Jayden Ogbebor: Ireland-Nigeria striker steps up to Stoke City U21 ranks

Ireland-Nigeria forward Jayden Ogbebor has joined Stoke City U21 from Stoke U18, completing an internal move that takes the teenage centre-forward into Premier League 2 football. The 18-year-old, who plays through the middle in attack, links up with the club’s under-21 squad from 15 July 2026.

Ogbebor arrives in the U21 set-up after a prolific spell in the U18 Premier League, where he scored 19 goals and provided two assists in 45 appearances, averaging a goal roughly every 131 minutes across 2,495 minutes of action. His performances at that level earned him a promotion through the club’s age groups over the past two seasons.

The striker progressed from the Stoke Academy into the U18 team ahead of the 2024-25 campaign, before making the latest step from Stoke U18 to Stoke U21 for the 2026-27 season. He has already had a brief taste of under-21 football and cup competition, featuring in Premier League 2, the Premier League Cup and the FA Youth Cup, where he accumulated further minutes across eight league matches and four domestic cup ties.

Born on 4 January 2008, Ogbebor represents both Irish and Nigerian nationality and is listed primarily as a centre-forward. His elevation to the under-21 squad places him in a higher standard of competition, with Stoke U21 competing in Premier League 2.

The move confirms Ogbebor’s progression into Stoke City’s U21 ranks ahead of the 2026-27 season.