Nathaniel Adjei

Nathaniel Adjei
Personal information
Date of birth (2002-08-21) 21 August 2002 (age 22)
Place of birth Teshie, Ghana
Height 1.91 m (6 ft 3 in)
Position(s) Centre-back
Team information
Current team
 Lorient
Number 32
Youth career
2015–2017 Danbort FC
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2018–2022 Danbort FC
2021–2022 → Hammarby TFF (loan) 22 (0)
2022–2024 Hammarby IF 24 (1)
2023–2024 → Lorient (loan) 15 (0)
2024– Lorient 9 (0)
International career‡
2019–2021 Ghana U-20 2 (0)
2023– Ghana U-23 2 (0)
2024– Ghana 1 (0)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 14 December 2024
‡ National team caps and goals, correct as of 30 June 2023

Nathaniel Adjei (born 21 August 2002) is a Ghanaian professional footballer who plays as a centre-back for French Ligue 2 club Lorient and the Ghana national team.[1]

Early life

Born and raised in Teshie, Adjei started to play youth football with local club Danbort FC at age 13.[2] The team competed in Division One League, Ghana's second tier.[3]

Club career

On 13 August 2021, Ajdei joined Hammarby TFF in Sweden's third tier Ettan, the feeder team of Hammarby IF. He was signed on a one-year loan from Danbort, together with fellow Ghanaian player Emmanuel Agyeman Duah from Karela United.[4][5]

On 11 July 2022, Adjei was promoted to Hammarby's first team, completing a permanent transfer from Danbort by signing a four-and-a-half-year contract.[6] On 17 September the same year, Adjei made his Allsvenskan debut in a 1–1 away draw against BK Häcken, in which he scored an own goal.[7]

On 27 January 2024, Adjei joined Lorient on loan with option to purchase in France until the end of the season.[8]

Adjei was transferred to Lorient upon exercise of the purchase option on 15 June 2024.[9]

International career

Being part of the Ghanaian youth selections since 2018, Adjei was the vice captain of the Ghana national U17's.[10]

Adjei was called up to the Ghana national U20's for the 2019 Africa U-20 Cup of Nations, at age 16.[11]

He was also part of Ghana's squad in the 2021 Africa U-20 Cup of Nations.[12] He played three games throughout the tournament, before suffering an injury ahead of the knockout stage, that Ghana went on to win through a 2–0 win in the final against Uganda.[13][14]

Adjei made his debut for Ghana national team on 18 November 2024 in an Africa Cup of Nations qualifier against Niger at the Accra Sports Stadium. He started the game and was substituted after 40 minutes, as Niger won 2–1.[15]

Career statistics

Club

As of match played 25 October 2024[16]
Club Season League National Cup[a] Continental Total
Division Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals
Hammarby TFF 2021 Ettan 8 0 0 0 — 8 0
2022 14 0 0 0 — 14 0
Total 22 0 0 0 0 0 22 0
Hammarby IF 2022 Allsvenskan 3 0 1 0 — 4 0
2023 21 1 5 0 2[b] 0 28 1
Total 24 1 6 0 2 0 32 1
Lorient (loan) 2023–24 Ligue 1 15 0 0 0 0 0 15 0
Lorient 2024–25 Ligue 2 7 0 0 0 0 0 7 0
Total 22 0 0 0 0 0 22 0
Career total 68 1 6 0 2 0 76 1
  1. ^ Includes Svenska Cupen
  2. ^ Appearances in UEFA Europa Conference League

References

  1. ^ "Nathaniel Adjei" (in French). Lorient.
  2. ^ "Nathaniel Adjei tackar för stödet: "Mina DM bara exploderade"" (in Swedish). Fotboll STHLM. 21 September 2022. Retrieved 7 October 2022.
  3. ^ "Base Soccer Agency grabs Ghana U-20 defender Nathaniel Adjei". News Ghana. 21 May 2020. Retrieved 18 September 2022.
  4. ^ "Varmt välkomna till HTFF" (in Swedish). Hammarby Talang FF. 13 August 2021. Retrieved 18 September 2022.
  5. ^ "Talangkollen: Vårsäsongen 2022" (in Swedish). Ettan Fotboll. 6 July 2022. Retrieved 31 January 2023.
  6. ^ "Adjei till A-laget från HTFF" (in Swedish). Hammarby Fotboll. 11 July 2022. Retrieved 18 September 2022.
  7. ^ "Sent tappad seger vid Wieselgrensplatsen" (in Swedish). Hammarby Fotboll. 17 September 2022. Retrieved 18 September 2022.
  8. ^ "Nathaniel Adjei prêté chez les Merlus" (in French). Lorient. 27 January 2024.
  9. ^ "Nathaniel Adjei poursuit son aventure au FC Lorient" (in French). Lorient. 15 June 2024.
  10. ^ "We're not taking any chances, says Ghana starlet ahead of Cote d'Ivoire clash at Wafu Zone B championship". Goal. 11 September 2018. Retrieved 18 September 2022.
  11. ^ "Satellites search for lost glory". Ghana Football Association. 27 January 2019. Retrieved 18 September 2022.
  12. ^ "Black Satellites off to Mauritania for U20 Afcon". Ghana Football Association. 13 February 2021. Retrieved 18 September 2022.
  13. ^ "Ghana beat debutants Uganda to clinch Total AFCON U20 title". Confederation of African Football. 6 March 2021. Retrieved 18 September 2022.
  14. ^ "Black Satellites receive massive boost as three injured players return to training". Ghana Football Association. 1 March 2021. Retrieved 18 September 2022.
  15. ^ "Ghana v Niger game report". ESPN. 18 November 2024.
  16. ^ Nathaniel Adjei at Soccerway