Semi Ajayi

Oluwasemilogo Adesewo Ibidapo Ajayi (born 9 November 1993) is a Nigerian professional footballer who plays as a defender or defensive midfielder for Premier League club West Bromwich Albion and the Nigeria national football team.[3]

Semi Ajayi
Personal information
Full name Oluwasemilogo Adesewo Ibidapo Ajayi[1]
Date of birth (1993-11-09) 9 November 1993[2]
Place of birth Crayford, England
Height 6 ft 4 in (1.93 m)[2]
Position(s) Defender, defensive midfielder
Club information
Current team
 West Bromwich Albion
Number 6
Youth career
0000–2012 Charlton Athletic
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2012–2013 Charlton Athletic 0 (0)
2012 → Dartford (loan) 3 (1)
2013–2015 Arsenal 0 (0)
2015 → Cardiff City (loan) 0 (0)
2015–2017 Cardiff City 0 (0)
2015 → AFC Wimbledon (loan) 5 (0)
2015–2016 → Crewe Alexandra (loan) 13 (0)
2017 → Rotherham United (loan) 17 (1)
2017–2019 Rotherham United 81 (11)
2019– West Bromwich Albion 60 (7)
National team‡
2013 Nigeria U20 3 (0)
2018– Nigeria 13 (0)
* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only and correct as of 17:32, 16 January 2021 (UTC)
‡ National team caps and goals correct as of 09:57, 13 October 2020 (UTC)

Club career

Charlton Athletic

Born to Nigerian parents, Ajayi began his football career as a youth product of the Charlton Athletic academy. After progressing through the Charlton Athletic ranks, he was offered his first professional contract in January 2012.[4]

In November 2012, Ajayi joined Dartford on a short-term loan for twenty-eight days.[5] Shortly after, he made his Dartford debut, in a 4–0 win over Kingstonian in the FA Trophy[6] and then scored his first goal for the side, in a 3–2 loss against Tamworth.[7] Ajayi played 3 games and scored 1 goal before returning to his parent club in late-December.[8]

After returning to Charlton Athletic, Ajayi played for the reserve side for the rest of the season and helped win the Professional Development League 2.[9] Along the way, he was as an unused substitute in the senior side for a game against Blackpool on 12 January 2013.[10]

Arsenal

Shortly before he was due to make his debut for the Charlton first team, Ajayi caught the eye of Premier League team Arsenal. Ajayi joined the Arsenal Academy on a two-year deal after impressing as a trialist with the club in September 2013.[11]

Ajayi made his Arsenal U21 debut as a trialist against Blackburn Rovers on 30 August 2013, scoring with a header, in a 3–0 win.[12] Ajayi, who first figured for Arsenal's senior team in a friendly against Boreham Wood, made the Arsenal bench four times during the 2014–15 season. He was an unused substitute in games against Hull City, Stoke City and Newcastle in the Premier League, as well as in the home League Cup defeat by Southampton.[13]

Cardiff City

On 25 March 2015, Ajayi joined Championship team Cardiff City on loan until the end of the 2014–15 season but did not feature for the first team.[14] At the end of the season, Ajayi joined Cardiff on a two-year permanent deal following the end of his contract at Arsenal[15]

In the 2014–15 season, Ajayi was given a number twenty-nine shirt for the new season.[16] However, Ajayi appeared twice as an unused substitute, both of them came in the League Cup campaign against AFC Wimbledon[17] and MK Dons.[18]

Loan spells

On 29 September 2015, Ajayi joined League Two side AFC Wimbledon on a month loan deal.[19] He made his debut for the Dons on the same day in a 1–1 draw against Northampton Town.[20] After impressing in his first couple of games, he was keen to extend his loan spell at AFC Wimbledon for more first team opportunities.[21] However, after making five appearance for the side, Ajayi returned to his parent club at the end of the original loan period.[22]

On 26 November 2015, Ajayi joined League One side Crewe Alexandra on loan until 5 January 2016.[23] After his debut against Oldham Athletic two days later, Ajayi was named in the Football League Team of the Week which covers all three Football League divisions.[24] Following several more impressive displays for Crewe, his loan spell was extended to 27 February, the maximum 93-day term allowed under the emergency loan rule.[25] On 13 February 2016, with chances of further loan extension reported as slim,[26] he set up a goal for Brad Inman in a 1–1 draw against Walsall.[27] After making his last appearance against Chesterfield on 20 February 2016,[28] he returned to his parent club.[29]

