Lee Buchanan (footballer)

Lee Buchanan
Personal information
Full name Lee David Buchanan[1]
Date of birth (2001-03-07) 7 March 2001 (age 23)
Place of birth Mansfield, England
Height 5 ft 9 in (1.75 m)[2]
Position(s) Left-back
Team information
Current team
 Birmingham City
Number 3
Youth career
2010–2019 Derby County
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2019–2022 Derby County 70 (0)
2022–2023 Werder Bremen 21 (1)
2023– Birmingham City 35 (1)
International career
2019 England U19 3 (0)
2020–2021 England U20 2 (0)
2020 England U21 2 (0)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 10:06, 30 December 2024 (UTC)

Lee David Buchanan (born 7 March 2001) is an English professional footballer who plays as a left back for EFL League One club Birmingham City. He began his career with Derby County, coming through the youth ranks to make 70 EFL appearances, spent the 2022–23 season with Bundesliga club Werder Bremen, and joined Birmingham City in 2023. He has represented England internationally at under-19, under-20 and under-21 levels.

Club career

Derby County

On 12 August 2019, Buchanan made his professional debut with Derby County in the EFL Cup against Scunthorpe United. He scored the only goal of the game in the 78th minute to take Derby through to the second round.[3] He made his league debut on 24 August 2019, starting in the 1–1 draw against West Bromwich Albion, playing the entire 90 minutes.

Werder Bremen

In July 2022 Buchanan joined Werder Bremen, newly promoted to the Bundesliga, on a free transfer from Derby County.[4] After a legal loophole allowed Buchanan out of his contract following the sale of Derby County, Derby would not be entitled to any compensation for the transfer, with them asking for a FIFA tribunal in order to receive a fee.[5] On 29 July, it was confirmed that Derby would receive "full training compensation", understood to be a six-figure sum.[6]

Buchanan's first goal came on 20 August 2022 away to Borussia Dortmund, in the 89th minute, with his side 2–0 down, after which Niklas Schmidt and Oliver Burke completed an unlikely 3–2 victory.[7] He made 23 appearances in all competitions in the 2022–23 season,[8] and began the following pre-season with the first-team squad, but was released from the training camp on 25 July 2023 for final talks and a medical with another club.[9] According to director of football Clemens Fritz, he had "been dissatisfied with the amount of game time and expressed his desire for a change."[10]

Birmingham City

On 26 July 2023, Buchanan signed a five-year contract with EFL Championship club Birmingham City.[11] The fee was undisclosed, but was reported in Bremen as €1.5 million.[12]

International career

On 30 August 2019, Buchanan received his first international call up as a member of the England U19s squad and eventually made his debut for that age group during a 3–1 defeat to France in Marbella on 9 October 2019.[13]

On 13 October 2020, he made his debut for the England U20s during a 2–0 victory over Wales at St George's Park.[14]

In November 2020, Buchanan received his first call-up to the England U21s in November 2020.[15] He made his U21 debut as a late substitute during a 3–1 win over Andorra U21s at Molineux on 13 November.[16]

Career statistics

As of match played 29 December 2024
Appearances and goals by club, season and competition
Club Season League National cup[a] League cup[b] Other Total
Division Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals
Derby County 2019–20[17] Championship 5 0 0 0 2 1 — 7 1
2020–21[18] Championship 35 0 0 0 2 0 — 37 0
2021–22[19] Championship 30 0 0 0 1 0 — 31 0
Total 70 0 0 0 5 1 — 75 1
Werder Bremen 2022–23[2] Bundesliga 21 1 3 0 0 0 — 24 1
Birmingham City 2023–24[20] Championship 32 0 3 0 0 0 — 35 0
2024–25[21] League One 3 1 0 0 0 0 1[c] 0 4 1
Total 35 1 3 0 0 0 1 0 39 1
Career total 126 2 6 0 5 1 1 0 138 3
  1. ^ Includes FA Cup, DFB-Pokal
  2. ^ Includes EFL Cup
  3. ^ Appearance in EFL Trophy

Honours

Individual

References

  1. ^ "Notification of shirt numbers: Derby County" (PDF). English Football League. p. 26. Retrieved 20 September 2020.
  2. ^ a b "Lee Buchanan: Club matches". worldfootball.net. HeimSpiel Medien. Retrieved 26 July 2023.
  3. ^ "Scunthorpe United vs. Derby County - 13 August 2019". Soccerway. Retrieved 13 August 2019.
  4. ^ "Tinte trocken: Werder schnappt sich Buchanan". kicker (in German). 4 July 2022. Retrieved 4 July 2022.
  5. ^ Aloia, Andrew (5 July 2022). "Lee Buchanan: Derby County to go to Fifa in bid for Werder Bremen compensation". BBC Sport. Retrieved 6 July 2022.
  6. ^ "Lee Buchanan: Derby County to receive compensation fee from Werder Bremen for full-back". BBC Sport. 29 July 2022. Retrieved 29 July 2022.
  7. ^ "Borussia Dortmund 2–3 Werder Bremen: Oliver Burke scores late winner". BBC Sport. 20 August 2022. Retrieved 20 August 2022.
  8. ^ "L. Buchanan". Soccerway. Perform Group. Retrieved 13 August 2023.
  9. ^ Curtis, Leigh (25 July 2023). "Werder Bremen release statement as former Derby County ace set for transfer". Derby Telegraph. Retrieved 25 July 2023.
  10. ^ "Lee Buchanan joins Birmingham City". SV Werder Bremen. 26 July 2023. Retrieved 27 July 2023.
  11. ^ "Lee Buchanan is a Blue". Birmingham City F.C. 26 July 2023. Retrieved 13 August 2023.
  12. ^ "Werder Bremen: Buchanan-Transfer zu Birmingham offiziell" [Werder Bremen: Buchanan transfer to Birmingham official]. Weser Kurier (in German). 26 July 2023. Retrieved 27 July 2023.
  13. ^ "There was defeat for England MU19s against France in Marbella on Wednesday". TheFA.com. 9 October 2019. Retrieved 11 October 2019.
  14. ^ Veevers, Nicholas (13 October 2020). "Two quickfire goals in the first half seal win for Lee Carsley's Young Lions at SGP". TheFA.com. Retrieved 13 October 2020.
  15. ^ Veevers, Nicholas (6 November 2020). "Two new faces included in the England MU21s squad for games with Andorra and Albania". TheFA.com. Retrieved 6 November 2020.
  16. ^ "England U21 3–1 Andorra U21". BBC Sport. 13 November 2020. Retrieved 13 November 2020.
  17. ^ "Games played by Lee Buchanan in 2019/2020". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 26 July 2023.
  18. ^ "Games played by Lee Buchanan in 2020/2021". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 26 July 2023.
  19. ^ "Games played by Lee Buchanan in 2021/2022". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 26 July 2023.
  20. ^ "Games played by Lee Buchanan in 2023/2024". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 8 May 2024.
  21. ^ "Games played by Lee Buchanan in 2024/2025". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 24 December 2024.
  22. ^ "Bundesliga Rookie Award". Bundesliga. Retrieved 18 November 2021.