10	64	12	2	0	314	87

1. Includes Albanian Cup, Czech Cup, Belgian Cup
2. One appearance in UEFA Champions League, five appearances in UEFA Europa League
3. Appearances in UEFA Europa League
4. Appearance in Belgian Super Cup
5. One appearance in UEFA Champions League, nine appearances in UEFA Europa League
6. Appearances in UEFA Champions League
7. Two appearances and one goal in UEFA Champions League, ten appearances and two goals in UEFA Europa League
8. Two appearances in UEFA Champions League, one appearance in UEFA Europa League, ten appearances and four goals in UEFA Europa Conference League
9. Appearances in UEFA Europa Conference League

Honours

Bylis

• Albanian Cup runners-up: 2012–13

Yenicami Ağdelen

• Süper Lig: 2013–14
• Federasyon Kupası runners-up: 2013–14

Skënderbeu

• Kategoria Superiore: 2014–15

Slavia Prague

• Czech First League: 2018–19, 2019–20, 2020–21
• Czech Cup: 2018–19, 2020–21, 2022–23

References

1. "Bylis vs. Luftëtari Gjirokastër - 20 October 2012". Soccerway. Retrieved 14 May 2018.
2. "Teuta Durrës vs. Bylis - 4 February 2013". Soccerway. Retrieved 14 May 2018.
3. "Laçi vs. Bylis - 6 March 2013". Soccerway. Retrieved 14 May 2018.
4. "Skënderbeu Korçë vs. Bylis - 3 April 2013". Soccerway. Retrieved 14 May 2018.
5. "Laçi vs. Bylis - 17 May 2013". Soccerway. Retrieved 14 May 2018.
6. "OLAYINKA PETER OLADEJI Informations". ktff.net. Retrieved 14 May 2018.
7. "Apolonia Fier vs. Skënderbeu Korçë - 14 September 2014". Soccerway. Retrieved 14 May 2018.
8. "Unheralded Peter Olayinka Has Joined Albanian Top Flight Outfit KS Skënderbeu Korçë". soccerladuma.co.za. Retrieved 14 May 2018.
9. "Skënderbeu likuidon Tërbunin dhe merr kreun". Panorama Sport. 12 September 2015. Archived from the original on 14 September 2015. Retrieved 14 September 2015.
10. "Africa News". News24. Retrieved 14 May 2018.
11. "Fotbalisté Dukly hlásí posilu do útoku, získali Olayinka z Gentu" [Dukla football club announces reinforcements to the attack, gained Olayinka from Ghent]. Deník (in Czech). 23 July 2016. Retrieved 23 October 2018.
12. "Velká posila: Do Slavie příchází Peter Olayinka!". slavia.cz (in Czech). SK Slavia Prague. 21 July 2018. Retrieved 22 July 2018.
13. "Питер Олањинка у Звезди!".
14. "Olayinka mund të "shqiptarizohet"". Borozani.com (in Albanian). Retrieved 14 May 2018.
15. "E pabesueshme: Nigeriani dëshiron të luajë për Shqipërinë". Archived from the original on 22 December 2015. Retrieved 17 December 2015.
16. Busari, Niyi (27 September 2019). "Brazil Vs Nigeria: Olayinka secures first Eagles call up, as Azeez return to the team". BSN Sports. Retrieved 27 September 2019.
17. "Super Eagles player Peter Olayinka gets married to his fiancee Yetunde Barnabas". Metronews247. n.d. Retrieved 7 April 2022.
18. Peter Olayinka at Soccerway

External links

• KTFF profile
• Peter Olayinka at Soccerway
• Peter Olayinka at National-Football-Teams.com
• Peter Olayinka at Fortunaliga.cz