Emmanuel Oluwanifemi Adegboyegaⓘ (born 16 September 2003) is an Irish professional footballer who plays as a defender for EFL League Two club Rotherham United. [3]
.jpg) Adegboyega in 2026 | |||
| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | Emmanuel Oluwanifemi Adegboyega[1] | ||
| Date of birth | 16 September 2003 | ||
| Place of birth | Dundalk, Ireland | ||
| Height | 1.91 m (6 ft 3 in)[2] | ||
| Position | Defender | ||
| Team information | |||
Current team | Rotherham United | ||
| Number | 36 | ||
| Youth career | |||
| 2021 | Drogheda United | ||
| 2022 | Dundalk | ||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
| 2023 | Drogheda United | 22 | (1) |
| 2023–2026 | Norwich City | 0 | (0) |
| 2024 | → Walsall (loan) | 13 | (3) |
| 2024–2025 | → Dundee United (loan) | 31 | (3) |
| 2026– | Rotherham United | 11 | (1) |
| International career‡ | |||
| 2024 | Republic of Ireland U21 | 2 | (0) |
|
* Club domestic league appearances and goals as of 16:24, 25 April 2026 (UTC) ‡ National team caps and goals as of 19:22, 15 October 2024 (UTC) | |||
Club career
editBorn in Dundalk,[2] Adegboyega played for the youth academies of Drogheda United and Dundalk, before returning to Drogheda United by signing for their first team in January 2023.[4] He scored his first senior goal in March 2023 in a 1–0 win away to UCD,[5][6] and earned a Man of the Match award in a derby game against former club Dundalk in June 2023.[7]
Adegboyega signed for English club Norwich City in August 2023,[8][9][10] initially playing for the under-21 team,[11] and he moved on loan to Walsall in January 2024.[12][13] Having scored three goals in four appearances to help his side into play-off contention, he was named EFL Young Player of the Month for February 2024.[14]
In August 2024, he moved on loan to Scottish Premiership club Dundee United.[15][16]
In January 2026, after being linked with a transfer to Stevenage,[17] he signed for Rotherham United on an 18-month contract, for an undisclosed fee.[18][19]
International career
editAdegboyega made his debut for the Republic of Ireland U21 team in a 2025 UEFA European Under-21 Championship qualification Group A fixture as they drew 1–1 with Norway on 11 October 2024.[20]
Career statistics
edit- As of match played 25 April 2026
| Club | Season | League | National cup[a] | League cup[b] | Other | Total | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Division | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | ||
| Drogheda United | 2023[3] | LOI Premier Division | 22 | 1 | 0 | 0 | — | 0 | 0 | 22 | 1 | |
| Norwich City | 2023–24[21] | Championship | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | 0 | 0 | |
| 2024–25[22] | Championship | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | 0 | 0 | ||
| 2025–26[23] | Championship | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | 0 | 0 | ||
| Total | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | ||
| Walsall (loan) | 2023–24[21] | League Two | 13 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 14 | 3 |
| Dundee United (loan) | 2024–25[22] | Scottish Premiership | 31 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 0 | — | 34 | 3 | |
| Rotherham United | 2025–26[23] | League One | 11 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | 11 | 1 | |
| Career total | 77 | 8 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 81 | 8 | ||
- ↑ Includes FAI Cup, FA Cup, Scottish Cup
- ↑ Includes EFL Cup, Scottish League Cup
Honours
editIndividual
- EFL Young Player of the Month: February 2024[14]
References
edit- ↑ "Club List of Registered Players" (PDF). English Football League. p. 14. Retrieved 22 August 2024.
- 1 2 "Emmanuel Adegboyega". worldfootball.net.
- 1 2 Emmanuel Adegboyega at Soccerway. Retrieved 7 November 2024.
- ↑ "Drogheda United announce the capture of defender Emmanuel Adegboyega from Dundalk". Independent.ie. 23 January 2023.
- ↑ Buttner, Paul (10 March 2023). "Adegboyega on the mark as Drogheda overcome UCD". www.rte.ie.
- ↑ Buttner, Paul (10 March 2023). "Teenage centre-back nabs winner as Drogheda United move up to fourth". The 42.
- ↑ "Lessons to learn from Louth derby loss says Drogheda United's Emmanuel Adegboyega". Independent.ie. 26 June 2023.
- ↑ "Norwich City complete signing of Emmanuel Adegboyega". Norwich City.
- ↑ "Norwich City confirm deal for Irish defender". Norwich Evening News. 3 August 2023.
- ↑ "Ex Drogheda United and Dundalk ace Emmanuel Adegboyega raring to go at Norwich City". www.independent.ie. 7 August 2023.
- ↑ "City summer arrival could be their next star in the making". Eastern Daily Press. 6 September 2023.
- ↑ "Walsall sign Norwich defender Adegboyega on loan" – via www.bbc.co.uk.
- ↑ Team, Extratime. "Emmanuel Adegboyega joins Walsall on loan from Norwich City". extratime.com.
- 1 2 "Walsall's Emmanuel Adegboyega named the EFL's Young Player of the Month". www.efl.com. 15 March 2024.
- ↑ "EMMANUEL ADEGBOYEGA ARRIVES ON LOAN FROM NORWICH CITY". Dundee United Football Club.
- ↑ "City defender Adegboyega makes Scottish loan move". The Pink Un. 7 August 2024.
- ↑ "The Millers fought off competition from League One rivals Stevenage". Rotherham Advertiser. 23 January 2026.
- ↑ "City defender seals League One move". The Pink Un. 23 January 2026.
- ↑ "Emmanuel Adegboyega: Rotherham United sign Norwich City defender". BBC Sport. 23 January 2026.
- ↑ "'I couldn't have made it this far without God' – Emmanuel Adegboyega keeps faith after U-21 debut as Italy await". Irish Independent. 13 October 2024.
- 1 2 "Games played by Emmanuel Adegboyega in 2023/2024". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 8 January 2025.
- 1 2 "Games played by Emmanuel Adegboyega in 2024/2025". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 8 January 2025.
- 1 2 "Games played by Emmanuel Adegboyega in 2025/2026". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 23 January 2026.