Jonathan Leko
| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | Jonathan Kisolokele Leko[1] | ||
| Date of birth | 24 April 1999[2] | ||
| Place of birth | Kinshasa, DR Congo[3] | ||
| Height | 1.82 m (6 ft 0 in) | ||
| Playing position | Forward[3] | ||
| Club information | |||
Current team | West Bromwich Albion | ||
| Number | 45[4] | ||
| Youth career | |||
| 2010–2015 | West Bromwich Albion | ||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
| 2015– | West Bromwich Albion | 10 | (0) |
| National team‡ | |||
| 2014–2015 | England U16 | 11 | (0) |
| 2015–2016 | England U17 | 13 | (2) |
| 2016– | England U18 | 5 | (0) |
|
* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only and correct as of 19:49, 29 October 2016 (UTC). | |||
Jonathan Kisolokele Leko (born 24 April 1999) is a professional footballer who plays as a forward for West Bromwich Albion. Born in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, he grew up in England from the age of eight.
Club career
West Bromwich Albion
Leko has been with the club since the age of 11.[5] He was included in West Brom's 2015 pre-season tour of Austria, making an appearance against Red Bull Salzburg by coming off the bench in a 3–1 loss for the Baggies.[6] Leko made his professional debut on 23 September 2015, coming off the bench in a League Cup defeat to Norwich City.[7] On 2 April 2016, he was named in the matchday squad against Sunderland as a substitute, later coming on for Saido Berahino in the 78th minute and making his Premier League debut at just 16 years and 344 days.[8] Leko was also the first player to be born in 1999 to make an appearance in the Premier League.[9] He made his first start for West Brom on 30 April 2016 against West Ham United becoming the first player born in 1999 to start in the Premier League.[10] He made his first Premier League assist in a 1–1 draw against Liverpool, setting up Salomon Rondon's goal with a great solo run.[11] Prior to the match, Leko was awarded West Brom's Young Player of the Season award.[12] On 28 June 2016, he signed his first professional contract with the club, a three-year deal which runs through to the summer of 2019.[13]
Leko got his first assist of the 2016–17 season on 24 September 2016 against Stoke City taking a corner which was headed in by Salomón Rondón in the 91st minute to secure a 1–1 draw for West Brom.[14]
International career
English national youth teams
Leko has represented England at under-16 and under-17 levels. He assisted and scored for England U17s in a 3–1 win over Turkey U17s moving England one step closer to the under-17 European Championships in a crucial qualifier.[15] Leko's club team West Brom pulled the player out of England's squad for the 2016 U17 Championships so he could play in the final two games of the Premier League season.[16][17] On 24 August 2016, Leko was called up to the England U18 team for the first time. He appeared in both games.[18]
Personal life
Leko arrived in England from the Democratic Republic of Congo at the age of eight, when his father was granted asylum.[3]
Career statistics
- As of matches played 29 October 2016.[19]
| Club | Season | League | FA Cup | League Cup | Other | Total | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Division | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | ||
| West Bromwich Albion | 2015–16[20] | Premier League | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 6 | 0 |
| 2016–17[21] | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 5 | 0 | ||
| Total | 10 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 11 | 0 | ||
Honours
Individual
- West Bromwich Albion Young Player of the Season: 2015–16[12]
References
- ↑ "Clubs announce 2015/16 Barclays Premier League squads". Premier League. Retrieved 24 September 2015.
- ↑ "England". Dansk Boldspil-Union. Dansk Boldspil-Union. Archived from the original on 13 August 2014. Retrieved 24 September 2015.
- 1 2 3 "West Bromwich Albion hope to keep hold of 15-year-old Jonathan Leko". The Independent. Retrieved 24 September 2015.
- ↑ "Player Profile". Sky Sports. Sky Sports. Retrieved 20 December 2015.
- ↑ "Leko ready to kick on". West Bromwich Albion. 28 June 2016. Retrieved 29 June 2016.
- ↑ "Red Bull Salzburg 3-1 West Brom". Daily Mail. Daily Mail. Retrieved 20 December 2015.
- ↑ "Norwich 3-0 West Brom". BBC Sport. BBC. Retrieved 24 September 2015.
- ↑ "Sunderland 0-0 West Brom". BBC Sport. BBC Sport. Retrieved 2 April 2016.
- ↑ "10 reasons why West Brom's Jonathan Leko". Mirror. Daily Mirror. 2 April 2016. Retrieved 2 April 2016.
- ↑ "West Brom 0-3 West Ham". BBC. BBC Sport. 30 April 2016. Retrieved 30 April 2016.
- ↑ "West Brom 1-1 Liverpool". ESPN. 15 May 2016. Retrieved 15 May 2016.
- 1 2 "Albion announce end-of-season awards winners". West Bromwich Albion Football Club. 15 May 2016. Retrieved 15 May 2016.
- ↑ "Leko agrees first professional contract". West Bromwich Albion. 28 June 2016. Retrieved 29 June 2016.
- ↑ "Stoke City 1-1 WBA". BBC. BBC Sport. 24 September 2016. Retrieved 24 September 2016.
- ↑ "England U17 3-1 Turkey U17". Daily Mail. Daily Mail. 24 March 2016. Retrieved 2 April 2016.
- ↑ http://www.expressandstar.com/sport/west-bromwich-albion-fc/2016/05/02/west-brom-face-fa-row-on-jonathan-leko/
- ↑ http://www.wba.co.uk/news/article/leko-to-miss-euros-to-stay-with-albion-3091219.aspx
- ↑ "England U18 squad announced". The FA. The FA. 24 August 2016. Retrieved 15 September 2016.
- ↑ "Jonathan Leko Socceway Profile". Retrieved 11 November 2016.
- ↑ "Games played by Jonathan Leko in 2015/2016". Soccerbase. Retrieved 24 September 2015.
- ↑ "Games played by Jonathan Leko in 2016/17". Soccerbase. Retrieved 20 August 2016.
External links
- Jonathan Leko career statistics at Soccerbase
- England profile at The FA