Joel Asoro

Joel Joshghene Asoro (born 27 April 1999) is a Swedish professional footballer who plays as a striker for Swansea City. He has also represented Sweden at under-21 level.

Joel Asoro
Personal information
Full name Joel Joshghene Asoro[1]
Date of birth (1999-04-27) 27 April 1999
Place of birth Stockholm, Sweden
Height 1.75 m (5 ft 9 in)
Position(s) Striker[2][3]
Club information
Current team
 Swansea City
Number 16
Youth career
0000–2011 IFK Haninge
2011–2015 IF Brommapojkarna
2015–2017 Sunderland
2018–2019 Swansea City
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2016–2018 Sunderland 27 (3)
2018– Swansea City 14 (0)
2019–2020 → FC Groningen (loan) 15 (3)
2020–2021 → Genoa (loan) 0 (0)
National team‡
2014–2016 Sweden U17 21 (14)
2016–2019 Sweden U21 17 (3)
* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only and correct as of 22 February 2020
‡ National team caps and goals correct as of 7 June 2019

Club career

Youth career

Asoro started his career in his local club IFK Haninge in a southern Stockholm suburb. When he was eleven years old he moved to IF Brommapojkarna, well-known throughout Sweden for its youth academy which has produced players such as John Guidetti, Albin Ekdal, Simon Tibbling and Ludwig Augustinsson. Asoro was targeted for some of Europe's leading clubs, among them Manchester City, Manchester United, Chelsea and Juventus.[4]

Sunderland

Asoro signed for English side Sunderland in 2015.[5] On 21 August 2016, a year after joining the club, Asoro made his professional debut in the league against Middlesbrough, coming on as an 81st-minute substitute for Duncan Watmore;[6] in doing so he became Sunderland's youngest Premier League player, as well as the youngest Swedish national to feature.[7] On 24 August 2016, Asoro was given his first Sunderland start under manager David Moyes in a 1–0 victory over League One side Shrewsbury Town in an EFL Cup second round tie. Asoro later appeared as a starter in the EFL Cup Round 3 victory over Championship side Queens Park Rangers and was subbed off for Josh Maja.[8]

Swansea City

Asoro joined Swansea City on a four-year contract for a fee of £2 million in July 2018.[9]

FC Groningen (loan)

On 15 August 2019, Asoro agreed to a loan move to Eredivisie club FC Groningen for the 2019–20 season.[10] He made 17 appearances and scored three goals for the side before the football season in the Netherlands was suspended in March.

Genoa (loan)

On 16 September 2020, Asoro joined Serie A club Genoa on a season-long loan deal with a conditional obligation to buy.[11]

International career

On 5 September 2016, Asoro made his debut for Sweden U21 starting the game against Spain in 1–1 draw. Swedish press reported that Paris Saint-Germain, Milan, Inter Milan, Borussia Dortmund, Bayern Munich, RB Leipzig, Villarreal, Valencia and Lyon all scouted Asoro in his debut.[12] The following day Asoro was praised by Arsenal scout Bobby Bennett and Newcastle United Chief Scout Graham Carr.[13]

Personal life

Asoro's parents are from Nigeria.[14] His sister, Abigail Glomazic is a professional basketball player who has played with the likes of CCC Polkowice in Poland and Sleza Wroclaw in Poland.

Career statistics
As of 17 September 2020.[15]
Appearances and goals by club, season and competition
Club Season League Domestic Cup League Cup Continental Total
DivisionAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoals
Sunderland 2016–17 Premier League 101020—40
2017–18 Championship 2631020—293
Total 273204000333
Swansea City 2018–19 Championship 1402010—170
2020–21 Championship 000010—10
Total 140202000180
Groningen 2019–20 Eredivisie 15320——173
Genoa 2020–21 Serie A 0000——00
Career total 566606000686

References
  1. "English Championship Retained List 2015/16" (PDF). Premier League. 10 June 2016.
  2. "Joel Asoro". Sunderland A.F.C. Retrieved 24 August 2016.
  3. "Joel Asoro". UEFA. Retrieved 24 August 2016.
  4. "UEFA.com's weekly wonderkid: Joel Asoro". Uefa.com. 26 May 2015. Retrieved 10 April 2017.
  5. "Sunderland Sign 'One Of Sweden's Greatest Talents". Roker Report. 26 May 2015. Retrieved 21 August 2016.
  6. "Sunderland vs. Middlesbrough". Soccerway.
  7. "Arsenal scout Joel Asoro, so who is he and why would Arsenal want him?". Soccerway.
  8. "Sunderland 1–0 Shrewsbury Town. On 18 January 2017, Asoro came off the substitutes bench to feature in a 2–0 F.A. Cup 4th Round Replay defeat to Burnley FC. Asoro scored his first Sunderland goal in a 1-0 victory over Hull City on 20th January 2018". BBC Sport. 24 August 2016. Retrieved 24 August 2016.
  9. "Swansea City complete signing of Sunderland winger Joel Asoro". BBC Sport. 14 July 2018. Retrieved 14 July 2018.
  10. "Joel Asoro makes Groningen loan move". Swansea City A.F.C. 15 August 2019. Retrieved 17 September 2020.
  11. "Joel Asoro: Swansea City winger joins Genoa on season-long loan". BBC Sport. 16 September 2020. Retrieved 17 September 2020.
  12. "Storklubbar på plats – för att se Joel Asoro". Sportexpressen. 5 September 2016. Retrieved 6 September 2016.
  13. "Joel Asoro hyllas av Arsenal & Newcastle". Sportexpressen. 6 September 2016. Retrieved 6 September 2016.
  14. Emmanuel, Ifeanyi. "Sunderland Prodigy Joel Asoro Prefers To Represent Nigeria Ahead Of Sweden:: All Nigeria Soccer - The Complete Nigerian Football Portal". All Nigeria soccer. Retrieved 28 July 2020.
  15. Joel Asoro at Soccerway
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