Tochi Chukwuani
Personal information
Full name Tochi Phil Chukwuani
Date of birth (2003-03-24) 24 March 2003
Place of birth Herlev, Denmark[1]
Height 1.87 m (6 ft 2 in)
Position(s) Midfielder
Team information
Current team
 Lyngby
Number 42
Youth career
B. 73, Herlev
B.93
Nordsjælland
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2019–2022 Nordsjælland 33 (3)
2022– Lyngby 40 (3)
International career‡
2018–2019 Denmark U16 6 (2)
2019–2020 Denmark U17 15 (0)
2020–2021 Denmark U19 8 (3)
2021 Denmark U20 1 (0)
2023– Denmark U21 2 (0)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 13 December 2023
‡ National team caps and goals, correct as of 15 May 2023

Tochi Phil Chukwuani (born 24 March 2003) is a Danish professional footballer who plays as a midfielder for the Danish Superliga club Lyngby Boldklub.

Club career

Nordsjælland

Born in Herlev to Nigerian parents,[1] Chukwuani started playing football in the youth of B.93 before moving to the youth academy of Superliga club FC Nordsjælland. He practiced with the first team at age 14, and head coach Flemming Pedersen stated that he was "one of the top players of the future".[2] In July 2019, Chukwuani signed a three-year contract, keeping him in Nordsjælland until 2022.[3]

On 22 September 2019, Chukwuani made his professional debut in the Superliga in a 2–1 home win over AaB, thereby becoming the sixth youngest player to appear in a game in the league.[4] He came on as a substitute in the 82nd minute for Magnus Kofod Andersen.[5] On 17 July 2020, Chukwuani scored his first senior goal in a 6–3 away loss to eventual champions Midtjylland.[6] With the goal, he became the club's youngest scorer in league history, a record that was broken the following season by teammate Andreas Schjelderup at 16 years and 284 days.[7] He finished the season with 9 total appearances his which he scored one goal.[8]

On 5 April 2022, it was reported that Chukwuani had signed with Italian Serie A club Hellas Verona. Among others, the well-known transfer journalist Fabrizio Romano posted a picture of Chukwuani back in April, wearing a Verona jersey.[9] However, according to an Italian newspaper on 14 July 2022, Chukwuani failed the medical check in Verona because the medical staff had found a minor heart defect and as there were strict rules in Italy regarding heart problems, the transfer was no longer possible.[10]

Lyngby

After training with Lyngby Boldklub for several weeks, the club confirmed on 31 August 2022, that Chukwuani had signed a two-year deal with the newly promoted Danish Superliga team.[11] He made his debut for the club on 4 September, starting in a 2–0 home loss to Randers.[12] On 7 May 2023, he scored his first goal for De Kongeblå, opening the score in the second minute of a 2–1 league victory against Midtjylland.[13]

International career

He is a youth international for Denmark.[14]

Career statistics

Club

As of match played 26 November 2023[15]
Appearances and goals by club, season and competition
Club Season League Danish Cup Europe Other Total
DivisionAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoals
Nordsjælland 2019–20 Superliga 7120——91
2020–21 Superliga 26210——50
2021–22 Superliga 0000——00
Total 33330——363
Lyngby 2022–23 Superliga 231———231
2023–24 Superliga 16220——182
Total 39320——413
Career total 726500000776

    References

    1. 1 2 Erboe Vestergaard, Andreas (27 November 2017). "I FC Nordsjælland coacher Superligaspillerne de unge: Inspirationen til den specielle ordning kommer blandt andet fra Paul Scholes". Euroman (in Danish). Retrieved 28 October 2020. Tochi Chukwuani, [...] er født og opvokset i Herlev og går i 9. klasse.
    2. ↑ Blond, Mikael (4 August 2018). "FCN-træner teaser: 16-årig stortalent er på vej". bold.dk (in Danish). Retrieved 29 October 2020.
    3. ↑ Schmidt, Martin (25 July 2019). "FC Nordsjælland forlænger med 16-årig midt". bold.dk (in Danish). Retrieved 29 October 2020.
    4. ↑ Schmidt, Martin (23 September 2019). "FCN-boss roser 16-årig: AGF slipper for ham". bold.dk (in Danish). Retrieved 29 October 2020.
    5. ↑ Hebo, Benjamin Alexander (22 September 2019). "Chanceorgie da FC Nordsjælland slog AaB". bold.dk (in Danish). Retrieved 29 October 2020.
    6. ↑ Frigaard, Anders (17 July 2020). "MINUT FOR MINUT Midtjylland tager sejren i målfest mod Nordsjælland". DR (in Danish). Retrieved 29 October 2020. Stik mod spil og chancer lykkedes det den indskiftede Tochi Chukwuani at udligne med 20 minutter igen.
    7. ↑ "ANDREAS SCHJELDERUP ER YNGSTE FCN-MÅLSCORER I SUPERLIGAEN NOGENSINDE". FCN (in Danish). 12 March 2021. Retrieved 21 March 2021.
    8. ↑ "T. Chukwuani - Soccerway". int.soccerway.com. Perform Group. Retrieved 29 October 2020.
    9. ↑ Se billedet: Superliga-spiller rykker til Serie A, tipsbladet.dk, 5 April 2022
    10. ↑ Medie: Tochi Chukwuani glipper Serie A-skifte grundet hjerteproblemer, bt.dk, 16 July 2022
    11. ↑ "Talentfulde Tochi skifter til De Kongeblå" [Talented Tochi moves to the Royal Blues]. Lyngby Boldklub (in Danish). 31 August 2022. Archived from the original on 31 August 2022. Retrieved 30 November 2023.
    12. ↑ "Lyngby vs. Randers 0–2: Summary". Soccerway. Perform Group. Archived from the original on 30 November 2023. Retrieved 30 November 2023.
    13. ↑ Bitsch, Ole (7 May 2023). "FCM smeltede i forårssolen: Tabte til bundholdet". Herning Folkeblad (in Danish). Archived from the original on 7 May 2023. Retrieved 30 November 2023.
    14. ↑ "Official : Denmark U17 Star Of Nigerian Descent Chukwuani Signs New Deal With FC Nordsjaelland | All Nigeria Soccer". allnigeriasoccer.com. 25 July 2019. Archived from the original on 26 July 2019. Retrieved 30 November 2023.
    15. ↑ Tochi Chukwuani at Soccerway. Retrieved 28 October 2019.
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