Rotherham United

On 30 January 2017, Ajayi signed a loan deal until the end of the 2016–17 season with fellow Championship strugglers Rotherham United.[30] The following day, he made his Rotherham United debut, starting and playing the whole game, in a 2–0 defeat against Nottingham Forest.[31] Several weeks later, on 14 February 2017, he scored his first Rotherham United goal, in a 3–2 defeat against Huddersfield Town.[32] Ajayi was a first team regular for the rest of the season and made seventeen appearances.[33] On 28 March 2017, Ajayi signed for the club on a permanent deal, to be completed on 1 July 2017.[34] He was part of the side which earned promotion to The Championship after beating Shrewsbury in the play-off final on 27 May 2018.[35]

On 12 April, he won the EFL Championship Player of the Month for March 2019.[36] At the club's end of season awards for the 2018/19 season, Ajayi won the Away Player Of The Season Award after scoring 8 goals in 49 games in all competitions,[37] and also the Goal of the Season for his long range strike against Leeds United in a 2–1 defeat on 26 January 2019.[38]

West Bromwich Albion

On 20 July 2019, Ajayi signed for West Bromwich Albion for an undisclosed fee, agreeing a four-year contract with the club.[39][40] On 27 December 2020, Ajayi scored his first Premier League goal for Albion in a 1–1 away draw against champions Liverpool.[41]

International career

At the end of May 2013, Ajayi was called up to the Nigeria U20 squad for their 2013 Toulon Tournament matches.[42][43]

After being an unused substitute on Matchday 1 against Mexico U20,[44] Ajayi made his Nigeria U20 debut on 4 June 2013, in a 1–1 draw against Belgium U21.[45] Ajayi went on to make two further appearances in the tournament against Portugal[46] and Brazil. After the tournament ended, Ajayi commented that he was proud to play for the national side.[47]

Ajayi received his first call up to the senior team in August 2018 for 2019 African Cup of Nations Qualifiers, he described it as a "dream" call up. He made his debut against Seychelles in the 2019 Nation cup qualifiers, coming on for the injured Chidozie Awaziem in the 73rd minute. [48]

Career statistics
As of match played 16 January 2021
Appearances and goals by club, season and competition
Club Season League FA Cup League Cup Other Total
DivisionAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoals
Dartford (loan) 2012–13[49] Conference National 3100—1[lower-alpha 1]041
AFC Wimbledon (loan) 2015–16[50] League Two 5000000050
Crewe Alexandra (loan) 2015–16[50] League One 130000000130
Rotherham United (loan) 2016–17[51] Championship 171000000171
Rotherham United 2017–18[52] League One 35410214[lower-alpha 2]0425
2018–19[53] Championship 467102100498
Total 81112042409113
West Bromwich Albion 2019–20[54] Championship 435100000445
2020–21[55] Premier League 1720000—172
Total 607100000617
Career total 1792030425019122
  1. Appearance in the FA Trophy
  2. 1 Appearance in the 2017–18 EFL Trophy. 3 Appearances in 2017–18 EFL League One play-offs

