Nathan Opoku
Personal information
Full name Nathaniel Opoku
Date of birth (2001-07-22) 22 July 2001
Place of birth Accra, Ghana
Height 1.82 m (6 ft 0 in)[1]
Position(s) Forward, attacking midfielder
Team information
Current team
 OH Leuven
(on loan from Leicester City)
Number 21
Youth career
FDM Field Masters
College career
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2021 Lindsey Wilson Blue Raiders 19 (19)
2022 Syracuse Orange 25 (11)
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2022 Ventura County Fusion 16 (11)
2023– Leicester City 0 (0)
2023– → OH Leuven (loan) 18 (4)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 18:21, 1 January 2024 (UTC)

Nathaniel Opoku is a Ghanaian professional footballer who plays as a forward or an attacking midfielder for Belgian Pro League club OH Leuven, on loan from EFL Championship club Leicester City.

Early life

Opoku started playing football in Ghana with the FDM Field Masters where he was a teammate of Kamal Sowah.[2]

Career

College in United States

Opoku played for Lindsey Wilson College in Columbia, Kentucky, where he scored 19 goals and five assists in 19 games in 2021.[3]

In 2022, Opoku transferred to Syracuse University, where he became a prominent striker in the Atlantic Coast Conference under head coach Ian McIntyre.[4][5] He helped Syracuse Orange men's soccer team win the National Championship in the 2022 NCAA Division I men's soccer tournament, scoring in the final before they defeated eight-time NCAA Champions Indiana 7-6 on penalties.[6] He totaled 11 goals and eight assists in 25 matches for Syracuse.[5] At the end of the 2022 season, Opoku was named to United Soccer Coaches’ Third-Team All-America and All-ACC First Team[7] as well as he was the NCAA College Cup Most Outstanding Offensive Player,[8] 2022 NCAA All-Tournament Team honoree.[1]

Ventura County Fusion

Opoku played for Ventura County Fusion in USL League Two in 2022. He played and was named as the MVP as Fusion defeated the Long Island Rough Riders to win the USL League Two championship in 2022.[9] Opoku scored 11 goals in 16 appearances in 2022 for Ventura County Fusion.[10]

Leicester City and loan to Belgium

In January 2023, Opoku was reported to have signed for Premier League club Leicester City and loaned to Belgian club OH Leuven for six months.[11][12] According to Sky Sports News, Opoku rejected the opportunity to be a top pick in the 2023 MLS SuperDraft in favour of the European move.[13] Opoku scored his first league goal for Leuven on April 8, 2023 in a 4–1 home win against KV Mechelen.[14]

Personal life

Opoku is from Accra, Ghana.[15]

Honours

Syracuse University

Ventura County Fusion

Individual

References

  1. 1 2 "Nathan Opoku". cuse.com. 2022.
  2. ↑ "NATHAN OPOKU NAAR OH LEUVEN". Ohleuven.com (Press release).
  3. ↑ Carlisle, Jeff (31 January 2023). "Leicester sign forward Opoku out of Syracuse". ESPN.com. Retrieved 1 February 2023.
  4. ↑ Bambini, Cole (January 31, 2023). "Nathan Opoku reportedly signing with Premier League's Leicester City". The Daily Orange. Retrieved January 31, 2023.
  5. 1 2 "Opoku Signs With Leicester City F.C." Syracuse University Athletics. January 31, 2023. Retrieved 1 February 2023.
  6. ↑ Camargo, Alberto (13 December 2022). "Syracuse wins the 2022 Men's College Cup on PKs after dramatic 2-2 draw". NCAA. Retrieved 13 December 2022.
  7. ↑ "2022 All-ACC Men's Soccer Team Announced". theacc.com (Press release). Atlantic Coast Conference. November 9, 2022. Retrieved November 10, 2022.
  8. ↑ @NCAASoccer (December 13, 2022). "Russell Shealy is the Defensive MOP!!! 🤩 Congratulations to Nathan Opoku on being named the 2022 Most Outstanding Offensive Player of The NCAA Tournament! #MCollegeCup x @CuseMSOC" (Tweet) – via Twitter.
  9. ↑ "Ventura County Fusion win 2022 League Two Playoff Final". USL League Two.
  10. ↑ "Nathaniel Opoku". uslleaguetwo.com.
  11. ↑ "Leicester City 'complete' first transfer deadline day signing". Leicester Mercury. 31 January 2023.
  12. ↑ "Foxes sign youngster Opoku before loan move". BBC Sport.
  13. ↑ Bloomer, Danny (31 January 2023). "Nathan Opoku in profile as Leicester City seal deadline day transfer". Leicester Mercury. Retrieved 1 February 2023.
  14. ↑ "Ghanaian youngster Nathaniel Opoku scores debut goal, assists as OH Leuven thrash KV Mechelen". kickgh.com. April 8, 2023. Retrieved April 8, 2023.
  15. ↑ "Leicester City sign Ghanaian youngster Nathan Opoku". Ghanasoccernet.com.
  16. ↑ "Syracuse Downs Clemson, 2-0, to Win 2022 ACC Men's Soccer Championship". The ACC. Retrieved 2023-02-01.
  17. ↑ "Syracuse Wins 2022 NCAA Men's Soccer Championship". theacc.com. Retrieved 2023-02-01.
  18. ↑ "Ventura County Fusion win 2022 League Two Playoff Final". USL League Two. 2022-08-07. Retrieved 2023-02-01.
  19. ↑ "Ventura County Fusion win 2022 League Two Playoff Final". USL League Two. 2022-08-07. Retrieved 2023-02-01.
  20. ↑ "2022 USL League Two All-League teams Announced". uslleaguetwo.com. USL League Two. September 21, 2022.
  21. ↑ "2022 USL League Two All-Conference Teams Announced". uslleaguetwo.com. USL League Two. September 9, 2022.
  22. 1 2 "Syracuse Wins 2022 NCAA Men's Soccer Championship". theacc.com. Retrieved 2023-02-01.
  23. ↑ "2022 All-ACC Men's Soccer Team Announced". theacc.com. Atlantic Coast Conference. November 9, 2022. Retrieved November 10, 2022.
  24. ↑ "2022 NCAA Division I Men's All-Americans Announced". United Soccer Coaches. December 9, 2022. Retrieved December 13, 2022.
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