# Nicholas Oyekunle
**Nicholas Oyekunle** (full name Adetokunbo Adewale Ayomide Oyekunle, born 2007) is an English professional footballer who plays as a striker. He came through the [Southampton](https://www.edgepedia.org/southampton) academy, signed a contract running to 2028 with the club in April 2026, and joined [EFL League One](https://www.edgepedia.org/efl-league-one) club Leyton Orient on loan for the 2026–27 season.[1](https://www.southamptonfc.com/en/news/article/nick-oyekunle-signs-new-contract) • [2](https://www.transfermarkt.us/nicholas-oyekunle/profil/spieler/1081149) • [3](https://theanalyst.com/players/10120/nicholas-oyekunle/career)
| Key fact | Detail |
|---|---|
| Born | 2007, England; English citizenship[2](https://www.transfermarkt.us/nicholas-oyekunle/profil/spieler/1081149) |
| Position | Centre-forward, right-footed, 1.75 m tall[2](https://www.transfermarkt.us/nicholas-oyekunle/profil/spieler/1081149) |
| Youth scoring record | Not the all-time leading goalscorer in the Under-18s Premier League[1](https://www.southamptonfc.com/en/news/article/nick-oyekunle-signs-new-contract) • [9](https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/articles/c0e433dg044o) |
| 2024/25 U18 Premier League | 23 appearances, 27 goals (4 penalties), 4 assists in 1,888 minutes[3](https://theanalyst.com/players/10120/nicholas-oyekunle/career) |
| Senior debut | Late substitute against Preston North End, November 2025[1](https://www.southamptonfc.com/en/news/article/nick-oyekunle-signs-new-contract) |
| Contract | New Southampton deal signed 30 April 2026, running to 2028[1](https://www.southamptonfc.com/en/news/article/nick-oyekunle-signs-new-contract) |
| 2026/27 | Loan to Leyton Orient (League One); 5 league appearances, 1 goal[3](https://theanalyst.com/players/10120/nicholas-oyekunle/career) |
## Youth career at Southampton
Oyekunle joined Southampton's academy at a young age and signed his first professional contract in February 2024 after a prolific spell in the U18 Premier League.[4](https://www.suttonunited.net/scout-report-southampton/) Across three U18 Premier League seasons from 2022/23 to 2024/25 he recorded 55 appearances, 37 goals (6 penalties), and 7 assists.[3](https://theanalyst.com/players/10120/nicholas-oyekunle/career) His 2024/25 season was the breakout: 27 goals in 23 league appearances, a tally the Sutton United scout report describes as 26 goals in 22 appearances tying the league's all-time scoring record, and Southampton's own announcement names him the competition's all-time top goalscorer.[3](https://theanalyst.com/players/10120/nicholas-oyekunle/career) • [4](https://www.suttonunited.net/scout-report-southampton/) • [1](https://www.southamptonfc.com/en/news/article/nick-oyekunle-signs-new-contract)
## Step up to senior football
After moving from Under-18s to the Under-21 squad, Oyekunle was handed his first-team debut as a late substitute against Preston North End in November 2025 and recorded four senior appearances by the time of his April 2026 contract extension.[1](https://www.southamptonfc.com/en/news/article/nick-oyekunle-signs-new-contract) He was part of the Academy cohort that took Southampton into the last 16 of the [FA Cup](https://www.edgepedia.org/fa-cup), including a win over Leicester City, and he appeared in the competition's quarter-final squad against Arsenal in April 2026 without coming on.[1](https://www.southamptonfc.com/en/news/article/nick-oyekunle-signs-new-contract) • [5](https://fbref.com/en/players/4e2e3d8c/matchlogs/2025-2026/Nicholas-Oyekunle-Match-Logs)
In Premier League 2, the top division for English academy sides, he scored 10 goals (1 penalty) with 3 assists in 15 appearances and 1,257 minutes in 2025/26.[3](https://theanalyst.com/players/10120/nicholas-oyekunle/career) FotMob's season line for the same competition lists 5 goals, 2 assists, and an average rating of 7.56 over 594 minutes, reflecting a different counting window.[6](https://www.fotmob.com/en-GB/players/1559646/nicholas-oyekunle) A Spanish report from October 2025 described the then 18-year-old, with five goals and three assists for the reserves, as Southampton's current leading prospect after the sale of Tyler Dibling.[7](https://as.com/futbol/champions/el-sweet-october-de-arbeloa-f202510-n/)
## Contract and loan to Leyton Orient
Southampton announced on 30 April 2026 that Oyekunle had signed a new contract keeping him at the club until 2028, following an extension the previous summer. Group Technical Director Johannes Spors called it "a well-earned step that gives him the platform to fulfil his potential."[1](https://www.southamptonfc.com/en/news/article/nick-oyekunle-signs-new-contract) Transfermarkt records the last contract extension as 30 April 2026 with an expiry of 30 June 2028.[2](https://www.transfermarkt.us/nicholas-oyekunle/profil/spieler/1081149)
For the 2026/27 season he joined Leyton Orient of League One on loan. His Opta career history shows 5 league appearances (all as a substitute, 72 minutes) with 1 goal, plus 2 League Cup and 2 [EFL Trophy](https://www.edgepedia.org/efl-trophy) appearances.[3](https://theanalyst.com/players/10120/nicholas-oyekunle/career) The league goal came in a 3–1 home defeat to Barnsley on 29 August 2026, scored after coming on for 21 minutes.[8](https://footballan.com/player/nicholas-oyekunle/)
## International career
In May 2025, England selected Oyekunle for its Under-18 team, and he first appeared for them before the month ended.[4](https://www.suttonunited.net/scout-report-southampton/) FotMob's career record lists one England Under-18 appearance in May 2025.[6](https://www.fotmob.com/en-GB/players/1559646/nicholas-oyekunle)
## References
1. [Nick Oyekunle signs new contract, Southampton FC Official Site (30 April 2026)](https://www.southamptonfc.com/en/news/article/nick-oyekunle-signs-new-contract)
2. [Nicholas Oyekunle player profile, Transfermarkt](https://www.transfermarkt.us/nicholas-oyekunle/profil/spieler/1081149)
3. [Nicholas Oyekunle Career History, Opta Analyst](https://theanalyst.com/players/10120/nicholas-oyekunle/career)
4. [Scout Report: Southampton, Sutton United FC](https://www.suttonunited.net/scout-report-southampton/)
5. [Nicholas Oyekunle 2025-2026 Match Logs, FBref](https://fbref.com/en/players/4e2e3d8c/matchlogs/2025-2026/Nicholas-Oyekunle-Match-Logs)
6. [Nicholas Oyekunle, FotMob](https://www.fotmob.com/en-GB/players/1559646/nicholas-oyekunle)
7. [El 'Sweet October' de Arbeloa, AS.com](https://as.com/futbol/champions/el-sweet-october-de-arbeloa-f202510-n/)
8. [Nicholas Oyekunle, FootballAN](https://footballan.com/player/nicholas-oyekunle/)
9. [Chido Obi: The Man Utd teenager becomes third youngest Premier League player for the club](https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/articles/c0e433dg044o)
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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) › English footballers 2015–present › Forwards and strikers*
*Initially written Sep 17, 2026 · Reviewed: Oct 21, 2026 · Edited: Oct 11, 2026; 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