# Nahki Wells
**Nahki Wells** (Nahki Michael Wells, born 1990 in [Hamilton, Bermuda](https://www.edgepedia.org/hamilton-bermuda)) is a Bermudian professional footballer who plays as a striker, most recently for Luton Town in English League One and for the Bermuda national team. He is best known for a prolific spell at Bradford City that included a 26-goal promotion season, for scoring the fastest goal in Gold Cup history, and for a decade of Championship and League One football at Huddersfield Town, Burnley, Queens Park Rangers, Bristol City, and Luton Town.
| Key fact | Detail |
|---|---|
| Born | 1990, Hamilton, Bermuda; 1.70 m, right-footed forward[1](https://fbref.com/en/players/b070482d/Nahki-Wells) |
| International record | 30 FIFA matches and 20 goals for Bermuda[2](https://www.national-football-teams.com/player/31769/Nahki_Wells.html) |
| Breakthrough | 26 goals for Bradford City in 2012-13, including the third in the 3-0 play-off final win over Northampton Town at Wembley[3](https://www.royalgazette.com/soccer/sport/article/20200201/from-town-to-city-a-tale-of-perseverance/) |
| Transfers | Huddersfield Town for £1.3 million (January 2014), Burnley for £5 million (2017), Bristol City for a reported £4 million (January 2020)[3](https://www.royalgazette.com/soccer/sport/article/20200201/from-town-to-city-a-tale-of-perseverance/) |
| Record goal | 17 seconds into Bermuda's 8-1 win over Barbados in July 2021, the fastest goal in Gold Cup history[4](https://as.com/us/us/2021/07/03/futbol/1625275748_578474.html) |
| Recent clubs | Bristol City 2020-2025; Luton Town from 2025, 39 league appearances and 5 goals in 2025-26[2](https://www.national-football-teams.com/player/31769/Nahki_Wells.html) |
## Early career and Bradford City
Wells began in Bermuda with Dandy Town, helping the club win the Premier Division title in 2009-10 with 20 goals and the Most Valuable Player award, then moved to England in 2010 to attend the International Academic and Soccer Academy[3](https://www.royalgazette.com/soccer/sport/article/20200201/from-town-to-city-a-tale-of-perseverance/). A short spell at Carlisle United produced three substitute appearances before he was released in May 2011[3](https://www.royalgazette.com/soccer/sport/article/20200201/from-town-to-city-a-tale-of-perseverance/).
He joined Bradford City of League Two in 2011 and became a leading marksman. In 2012-13 he scored 26 goals, including the third in the 3-0 win over Northampton Town in the promotion play-off final at Wembley, becoming the first Bermudian player to play and score at the new [Wembley Stadium](https://www.edgepedia.org/wembley-stadium)[3](https://www.royalgazette.com/soccer/sport/article/20200201/from-town-to-city-a-tale-of-perseverance/). In two and a half years at Bradford he scored 53 goals in 112 games[3](https://www.royalgazette.com/soccer/sport/article/20200201/from-town-to-city-a-tale-of-perseverance/).
## Huddersfield Town and Burnley
Huddersfield Town signed Wells in January 2014 for £1.3 million, a club record fee and Bermuda's first million-pound transfer[3](https://www.royalgazette.com/soccer/sport/article/20200201/from-town-to-city-a-tale-of-perseverance/). He finished his [Huddersfield](https://www.edgepedia.org/huddersfield) career with 49 goals in 153 appearances, becoming the second Bermudian after [Shaun Goater](https://www.edgepedia.org/shaun-goater) to score 100 goals in English football, and won promotion to the Premier League through the play-off final[3](https://www.royalgazette.com/soccer/sport/article/20200201/from-town-to-city-a-tale-of-perseverance/).
Burnley paid £5 million for him in August 2017, but a pre-season ankle injury and surgery limited him to ten substitute appearances without a start[3](https://www.royalgazette.com/soccer/sport/article/20200201/from-town-to-city-a-tale-of-perseverance/). He spent two loan spells at Queens Park Rangers, where he scored 24 goals in 72 appearances, including 15 in the 2019-20 season before his January 2020 move to Bristol City for a reported £4 million[3](https://www.royalgazette.com/soccer/sport/article/20200201/from-town-to-city-a-tale-of-perseverance/).
