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Ashanti Akpan

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Ashanti Akpan
Personal information
Date of birth (2005-11-24) 24 November 2005 (age 18)
Place of birth Warsaw, Poland[1]
Height 1.67 m (5 ft 6 in)[2]
Position(s) Midfielder
Team information
Current team
 Birmingham City
(on loan from Chelsea)
Number 21
Youth career
Kosa Konstancin
2013–2024 Chelsea
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2022– Chelsea 0 (0)
2024– → Birmingham City (loan) 6 (0)
International career
England U16
England U17
England U18
2023–2024 England U19
*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 20 October 2024

Ashanti Akpan (born 24 November 2005) is a professional footballer who plays as a midfielder for Birmingham City, on loan from Chelsea. Born in Poland, she represents England internationally.

Club career

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Akpan joined the Chelsea Academy in August 2013, aged seven. With the Academy squad, she won the FA Youth Cup in 2021–22 and the FA WSL Academy Cup in 2022–23.[3]

She was involved with the Chelsea senior squad for the first time when she was named on the bench in a 2–0 UEFA Women's Champions League win over Real Madrid Femenino on 23 November 2022, though she did not feature.[4] Her debut came in a 3–1 Women's FA Cup win against Reading on 19 March 2023, when she came on as a second-half substitute for Sophie Ingle.[5] In December of the same year, Akpan signed her first professional contract with the club until the summer of 2025, with the option to extend by a further year.[3]

International career

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Internationally, Akpan is eligible to play for Poland through her place of birth, for Nigeria through her Nigerian father, and for England.[1][6] She was capped for the latter at all youth levels from under-15 to under-19.[2] With the under-19s, she participated at the 2024 UEFA Women's Under-19 Championship, where England reached the semi-finals after being eliminated by eventual champions Spain.[7]

In October 2024, Akpan was called up to the England under-23 squad following the injury to Massie Symonds.[8]

Personal life

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Akpan was born in Warsaw to a Polish mother and Nigerian father, and later moved to England with her family.[1] She is the sister of fellow professional footballer Ashley Akpan.[1]

Career statistics

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Club

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As of 20 October 2024[9]
Appearances and goals by club, season and competition
Club Season League National cup[a] League cup[b] Continental Total
Division Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals
Chelsea 2022–23 Women's Super League 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 1 0
2023–24 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
Total 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 1 0
Birmingham City (loan) 2024–25 Women's Championship 6 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 7 0
Career total 6 0 1 0 1 0 0 0 8 0
  1. ^ Includes Women's FA Cup
  2. ^ Includes Women's League Cup

References

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  1. ^ a b c d Westerby, Nick (6 April 2019). "Football associations involved in three-way scrap for talented Polish-Nigerian footballing siblings". The First News. Retrieved 23 November 2022.
  2. ^ a b "Ashanti Akpan – Profile". Chelsea F.C. Retrieved 8 January 2024.
  3. ^ a b "Academy midfielder Ashanti Akpan signs first professional contract". Chelsea F.C. 22 December 2023. Retrieved 7 February 2024.
  4. ^ "Chelsea vs. Real Madrid – 23 November 2022". Soccerway. Retrieved 19 March 2023.
  5. ^ "Report: Reading Women 1 Chelsea Women 3". Chelsea F.C. 19 March 2023. Retrieved 19 March 2023.
  6. ^ "Meet Nigerian-born Ashanti Akpan who plays for Chelsea women's youth team". The Daily News. 29 July 2021. Retrieved 23 November 2022.
  7. ^ Vassell, Zac (24 July 2024). "Report: England WU19s 1–3 Spain". England Football. Retrieved 21 October 2024.
  8. ^ "England squad update: WU23 and WU19 changes". England Football. 21 October 2024. Retrieved 21 October 2024.
  9. ^ Ashanti Akpan at Soccerway
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