Izunna_Uzochukwu
Izunna Uzochukwu
Nigerian footballer
Izunna Arnest Uzochukwu (born 11 April 1990) is a Nigerian professional footballer who plays for Denmark Series club OKS.
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| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | Izunna Arnest Uzochukwu | ||
| Date of birth | (1990-04-11) 11 April 1990 (age 34) | ||
| Place of birth | Nigeria | ||
| Height | 1.71 m (5 ft 7 in) | ||
| Position(s) | Defensive midfielder | ||
| Team information | |||
Current team | OKS | ||
| Youth career | |||
| 0000–2004 | Makbet | ||
| 2004–2006 | Ebedei | ||
| 2006–2009 | Midtjylland | ||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
| 2009–2015 | Midtjylland | 150 | (4) |
| 2015–2016 | Amkar Perm | 9 | (0) |
| 2016–2018 | OB | 52 | (1) |
| 2018–2019 | Meizhou Hakka | 8 | (0) |
| 2019–2021 | Aalesund | 36 | (0) |
| 2021 | Honka | 13 | (0) |
| 2022–2023 | B1909 | ||
| 2024– | OKS | ||
| International career | |||
| 2015 | Nigeria | 1 | (0) |
| Managerial career | |||
| 2023 | B1909 (player-assistant) | ||
| *Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 31 October 2021 | |||
Club
During the summer of 2013, Uzochukwu was subject to a transfer bid from Valenciennes, but the deal fell through.[1]
In July 2015, Uzochukwu signed a three-year contract with Russian Premier League side Amkar Perm.[2][3]
He returned to Denmark in January 2016 to play for OB.[4] He left the club by mutual termination on 2 January 2018.[5]
Uzochukw joined China League One side Meizhou Hakka on 29 January 2018.[6]
At the end of March 2022, Uzochukwu joined Danish amateur club B1909.[7] In January 2023, the club confirmed that Uzochukwu would serve as a playing assistant coach going forward.[8] In December 2023, Uzochukwu was expelled from Denmark when his residence permit was taken away from him on January 1, 2018, when he switched to Chinese MZ Hakka, despite having a girlfriend and a daughter in Denmark.[9] By March 2024, Izunna would be back in Denmark, confirmed the Funen-based club, OKS. Here, Izunna would serve as a player until the summer, after which he would serve as a playing assistant coach from the upcoming 2024-25 season.[10]
International
Uzochukwu was called up to the Nigeria national team for the first time in September 2015,[11][12] making his debut against Tanzania on 5 September.[13]
Club
| Club | Season | League | National Cup | Continental | Other | Total | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Division | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | ||
| Midtjylland | 2008–09 | Danish Superliga | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | – | – | 2 | 0 | ||
| 2009–10 | 21 | 1 | 4 | 0 | – | – | 25 | 1 | ||||
| 2010–11 | 30 | 2 | 4 | 0 | – | – | 34 | 2 | ||||
| 2011–12 | 30 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 4 | 0 | – | 35 | 0 | |||
| 2012–13 | 26 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 0 | – | 30 | 0 | |||
| 2013–14 | 19 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 0 | – | 22 | 1 | |||
| 2014–15 | 22 | 0 | 0 | 0 | – | – | 0 | 0 | ||||
| Total | 150 | 4 | 12 | 0 | 8 | 0 | – | – | 170 | 4 | ||
| Amkar Perm | 2015–16 | Russian Premier League | 9 | 0 | 2 | 0 | – | – | 11 | 0 | ||
| Total | 9 | 0 | 2 | 0 | – | – | – | – | 11 | 0 | ||
| Odense BK | 2015–16 | Danish Superliga | 14 | 0 | 0 | 0 | – | – | 14 | 0 | ||
| 2016–17 | 24 | 0 | 0 | 0 | – | – | 24 | 0 | ||||
| 2017–18 | 14 | 1 | 0 | 0 | – | – | 14 | 1 | ||||
| Total | 52 | 1 | 0 | 0 | – | – | – | – | 52 | 1 | ||
| Meizhou Hakka | 2018 | China League One | 8 | 0 | 0 | 0 | – | – | 8 | 0 | ||
| Total | 8 | 0 | 0 | 0 | – | – | – | – | 8 | 0 | ||
| Aalesund | 2019 | OBOS-ligaen | 12 | 0 | 3 | 0 | – | – | 15 | 0 | ||
| 2020 | Eliteserien | 24 | 0 | 0 | 0 | – | – | 24 | 0 | |||
| Total | 36 | 0 | 3 | 0 | – | – | – | – | 39 | 0 | ||
| Career total | 255 | 5 | 17 | 0 | 8 | 0 | – | – | 280 | 5 | ||
International
Statistics accurate as of match played 5 September 2015[15]
Club
- Midtjylland
- "Valenciennes fail to conclude Izunna Uzochukwu deal". en.starafrica.com/. Star Africa. 12 July 2013. Archived from the original on 16 July 2013. Retrieved 7 December 2015.
- Лучший опорный полузащитник Дании перебрался в "Амкар" (in Russian). FC Amkar Perm. 8 July 2015.
- "Russian side Amkar Perm hand Izunna Uzochukwu three-year deal". www.goal.com/. Goal.com. 9 July 2015. Retrieved 7 December 2015.
- Изунна Узочакву перешел в «Оденсе» (in Russian). FC Amkar Perm. 25 January 2016.
- OB og Izunna ophæver samarbejdet‚ bold.dk, 2 January 2018
- "梅州客家官方宣布尼日利亚球员加盟 将穿15号球衣". www.163.com/. 163.com. 29 January 2018. Retrieved 29 January 2018.
- Stort scoop: DS-klub henter Izunna, bold.dk, 28 March 2022
- Izunna lander job i Danmarksserien: Kan få endnu mere ud af ham, bold.dk, 17 January 2023
- Izunna udvist af Danmark, bold.dk, 15 December 2023
- Izunna Uzochukwu er ny spiller i OKS!, facebook.com, 18 March 2024
- "New Super Eagle Uzochukwu: Bring On Tanzania!". www.completesportsnigeria.com/. Complete Sports Nigeria. 1 September 2015. Retrieved 7 December 2015.
- "Ikeme, Izunna earn surprise Nigeria call". www.supersport.com/. SuperSport. 17 August 2015. Retrieved 7 December 2015.
- "Tanzania hold Nigeria in Group G". www.kingfut.com/. kingfut. 5 September 2015. Retrieved 7 December 2015.
- "I.Uzochukwu". uk.soccerway.com/. Soccerway. Retrieved 7 December 2015.
- "Izunna Uzochukwu". National-Football-Teams.com. Retrieved 7 December 2015.
- Izunna Uzochukwu at Soccerway
- Izunna Uzochukwu at National-Football-Teams.com
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