# Jordan Thompson (footballer, born 1997)
**Jordan Andrew Thompson** (born 1997) is a Northern Irish professional footballer who plays as a central midfielder for [EFL Championship](https://www.edgepedia.org/efl-championship) club Preston North End and the [Northern Ireland](https://www.edgepedia.org/northern-ireland) national team. A left-footed midfielder who began in Manchester United's academy, he has also played for Rangers, Blackpool, and Stoke City, and has won 39 senior caps for Northern Ireland.[1](https://www.transfermarkt.co.uk/jordan-thompson/profil/spieler/321169) • [2](https://www.irishfa.com/news/2025/may/thompson-on-the-move-to-preston)
| Key fact | Detail |
|---|---|
| Full name / born | Jordan Andrew Thompson, 1997, Belfast, Northern Ireland[1](https://www.transfermarkt.co.uk/jordan-thompson/profil/spieler/321169) |
| Position | Central midfield; also listed at defensive midfield and left-back; left-footed[1](https://www.transfermarkt.co.uk/jordan-thompson/profil/spieler/321169) |
| Current club | Preston North End (Championship), joined 1 July 2025, contract to 30 June 2027[1](https://www.transfermarkt.co.uk/jordan-thompson/profil/spieler/321169) |
| Stoke City record | 178 appearances in a five-year spell; 156 league appearances with 3 goals and 6 assists[2](https://www.irishfa.com/news/2025/may/thompson-on-the-move-to-preston) • [3](https://theanalyst.com/players/1201/jordan-thompson) |
| International | 39 caps, 0 goals for Northern Ireland; debut in a scoreless draw with Panama in 2018[1](https://www.transfermarkt.co.uk/jordan-thompson/profil/spieler/321169) • [2](https://www.irishfa.com/news/2025/may/thompson-on-the-move-to-preston) |
| Youth career | Manchester United academy, 2011 to 2015[1](https://www.transfermarkt.co.uk/jordan-thompson/profil/spieler/321169) |
| 2026/27 season | 10 Championship appearances, 783 minutes, 1 goal, 1 assist, four yellow cards[3](https://theanalyst.com/players/1201/jordan-thompson) |
## Early career: Manchester United and Rangers
Thompson joined Manchester United's youth academy in 2011 and stayed there until 2015, training at the club's [Carrington](https://www.edgepedia.org/carrington) complex alongside first-team players such as [Wayne Rooney](https://www.edgepedia.org/wayne-rooney), Rio Ferdinand, and [Ashley Young](https://www.edgepedia.org/ashley-young). He has recalled a meeting with manager Sir Alex Ferguson, who told him that Northern Irish players had done well at the club.[1](https://www.transfermarkt.co.uk/jordan-thompson/profil/spieler/321169) • [4](https://www.deadlinenews.co.uk/2016/08/19/rangers-kid-jordan-thompson-talks-manchester-united-sir-alex-ferguson-raith-rovers-loan/)
After being released by United as a teenager, he spent three years at Rangers, the club he supported as a boy, but made only three first-team appearances. During that spell he went out on loan to Airdrie, Raith Rovers, and Livingston, helping Livingston win promotion to the [Scottish Premiership](https://www.edgepedia.org/scottish-premiership) in his final season on loan.[5](https://www.irishfa.com/news/2020/january/jordan-thompson-links-up-with-michael-oneill-at-stoke-city) • [6](https://www.irishfa.com/news/2018/june/jordan-thompson-signs-two-year-deal-with-league-one-side-blackpool)
## Blackpool and Stoke City
Rangers released Thompson in June 2018, and he signed a two-year contract with [EFL League One](https://www.edgepedia.org/efl-league-one) club [Blackpool](https://www.edgepedia.org/blackpool), with the option of a further year. He established himself as a regular at Bloomfield Road, scoring four goals in 67 games for the club.[6](https://www.irishfa.com/news/2018/june/jordan-thompson-signs-two-year-deal-with-league-one-side-blackpool) • [5](https://www.irishfa.com/news/2020/january/jordan-thompson-links-up-with-michael-oneill-at-stoke-city)
In January 2020 he moved to Stoke City, signing a two-year deal with [Michael O'Neill](https://www.edgepedia.org/michael-oneill-footballer), the same manager who had given him his senior Northern Ireland debut and who made Thompson his first signing of that transfer window. O'Neill described him as a very talented left-footed player who had added a lot to his game defensively.[5](https://www.irishfa.com/news/2020/january/jordan-thompson-links-up-with-michael-oneill-at-stoke-city) Thompson went on to spend five years at Stoke, making 178 appearances in all competitions, of which 156 were league games with 3 goals and 6 assists.[2](https://www.irishfa.com/news/2025/may/thompson-on-the-move-to-preston) • [3](https://theanalyst.com/players/1201/jordan-thompson)
