Nathan Oduwa

Nathan Oduwa

Nathan Oduwa at the London Puma store signing, August 2015
Personal information
Full name	Kelade Nathan Oduwa[1]
Date of birth	5 March 1996
Place of birth	Bloomsbury, England[2]
Height	1.85m (6ft 1in)
Playing position	Winger
Club information
Current team	Colchester United (on loan from Tottenham Hotspur)
Number	30
Youth career
2007–2015	Tottenham Hotspur
Senior career*
Years	Team	Apps^†	(Gls)^†
2015–	Tottenham Hotspur	0	(0)
2015	→ Luton Town (loan)	11	(0)
2015–2016	→ Rangers (loan)	15	(1)
2016–	→ Colchester United (loan)	2	(0)
National team^‡
2013	England U17	7	(0)
2014	England U18	3	(0)
2015–	England U20	3	(0)
* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only and correct as of 5 March 2016 (UTC). † Appearances (goals) ‡ National team caps and goals correct as of 14 October 2015

Kelede Nathan Oduwa (born 5 March 1996) is an English professional footballer who plays as a winger for Colchester United, on loan from Tottenham Hotspur. Oduwa also plays for the England U20 national team.

Oduwa was born in England, and has represented England up to U20 level, but through his heritage he also has the option to represent Nigeria.

Club career

Oduwa has been with Tottenham Hotspur from the age of 11, and has risen through the ranks in the youth academy. Oduwa signed his first professional contract in July 2012. He played for the club's Under-18 team, making 20 appearances and scoring 10 goals during the 2013–14 season.^[2] Oduwa was promoted to the Under-21 team the subsequent season and on 2 February 2015, Oduwa joined Luton Town on loan until the end of the 2014–15 season.^[3]

He made his Football League debut as a substitute for Shaun Whalley on 7 February 2015 in a 1–1 draw against Oxford United at the Kassam Stadium.^[4] He made a total of elven appearances for Luton, many of them coming from the bench.

On 13 August 2015, Oduwa, alongside Spurs teammate, Dominic Ball, signed for Scottish Championship club Rangers on loan till the end of the season. He made his début on 16 August as a substitute in a 5–1 victory over Alloa Athletic.^[5] During the game he sparked controversy by performing a rainbow flick, which an Alloa defender called "disrespectful". Oduwa scored his first goal for the Ibrox club in a 4–0 win over Dumbarton on 1 December 2015.^[6] By late October, he had managed four assists,^[7] as well as winning several penalties. However, as Rangers sought more permanent options in Oduwa's position, his loan spell was cut short, and he returned to Tottenham Hotspur on 17 January 2016.^[8]

On 26 February 2016, Oduwa signed for League One side Colchester United on a one month loan move.

International career

Oduwa has represented England at multiple youth levels. In September 2015, he was named in the England U-20 squad,^[9] the highest level of international football he's played at so far.

Style of play

Oduwa mainly plays as a left winger, although he is also capable of playing on the right wing. He has a very direct playstyle, and uses pace, dribbling and tricks (such as his controversial "rainbow flick"^[10]) to beat defenders. He provides assists with his balls in from wide positions, and also draws a lot of fouls.^{[11] [12]}

Honours

Rangers

• Scottish Championship: 2015–16

Career statistics

As of 5 March 2016

Club statistics

Club	Season	League			FA Cup		League Cup		Other		Total
		Division	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals
Tottenham Hotspur	2014–15[13]	Premier League	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
	2015–16[14]		0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
	Total		0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
Luton Town (loan)	2014–15[13]	League Two	11	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	11	0
Rangers (loan)	2015–16[14]	Scottish Championship	15	1	0	0	2	0	2	0	19	1
Colchester United (loan)	2015–16[14]	League One	2	0	–		–		–		2	0
Career Total			28	1	0	0	2	0	2	0	32	1

References

1. "Nathan Oduwa". Hugman's Footballers. Retrieved 3 October 2015.
2. "Nathan Oduwa – Team". Tottenham Hotspur F.C. 13 February 2015. Retrieved 13 February 2015.
3. "Transfer Deadline Day: Nathan Oduwa leaves Tottenham for Luton". BBC Sport. 2 February 2015. Retrieved 13 February 2015.
4. "Oxford Utd 1–1 Luton". BBC Sport. 7 February 2015. Retrieved 13 February 2015.
5. "Spurs Duo Arrive On Loan". Rangers FC. 13 August 2015. Retrieved 16 August 2015.
6. "Rangers' Nathan Oduwa criticised by Alloa defender". Sky Sports.
7. "Rangers striker Martyn Waghorn grateful for Nathan Oduwa's late assist". Here Is The City.
8. "Rangers loanee Nathan Oduwa returns to Tottenham Hotspur after loan spell cut short". Graeme Young. Daily Record. 17 January 2016.
9. The Football Association. "England Under-20s squad named for Mercedes Elite Cup in Germany – England – The FA". thefa.com.
10. "BBC Sport – A flick too far from Rangers' Nathan Oduwa?". BBC Sport.
11. "Nathan Oduwa won’t be put off by the tackles or the comments. He’ll just keep coming back for more.". Herald Scotland.
12. http://www.london24.com/sport/football/clubs/tottenham/watch_spurs_starlet_breaks_his_duck_as_rangers_romp_to_victory_1_4333243
13. "Games played by Nathan Oduwa in 2014/2015". Soccerbase. Retrieved 13 February 2015.
14. "Games played by Nathan Oduwa in 2015/16". Soccerbase. Retrieved 15 August 2015.

External links

• Nathan Oduwa career statistics at Soccerbase
• Nathan Oduwa profile at Soccerway