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– Hammarby IF 24 (1)
2023–2024 → Lorient (loan) 15 (0)
2024– Lorient 7 (0)
International career‡
2019–2021 Ghana U-20 2 (0)
2023– Ghana U-23 2 (0)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 25 October 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.[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]

Career statistics

Club

As of match played 25 October 2024[15]
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. ^ Nathaniel Adjei at Soccerway