Ashanti Akpan
| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Date of birth | 24 November 2005 | ||
| 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
[edit]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
[edit]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
[edit]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
[edit]Club
[edit]- As of 20 October 2024[9]
| 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 | ||
- ^ Includes Women's FA Cup
- ^ Includes Women's League Cup
References
[edit]- ^ 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.
- ^ a b "Ashanti Akpan – Profile". Chelsea F.C. Retrieved 8 January 2024.
- ^ a b "Academy midfielder Ashanti Akpan signs first professional contract". Chelsea F.C. 22 December 2023. Retrieved 7 February 2024.
- ^ "Chelsea vs. Real Madrid – 23 November 2022". Soccerway. Retrieved 19 March 2023.
- ^ "Report: Reading Women 1 Chelsea Women 3". Chelsea F.C. 19 March 2023. Retrieved 19 March 2023.
- ^ "Meet Nigerian-born Ashanti Akpan who plays for Chelsea women's youth team". The Daily News. 29 July 2021. Retrieved 23 November 2022.
- ^ Vassell, Zac (24 July 2024). "Report: England WU19s 1–3 Spain". England Football. Retrieved 21 October 2024.
- ^ "England squad update: WU23 and WU19 changes". England Football. 21 October 2024. Retrieved 21 October 2024.
- ^ Ashanti Akpan at Soccerway