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England Under-20 World Cup winner Sheyi Ojo joins FC Aktobe
Sheyi Ojo has joined Kazakhstan Premier League side FC Aktobe on a free transfer and remains open to representing Nigeria at senior international level.
The 29-year-old winger moves to the five-time Kazakhstan champions after his contract with Slovenian club NK Maribor expired. Aktobe confirmed the signing on their official website.
Ojo was born in Hemel Hempstead and has represented England through every youth age group from Under-16 to Under-21 level. He was part of the Young Lions squad that won the Fifa Under-20 World Cup in 2017.
Despite his extensive youth career with England, Ojo is eligible to play for Nigeria through his parents. He has previously made clear that he would consider switching allegiance to the Super Eagles if approached by the Nigeria Football Federation.
His England Under-20 World Cup-winning team-mates included future African Footballer of the Year Ademola Lookman, former Golden Eaglets invitee Ovie Ejaria and Tottenham Hotspur academy graduate Josh Onomah.
Ojo began his career in the Liverpool academy and went on to earn promotion to the Reds’ first team. He later gained experience at a number of clubs in England and across Europe.
In England, he played for Wigan Athletic, Wolverhampton Wanderers, Fulham, Cardiff City and Millwall. His overseas career has also included spells with Reims in France, Rangers in Scotland, Kortrijk in Belgium and NK Maribor in Slovenia.
His move to FC Aktobe represents the latest stage of a career that has taken him across several leagues since emerging from Liverpool’s youth system. The Kazakhstan club will now become his latest employers following his departure from Maribor.
Ojo also shares an agent with several established Nigeria internationals, including Alex Iwobi, Joe Aribo, Ola Aina, Josh Maja and Terem Moffi.
The winger’s international future therefore remains undecided. While he has represented England at every youth level, he has not been tied to the senior team and could still be eligible to play for Nigeria should the relevant approach be made.
Aktobe’s confirmation brings Ojo’s time in Slovenia to an end and gives the Kazakhstan club an experienced player with a background in English football and European competition. The club are five-time champions of Kazakhstan and have added Ojo without a transfer fee following the expiry of his Maribor contract.
