By Oluwadamilola Olaleye
Tottenham Hotspur have confirmed that 19-year-old forward Damola Ajayi has joined Doncaster Rovers on a season-long loan for the 2025–26 campaign, as the promising attacker seeks regular first-team football.
Of Nigerian descent, Ajayi enjoyed a standout season with Spurs’ Under-21 side and was named in several first-team matchday squads.
He made his senior debut in January, scoring in a 3–0 UEFA Europa League win over Elfsborg at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.
Speaking to Doncaster’s media team, Ajayi expressed his excitement about the move: “I’m really pleased. This is a top club that has just had a great season, and I’m ready to kick on.
“I can see what Rovers are trying to build, and I want to be part of something big, especially after their title win last season.”
Ajayi signed his first professional contract with Spurs in January 2024 and impressed at youth level, scoring 19 goals in 42 appearances for the U18s before progressing to the U21 squad.
He also featured in six matches during the Vertu Motors Trophy, including a goal in a draw against Bristol Rovers last August.
The move to League One side Doncaster Rovers is seen as a key step in Ajayi’s development, offering him the opportunity to gain valuable minutes in a senior team environment.
Samuel Ahmadu is a distinguished multimedia journalist and women's football expert with over 15 years of experience in the industry. He began his career at Goal.com in February 2014, where he served as an African women's football correspondent for nearly eight years. During his tenure at Goal.com, Samuel covered major events such as three Women's Africa Cup of Nations (2016, 2018, 2022) and the 2015 FIFA Women's World Cup in Canada plus 2018 FIFA World Cup in Russia. His work at Goal.com earned him widespread acclaim, particularly for his in-depth profiles of African football stars, notably Asisat Oshoala, whose rise he documented from her early years to her breakthrough at the FIFA U20 Women's World Cup in 2014. Prior to his role at Goal.com, Samuel freelanced for various print and broadcast media outlets in Nigeria, including Graphics Newspaper, Radio Nigeria, Grace FM, and Savid Newspaper. His extensive experience and expertise led to his appointment to the Nigeria Football Federation's Standing Committee on Women's Football Development from 2016 to 2018. Since February 2018, Samuel has been the Social Media Manager for Nigeria's women's national teams.In 2019, Samuel joined the Confederation of African Football (CAF) as a women's football content contributor and was promoted to Women's Football Editor in 2021. His contributions to women's football continued as he worked as a Media Consultant for Content Creation and Editorials at the 2022 CAF Women's Champions League. Currently, Samuel also serves as the spokesman for the Nigeria Women Football League, further solidifying his influence and dedication to the growth of women's football in Africa.
