Tobi Oluwayemi

Tobi Oluwayemi

Oluwayemi training with Celtic in 2024
Personal information
Full name	Oluwatobiloba Oluwayemi
Date of birth	(2003-05-08) 8 May 2003 (age 21)
Place of birth	London, England
Height	1.83 m (6 ft 0 in)
Position(s)	Goalkeeper
Team information
Current team	Dunfermline Athletic (on loan from Celtic)
Number	21
Youth career
2019	Tottenham Hotspur
2019–2023	Celtic
Senior career*
Years	Team	Apps	(Gls)
2021–2023	Celtic B	13	(0)
2021–	Celtic	0	(0)
2023	→ Cork City (loan)	2	(0)
2023–2024	→ Admira Wacker (loan)	9	(0)
2024–	→ Dunfermline Athletic (loan)	15	(0)
International career‡
	England U15
2019	England U16	4	(0)
2019	England U17	2	(0)
2021	England U18	1	(0)
2021	England U19	2	(0)
2022	England U20	1	(0)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 22:05, 16 January 2025 (UTC) ‡ National team caps and goals, correct as of 23:00, 24 September 2022 (UTC)

Oluwatobiloba "Tobi" Oluwayemi (born 8 May 2003) is an English professional footballer who plays as a goalkeeper for Dunfermline Athletic on loan from Scottish Premiership club Celtic.

Club career

Born and raised in London to parents of Nigerian descent, Oluwayemi spent the first part of his youth career at Tottenham Hotspur's academy, ^[1] before joining Celtic in July 2019, as he signed a three-year professional contract with the Scottish club. ^{[2] [3]}

After progressing through the youth ranks, in the first half of 2021 Oluwayemi started training with Celtic's first team, first under manager Neil Lennon and then, after his sacking, John Kennedy. ^[1] In June of the same year, the goalkeeper renewed his contract with the club until June 2024. ^{[4] [5]}

During the 2021–22 season, following the appointment of Ange Postecoglou as Celtic's new manager, Oluwayemi effectively became the club's third-choice goalkeeper, behind Joe Hart and Scott Bain, ^[1] being included in several match-day squads for UEFA Europa League and UEFA Europa Conference League games. ^{[6] [7]} He kept working in the first-team environment throughout the following campaign, as well, ^[8] while keeping featuring both in the Lowland Football League (where he played for Celtic's B Team) and the UEFA Youth League. ^{[9] [10]}

On 13 January 2023, Oluwayemi joined newly-promoted Irish side Cork City on loan until the end of June. ^{[11] [12]} He went on to make his professional debut on 17 February, starting and playing 90 minutes in Cork's first league game of the season, a 1–2 home defeat to Bohemians. ^{[13] [14]}

In August 2023, Oluwayemi joined Austrian 2. Liga side Admira Wacker on a season-long loan deal, making 9 appearances. ^[15]

In August 2024, Oluwayemi went on season-long loan to Scottish Championship side Dunfermline Athletic. ^[16] Despite missing several games through injury, Oluwayemi became first choice goalkeeper for the Pars.

International career

Thanks to his dual citizenship, Oluwayemi is eligible to represent either England or Nigeria internationally. ^[1]

He has been a youth international for England, having played for all their set-ups from the under-15 to the under-20 national team. ^{[1] [17] [18]}

Style of play

Oluwayemi has been described as a strong and composed goalkeeper, who is mainly regarded for his shot-stopping abilities and his leadership, as well as his distribution. ^[1] During his youth career, he originally played outfield before establishing himself in goal. ^[1]

Personal life

He has an older brother, Josh (b. 2001), who is also a goalkeeper: he similarly played for Tottenham's youth academy and represented England at several youth international levels. ^{[1] [3]}

Career statistics

Club

As of match played 14 January 2025 ^[19]