## Bristol City and Luton Town
Wells spent five and a half seasons at Bristol City, with league tallies of 10, 11, 3, 7, and 10 goals across his full seasons there[2](https://www.national-football-teams.com/player/31769/Nahki_Wells.html). He left in the summer of 2025 after his contract expired, saying he felt he had "more to give"[5](https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/articles/c6252xgn0xwo).
He signed a two-year contract with Luton Town in the summer of 2025. In his first season Luton missed the League One play-offs by one point despite a late surge under [Jack Wilshere](https://www.edgepedia.org/jack-wilshere), who had replaced Matt Bloomfield in October[6](https://www.royalgazette.com/football/sport/article/20260513/nahki-wells-laments-unsuccessful-promotion-bid/). Wells scored twice in the 3-1 win over Stockport County in the [EFL Trophy](https://www.edgepedia.org/efl-trophy) final at Wembley and finished the season with ten goals in all competitions[6](https://www.royalgazette.com/football/sport/article/20260513/nahki-wells-laments-unsuccessful-promotion-bid/).
## International career with Bermuda
Wells debuted for Bermuda as a teenager and has scored 20 goals in 30 FIFA-recognized matches[2](https://www.national-football-teams.com/player/31769/Nahki_Wells.html). He scored in Bermuda's first Gold Cup win, a 2-0 victory over [Nicaragua](https://www.edgepedia.org/nicaragua) in 2019, and both goals when Bermuda beat Panama away in the Nations League that September[7](https://as.com/us/us/2019/09/09/futbol/1568003420_767870.html). His goal 17 seconds into the 8-1 win over Barbados in July 2021 stands as the fastest in Gold Cup history[4](https://as.com/us/us/2021/07/03/futbol/1625275748_578474.html). He has cited the Bermudian internationals Shaun Goater and Kyle Lightbourne as the role models whose careers in England he set out to follow[8](https://www.concacaf.com/news/bermuda-s-wells-aims-to-surpass-hometown-heroes).
## Playing style
Wells is a right-footed striker listed at 1.70 m, used mainly as a center forward with secondary roles as a second striker and attacking midfielder[1](https://fbref.com/en/players/b070482d/Nahki-Wells) • [2](https://www.national-football-teams.com/player/31769/Nahki_Wells.html). His career has been built on goal return in the English second and third tiers rather than top-flight football; he made ten Premier League appearances, all as a substitute, for Burnley[3](https://www.royalgazette.com/soccer/sport/article/20200201/from-town-to-city-a-tale-of-perseverance/).
## References
1. [Nahki Wells, FBref](https://fbref.com/en/players/b070482d/Nahki-Wells)
2. [Nahki Wells (Player), National Football Teams](https://www.national-football-teams.com/player/31769/Nahki_Wells.html)
3. [From Town to City, a tale of perseverance, The Royal Gazette](https://www.royalgazette.com/soccer/sport/article/20200201/from-town-to-city-a-tale-of-perseverance/)
4. [Nahki Wells anota el gol más rápido en la historia de la Copa Oro, AS](https://as.com/us/us/2021/07/03/futbol/1625275748_578474.html)
5. [Nahki Wells: Luton forward says he had more to give before leaving Bristol City, BBC Sport](https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/articles/c6252xgn0xwo)
6. [Nahki Wells laments unsuccessful promotion bid, The Royal Gazette](https://www.royalgazette.com/football/sport/article/20260513/nahki-wells-laments-unsuccessful-promotion-bid/)
7. [Bermudas sorprendió a Panamá en Concacaf Nations League, AS](https://as.com/us/us/2019/09/09/futbol/1568003420_767870.html)
8. [Bermuda's Wells aims to surpass hometown heroes, Concacaf](https://www.concacaf.com/news/bermuda-s-wells-aims-to-surpass-hometown-heroes)
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*Topic: Encyclopedia › Sports, games, and recreation › Association football › Football people and teams › People › Men's footballers of North and Central America and the Caribbean › Caribbean 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*
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