Deji Sotona

Ayodeji Sotona (born 7 December 2002) is an Irish professional footballer who plays as a forward for Burnley Academy.

Deji Sotona
Personal information
Full name Ayodeji Sotona[1]
Date of birth (2002-12-07) 7 December 2002
Place of birth Waterford, Republic of Ireland[1]
Height 1.79 m (5 ft 10 in)[1]
Position(s) Forward
Team information
Current team
 Burnley Academy
Youth career
0000–2016 Mullingar Athletic
2016–2020 Manchester United
2020–2023 Nice
2022 → Brentford (loan)
2023– Burnley Academy
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2022–2023 Nice 0 (0)
2022-2023 → Kilmarnock (loan) 2 (0)
2023– Burnley 0 (0)
International career
2017 Republic of Ireland U15 2 (1)
2018 Republic of Ireland U16 2 (0)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 03:04, 13 January 2023 (UTC)

Club career

Sotona was born in Waterford, but moved to Mullingar as a child, where he joined local side Mullingar Athletic.[2] At a young age, he joined the Mullingar Harriers Athletic Club, picking up several provincial and national sprinting medals, including an All-Ireland bronze medal in 2013.[2]

At the age of 13, he began attracting attention from English sides Manchester City and Manchester United, eventually signing with the latter.[3] While at Manchester United, Sotona was named as the club's fastest player, ahead of first team members Diogo Dalot, Marcus Rashford and Daniel James.[4] After four years with the club, in which he trained with the first team, he rejected the offer of a three-year extension to his contract, and left the club as a free agent in September 2020.[5]

After a phone call with Patrick Vieira, who was managing Nice at the time, Sotona decided to join the French side at the expiration of his contract with Manchester United.[3][6] Vieira had promised first-team football, but after he was sacked in December 2020, new manager Adrian Ursea assigned Sotona to the reserves.[3] With the COVID-19 pandemic disrupting the footballing schedule, he struggled for game time, and when a return to England with Brentford presented itself in January 2022, Sotona took the opportunity, and joined on a six-month loan deal.[7]

On 9 August 2022, Sotona signed for Scottish club Kilmarnock on a season-long loan.[8] He returned to Nice in January 2023.[9]

On 30 January 2023, Sotona moved to Burnley Academy.[10]

International career

Sotona is eligible to represent the Republic of Ireland, Nigeria and England at international level.[2] He has represented the Republic of Ireland at under-15 and under-16 level.[11][12]

Career statistics

Club
As of matches played 19 December 2022[13]
Appearances and goals by club, season and competition
Club Season League National cup[lower-alpha 1] League cup[lower-alpha 2] Other Total
DivisionAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoals
Manchester United U23 2019–20 ———1[lower-alpha 3]010
Nice 2022–23 Ligue 1 0000—0000
Kilmarnock B (loan) 2022–23 ———2[lower-alpha 4]121
Kilmarnock (loan) 2022–23 Scottish Premiership 2000000020
Career total 2000003151

Notes

  1. Includes FA Cup, Coupe de France and Scottish Cup
  2. Includes EFL Cup and Scottish League Cup
  3. Appearances in the EFL Trophy
  4. Appearances in the Scottish Challenge Cup

References
  1. Deji Sotona at WorldFootball.net
  2. Hughes, Paul (30 July 2020). "Important summer ahead for Mullingar's Deji". westmeathexaminer.ie. Retrieved 28 May 2022.
  3. Harris, Jay (18 February 2022). "Deji Sotona on Manchester United, playing for Patrick Vieira and Brentford hopes". theathletic.com. Retrieved 28 May 2022. (subscription required)
  4. Hawkins, Billy (6 September 2019). "Manchester United's fastest player is 16-year-old Deji Sotona, a youth sprint champion who has been likened to Ryan Giggs". talksport.com. Retrieved 28 May 2022.
  5. Luckhurst, Samuel (11 September 2020). "Deji Sotona leaves Manchester United after rejecting contract". manchestereveningnews.co.uk. Retrieved 28 May 2022.
  6. Connaughton, Gary (2 October 2020). "An Irish Youngster Has Signed For Patrick Vieira's Nice". balls.ie. Retrieved 28 May 2022.
  7. "Deji Sotona joins Brentford B on loan". brentfordfc.com. 31 January 2022. Retrieved 28 May 2022.
  8. "DEJI SOTONA JOINS KILLIE ON LOAN". Kilmarnock FC. 9 August 2022. Retrieved 9 August 2022.
  9. "Kilmarnock confirm Deji Sotona is heading back to Nice after loan spell ends". HeraldScotland. Retrieved 13 January 2023.
  10. "TWEEDY ADDED TO ACADEMY RANKS". Burnley F.C. 30 January 2023. Retrieved 3 February 2023.
  11. "Ireland U15s draw with Netherlands in friendly". fai.ie. 2 February 2017. Retrieved 28 May 2022.
  12. "Ireland U16: Osam names squad for Swedish tournament". fai.ie. 15 May 2018. Retrieved 28 May 2022.
  13. Deji Sotona at Soccerway
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