Appearances and goals by club, season and competition

Club	Season	League			National cup [a]		League cup [b]		Europe [c]		Total
		Division	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals
Celtic B	2021–22	Lowland League	—		—		0	0	—		0	0
	2022–23	Lowland League	13	0	—		3	0	—		16	0
	Total		13	0	—		3	0	—		16	0
Celtic	2021–22	Scottish Premiership	—		—		—		0	0	0	0
Cork City (loan)	2023	LOI Premier Division	2	0	0	0	—		—		2	0
Admira Wacker (loan)	2023–24	2. Liga	9	0	—		—		—		9	0
Dunfermline Athletic (loan)	2024-25	Scottish Championship	15	0	1	0	2	0	—		18	0
Career total			40	0	1	0	5	0	0	0	45	0

1. Includes Scottish Cup and FAI Cup
2. Includes Scottish League Cup and Scottish Challenge Cup
3. Includes UEFA Europa Conference League

References

1. Devlin, Kieran (19 November 2021). "Oluwayemi: A fit for Postecoglou's passing plans, the Barkas dilemma, and potential future Celtic No 1" . The Athletic . Retrieved 14 January 2023.
2. "Celtic agree terms with Exciting Young Goalkeeper". Celtic FC . 27 July 2019. Retrieved 24 January 2023.
3. Young, Graeme (27 July 2019). "Tobi Oluwayemi joins Celtic as Tottenham academy keeper pens three-year deal". Daily Record . Retrieved 14 January 2023.
4. "Hoops stopper Tobi Oluwayemi signs new deal with Celtic". Celtic FC . 18 June 2021. Retrieved 24 January 2023.
5. Fowler, Craig (18 June 2021). "Former Tottenham Hotspur youth signs new contract with Celtic". The Scotsman . Retrieved 14 January 2023.
6. "Celtic out of Europa League with two late goals from Bayer Leverkusen". The Guardian. 25 November 2021. ISSN   0261-3077 . Retrieved 18 February 2023.
7. Southwick, Andrew (24 February 2022). "Celtic dumped out of Europe by Bodo/Glimt". BBC Sport. Retrieved 18 February 2023.
8. McGinley, John (25 September 2022). "Former Celtic coach names the academy talents at Lennoxtown who could make breakthrough". 67 Hail Hail. Retrieved 14 January 2023.
9. "4-1: El Real Madrid pasa por encima del Celtic". Mundo Deportivo (in European Spanish). 2 November 2022. Retrieved 18 February 2023.
10. Sullivan, Joe (30 December 2022). "Five-star Celts end 2022 with a thumping 5-2 derby win". Celtic FC . Retrieved 14 January 2023.
11. "Tobi Oluwayemi signs on loan from Celtic!". Cork City Football Club . 13 January 2023. Retrieved 14 January 2023.
12. "Oluwayemi joins Cork City on loan". BBC Sport . 13 January 2023. Retrieved 14 January 2023.
13. Casey, Gavan (17 February 2023). "Bohemians survive late scare to upstage Cork City at sold-out Turners Cross". The42. Retrieved 18 February 2023.
14. O'Connell, Dylan (17 February 2023). "Cork's return spoiled as Bohs take the points". RTÉ. Retrieved 18 February 2023.
15. "Celtic-Talente Tobi Oluwayemi und Matthew Anderson für FC Flyeralarm Admira spielberechtigt" (in German). FC Admira Wacker Mödling. 28 August 2023. Retrieved 29 August 2023.
16. https://dafc.co.uk/tobi-oluwayemi-joins-dunfermline/
17. "England MU17s 2-0 Czech Republic". The Football Association . 19 November 2019. Retrieved 14 January 2023.
18. Smith, Frank (24 September 2022). "Report: England MU20s 2-1 Morocco". The Football Association . Retrieved 14 January 2023.
19. Tobi Oluwayemi at Soccerway. Retrieved 24 January 2023.

External links

• T. Oluwayemi at Soccerway
• Tobi Oluwayemi at WorldFootball.net
• Tobi Oluwayemi at BeSoccer
• Oluwatobi Oluwayemi at Soccerbase
• Oluwatobi Oluwayemi at Global Sports Archive