Ernest Poku

Ernest Poku
Personal information
Date of birth (2004-01-28) 28 January 2004 (age 20)
Place of birth Amsterdam, Netherlands
Height 1.72 m (5 ft 8 in)[1]
Position(s) Forward
Team information
Current team
 AZ Alkmaar
Number 21
Youth career
–2019 FC Amsterdam
2019–2021 AZ Alkmaar
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2021– Jong AZ 54 (15)
2021– AZ 30 (1)
International career‡
2020 Netherlands U16 2 (0)
2022 Netherlands U19 6 (1)
2023– Netherlands U21 4 (0)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 8 December 2024
‡ National team caps and goals, correct as of 23:18, 25 March 2024 (UTC)

Ernest Poku (born 28 January 2004) is a Dutch professional footballer who plays as a forward for AZ Alkmaar.

Club career

Having joined the club from FC Amsterdam in summer 2019, he signed his first professional contract with AZ Alkmaar in February 2020, with the contract valid until mid-2023.[2][3] On 30 April 2021, he made his debut for Jong AZ as a substitute in a 1–0 win over Roda JC.[4][5] He trained with the club's first team during the pre-season for the 2021–22 season,[6] and made his debut for AZ as a substitute in a 1–0 defeat to RKC Waalwijk in the opening match of the season on 14 August 2021.[7][4]

International career

Born in the Netherlands, Poku is of Ghanaian descent.[8] He made 2 appearances for the Netherlands national under-16 team in 2020.[9] In 2022 he was named in the Dutch U19 squad.[10] He scored his first goal for the Dutch U19 side against Ukraine U19 in June 2022.[11]

Career statistics

As of match played 18 December 2024
Appearances and goals by club, season and competition
Club Season League Cup Europe Total
Division Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals
Jong AZ 2020–21 Eerste Divisie 3 0 — — 3 0
2021–22 Eerste Divisie 22 2 — — 22 2
2022–23 Eerste Divisie 15 2 — — 15 2
2023–24 Eerste Divisie 14 11 — — 14 11
Total 54 15 — — 54 15
AZ 2021–22 Eredivisie 4 0 0 0 2[a] 0 6 0
2022–23 Eredivisie 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
2023–24 Eredivisie 20 1 2 1 6[b] 0 28 2
2024–25 Eredivisie 6 0 1 0 4[a] 0 11 0
Total 30 1 3 1 12 0 45 2
Career total 84 16 3 1 12 0 97 17
  1. ^ a b Appearances in UEFA Europa League
  2. ^ Appearances in UEFA Europa Conference League

References

  1. ^ "Ernest Poku". worldfootball.net. Retrieved 15 August 2021.
  2. ^ "AZ 'houdt spits (16) uit handen van Ajax' en schotelt profcontract voor". Voetbalprimeur (in Dutch). 14 February 2020. Retrieved 15 August 2021.
  3. ^ Zwartkruis, Simon (5 August 2021). "De toekomst van AZ: 'Eerste jeugdtoernooi Poku met ons was onvergetelijk'". Voetbal International (in Dutch). Retrieved 15 August 2021.
  4. ^ a b "E. Poku". Soccerway. Retrieved 15 August 2021.
  5. ^ Willems, Marijn (7 May 2021). "Ernest Poku blij met debuut voor Jong AZ". NH Nieuws (in Dutch). Retrieved 15 August 2021.
  6. ^ Wanst, Rob (11 July 2021). "Alkmaarse groeibriljant Ernest Poku laat zich zien in de voorbereiding". NH Nieuws (in Dutch). Retrieved 15 August 2021.
  7. ^ Swagers, Stef (14 August 2021). "Matig AZ begint competitie met nederlaag bij RKC Waalwijk". NH Nieuws (in Dutch). Retrieved 15 August 2021.
  8. ^ "Ghanaian teen Ernest Poku included in AZ Alkmaar pre-season squad". GhanaSoccernet. 12 July 2021. Retrieved 15 August 2021.
  9. ^ "Ernest Poku » Internationals". worldfootball.net. Retrieved 15 August 2021.
  10. ^ "FINAL SELECTION UNDER 19 FOR THE FIRST EUROPEAN CHAMPIONSHIP QUALIFYING ROUND". Onsiranje.nl.
  11. ^ "Ghanaian teen Ernest Poku scores in Netherlands U19's defeat to Ukraine". Ghanasoccernet.com.


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