Quick Facts
SagittariusBiography
Ayodeji Sotona (born 7 December 2002) is an Irish professional footballer who plays as a forward for Doncaster Rovers.
Club career
Early Career
Sotona was born in Waterford, but moved to Mullingar as a child, where he joined local side Mullingar Athletic. At a young age, he joined the Mullingar Harriers Athletic Club, picking up several provincial and national sprinting medals, including an All-Ireland bronze medal in 2013. He then went on to play for Leixlip United.
At the age of 13, he began attracting attention from English sides Manchester City and Manchester United, eventually signing with the latter. While at Manchester United, Sotona was named as the club's fastest player, ahead of first team members Diogo Dalot, Marcus Rashford and Daniel James. After four years with the club, in which he trained with the first team, he rejected the offer of a three-year extension to his contract, and left the club as a free agent in September 2020.
Nice
After a phone call with Patrick Vieira, who was managing Nice at the time, Sotona decided to join the French side at the expiration of his contract with Manchester United. Vieira had promised first-team football, but after he was sacked in December 2020, new manager Adrian Ursea assigned Sotona to the reserves.
With the COVID-19 pandemic disrupting the footballing schedule, he struggled for game time, and when a return to England with Brentford B presented itself in January 2022, Sotona took the opportunity, and joined on a six-month loan deal. On 9 August 2022, Sotona signed for Scottish club Kilmarnock on a season-long loan. He returned to Nice in January 2023.
Burnley
On 30 January 2023, Sotona moved to Burnley, playing for their academy squad until the end of the season.
Doncaster Rovers
On 14 July 2023, Sotana moved to Doncaster Rovers on a free transfer following his release from Burnley.
International career
Sotona is eligible to represent the Republic of Ireland, Nigeria and England at international level. He has represented the Republic of Ireland at under-15 and under-16 level.
Career statistics
Club
- As of matches played 19 December 2022
| Club | Season | League | National cup | League cup | Other | Total | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Division | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | ||
| Manchester United U23 | 2019–20 | — | — | — | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | ||||
| Nice | 2020–21 | Ligue 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| 2021–22 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |||
| 2022–23 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |||
| Kilmarnock B (loan) | 2022–23 | — | — | — | 2 | 1 | 2 | 1 | ||||
| Kilmarnock (loan) | 2022–23 | Scottish Premiership | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 |
| Burnley | 2022–23 | EFL Championship | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Doncaster Rovers | 2023–24 | EFL League One | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Career total | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 1 | 5 | 1 | ||
Notes