Honours

Rotherham United

Individual

References
  1. "List of Players under Written Contract Registered Between 01/03/2017 and 31/03/2017". The Football Association. p. 1. Retrieved 28 October 2019.
  2. "Semi Ajayi". 11v11. Retrieved 1 December 2015.
  3. "Semi Ayaji: Eurosport". Eurosport.com.
  4. "Defender commits to Addicks". News Shopper. 25 January 2012. Retrieved 8 May 2017.
  5. "Dartford sign Charlton Athletic's Semi Ajayi on loan". BBC Sport. 22 November 2012.
  6. "Loan watch: Azeez makes debut". Charlton Athletic F.C. 26 November 2012. Archived from the original on 8 May 2017. Retrieved 8 May 2017.
  7. "Loan watch: Mambos cup blow". Charlton Athletic F.C. 3 December 2012. Archived from the original on 8 May 2017. Retrieved 8 May 2017.
  8. "Loan watch: Hollands begins rout". Charlton Athletic F.C. 24 December 2012. Archived from the original on 8 May 2017. Retrieved 8 May 2017.
  9. "Report: U21s seal national title". Charlton Athletic F.C. 12 May 2013. Archived from the original on 8 May 2017. Retrieved 8 May 2017.
  10. "Report: Charlton 2 Blackpool 1". Charlton Athletic F.C. 12 January 2013. Archived from the original on 8 May 2017. Retrieved 8 May 2017.
  11. "Ajayi joins Arsenal". Arsenal. 23 September 2013. Archived from the original on 1 October 2015. Retrieved 30 September 2015.
  12. "Under-21s: Blackburn 0–3 Arsenal". Arsenal F.C. 30 August 2013. Archived from the original on 8 May 2017. Retrieved 8 May 2017.
  13. "Who is Semi Ajayi? 19 things you should know about Cardiff City loanee some Arsenal fans dubbed 'New Sol Campbell'". Wales Online. 25 March 2015. Retrieved 8 May 2017.
  14. "Ajayi joins Bluebirds on loan". BBC Sport. 25 March 2015.
  15. "Semi Ajayi joins Cardiff City from Arsenal". BBC Sport. 19 June 2015.
  16. "SQUAD NUMBERS 2015/16". Cardiff City F.C. 6 August 2015. Archived from the original on 8 May 2017. Retrieved 8 May 2017.
  17. "CAPITAL ONE CUP RD1: CARDIFF CITY 1–0 WIMBLEDON". Cardiff City F.C. 11 August 2015. Archived from the original on 8 May 2017. Retrieved 8 May 2017.
  18. "REPORT: MK DONS 2–1 CARDIFF CITY AET". Cardiff City F.C. 25 August 2015. Archived from the original on 8 May 2017. Retrieved 8 May 2017.
  19. "Semi Ajayi: Cardiff defender joins AFC Wimbledon on loan". BBC Sport. 29 September 2015.
  20. "Wimbledon 1–1 Northampton". BBC Sport. 29 September 2015.
  21. "AFC Wimbledon: Loanee Ajayi making the most of game time". News Shopper. 9 October 2015. Retrieved 8 May 2017.
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  23. "Crewe sign Ajayi". Sky Sports. 26 November 2015.
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  27. "Crewe 1–1 Walsall Stalemate at Crewe". Sky Sports. 13 February 2016. Retrieved 8 May 2017.
  28. "Chesterfield 3–1 Crewe: Spireites gain first win in six matches at Proact Stadium". Sky Sports. 20 February 2016. Retrieved 8 May 2017.
  29. "Crewe Alexandra: Departing Semi Ajayi confident the Alex will stay up this season". Stoke Sentinel. 23 February 2016. Retrieved 8 May 2017.
  30. "Semi Ajayi: Rotherham sign Cardiff defender on loan until the end of the season". BBC.co.uk/sport. 30 January 2017. 30 January 2017. Retrieved 30 January 2017.
  31. "Nottingham Forest 2–0 Rotherham: Britt Assombalonga hits second-half double". Sky Sports. 30 January 2017. Retrieved 8 May 2017.
  32. "Rotherham 2–3 Huddersfield: Tommy Smith nets late winner as Terriers close on top two". Sky Sports. 14 February 2017. Retrieved 8 May 2017.
  33. "Rotherham United: Millers in Ajayi talks". The Star. 6 March 2017. Retrieved 8 May 2017.
  34. "Semi Ajayi: Rotherham sign Cardiff City defender on permanent deal". BBC Sport. 28 March 2017. Retrieved 28 March 2017.
  35. Scott, Ged (27 May 2018). "Rotherham United 2–1 Shrewsbury Town". BBC Sport. Retrieved 31 May 2018.
  36. "Sky Bet EFL March awards: Player of the Month and Manager of the Month winners announced". Sporting Life. 12 April 2019. Retrieved 12 April 2019.
  37. "AWARDS | RUSC End of Season Awards". Goal. 7 May 2019. Retrieved 7 June 2019.
  38. "Semi Ajayi's stunner against Leeds wins Rotherham United's Goal of the Season". Goal. 4 May 2019. Retrieved 7 June 2019.
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  40. "Albion add Ajayi to ranks". West Bromwich Albion Official Site. 20 July 2019.
  41. Johnston, Neil (27 December 2020). "Liverpool 1-1 West Brom: Semi Ajayi scores dramatic late equalizer". BBC Sport. Retrieved 27 December 2020.
  42. "Addicks pair impress internationally". Charlton Athletic F.C. 28 May 2013. Archived from the original on 8 May 2017. Retrieved 8 May 2017.
  43. "Nigeria squad named". All Africa. 23 May 2013.
  44. "International watch: Duo disappointed". Charlton Athletic F.C. 30 May 2013. Archived from the original on 8 May 2017. Retrieved 8 May 2017.
  45. "Ajayis Nigeria earn point". Charlton Athletic F.C. 4 June 2013. Archived from the original on 8 May 2017. Retrieved 8 May 2017.
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  49. Semi Ajayi at Soccerway. Retrieved 23 September 2017.
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  51. "Games played by Semi Ajayi in 2016/2017". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 9 May 2017.
  52. "Games played by Semi Ajayi in 2017/2018". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 23 September 2017.
  53. "Games played by Semi Ajayi in 2018/2019". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 5 May 2019.
  54. "Games played by Semi Ajayi in 2019/2020". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 7 August 2019.
  55. "Games played by Semi Ajayi in 2020/2021". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 26 September 2020.
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