## Preston North End
Stoke released Thompson at the end of the 2024/25 season, and Preston North End signed him on a two-year contract with an option for an extra year, effective 1 July 2025. He was manager [Paul Heckingbottom](https://www.edgepedia.org/paul-heckingbottom)'s first signing of the close season, and Heckingbottom highlighted the balance a left-footed midfielder adds to the middle of the pitch.[2](https://www.irishfa.com/news/2025/may/thompson-on-the-move-to-preston) • [1](https://www.transfermarkt.co.uk/jordan-thompson/profil/spieler/321169)
His first Preston season brought 20 Championship appearances and 3 assists.[3](https://theanalyst.com/players/1201/jordan-thompson) In 2026/27 he became a near-ever-present: he played in every one of Preston's first 10 Championship matches, starting nine, for 783 minutes, scoring once, against Wolverhampton Wanderers on 22 August, and providing one assist.[3](https://theanalyst.com/players/1201/jordan-thompson)
## International career
Thompson made his full Northern Ireland debut in a scoreless draw with Panama during the summer 2018 tour to Panama and [Costa Rica](https://www.edgepedia.org/costa-rica), having been called up alongside Shayne Lavery for that trip.[6](https://www.irishfa.com/news/2018/june/jordan-thompson-signs-two-year-deal-with-league-one-side-blackpool) • [7](https://www.irishfa.com/news/2018/may/shayne-lavery-and-jordan-thompson-called-up-to-northern-ireland-senior-squad) He has since accumulated 39 caps without scoring, and remains part of the senior squad under Michael O'Neill.[1](https://www.transfermarkt.co.uk/jordan-thompson/profil/spieler/321169) • [8](https://www.irishfa.com/ifa-international/squads/northern-ireland-senior-men)
## Playing style
Thompson is a left-footed central midfielder who also covers defensive midfield and left-back. In his own words at Stoke, he likes to get on the ball and get around the park, and is happy to take a holding role in midfield as well as getting forward.[1](https://www.transfermarkt.co.uk/jordan-thompson/profil/spieler/321169) • [5](https://www.irishfa.com/news/2020/january/jordan-thompson-links-up-with-michael-oneill-at-stoke-city) In the 2026/27 Championship his per-90 profile shows a passing-first midfielder: 39.22 passes per 90 at 80.1 percent accuracy, with 1.04 tackles and 0.39 interceptions per 90.[9](https://tactix.football/player/jordan-thompson)
## References
1. [Jordan Thompson profile, Transfermarkt](https://www.transfermarkt.co.uk/jordan-thompson/profil/spieler/321169)
2. [Thompson on the move to Preston, Irish FA](https://www.irishfa.com/news/2025/may/thompson-on-the-move-to-preston)
3. [Jordan Thompson, Opta Analyst](https://theanalyst.com/players/1201/jordan-thompson)
4. [Rangers kid Jordan Thompson talks Manchester United, Sir Alex Ferguson and Raith Rovers loan, Deadline News](https://www.deadlinenews.co.uk/2016/08/19/rangers-kid-jordan-thompson-talks-manchester-united-sir-alex-ferguson-raith-rovers-loan/)
5. [jordan thompson links up with michael o'neill at sto...](https://www.irishfa.com/news/2020/january/jordan-thompson-links-up-with-michael-oneill-at-stoke-city)
6. [Jordan Thompson signs two-year deal with League One side Blackpool, Irish FA](https://www.irishfa.com/news/2018/june/jordan-thompson-signs-two-year-deal-with-league-one-side-blackpool)
7. [Shayne Lavery and Jordan Thompson called up to Northern Ireland senior squad, Irish FA](https://www.irishfa.com/news/2018/may/shayne-lavery-and-jordan-thompson-called-up-to-northern-ireland-senior-squad)
8. [Northern Ireland Senior Men squad, Irish FA](https://www.irishfa.com/ifa-international/squads/northern-ireland-senior-men)
9. [Jordan Thompson stats 2026/27, TACTIX](https://tactix.football/player/jordan-thompson)
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*Topic: Encyclopedia › Sports, games, and recreation › Association football › Football people and teams › People › Men's footballers of the British Isles (modern era) › Northern Irish footballers*
*Initially written Sep 17, 2026 · Reviewed: Oct 21, 2026 · Edited: Oct 12, 2026; Oct 15, 2026; Oct 21, 2026 · Last review: Oct 21, 2026*
*Copyright 2026 EdgeChat AI, a subsidiary of Biostate AI.*
License: Edgepedia Community License 1.0, https://www.edgepedia.org/edgepedia/license