Joel Joshghene Asoro (born 27 April 1999) is a Swedish professional footballer who plays as a striker for Djurgårdens IF.
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Personal information | |||
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Full name | Joel Joshghene Asoro[1] | ||
Date of birth | (1999-04-27) 27 April 1999 (age 23) | ||
Place of birth | Stockholm, Sweden | ||
Height | 1.75 m (5 ft 9 in) | ||
Position(s) | Striker[2][3] | ||
Club information | |||
Current team | Djurgårdens IF | ||
Number | 10 | ||
Youth career | |||
0000–2011 | IFK Haninge | ||
2011–2015 | IF Brommapojkarna | ||
2015–2016 | Sunderland | ||
Senior career* | |||
Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
2016–2018 | Sunderland | 27 | (3) |
2018–2021 | Swansea City | 14 | (0) |
2019–2020 | → FC Groningen (loan) | 15 | (3) |
2020–2021 | → Genoa (loan) | 0 | (0) |
2021– | Djurgårdens IF | 55 | (9) |
National team‡ | |||
2014–2016 | Sweden U17 | 21 | (14) |
2016–2019 | Sweden U21 | 17 | (3) |
*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 6 November 2022 ‡ National team caps and goals, correct as of 7 June 2019 |
Asoro started his career in his local club IFK Haninge in a southern Stockholm suburb. When he was eleven years old he moved to IF Brommapojkarna, well known throughout Sweden for its youth academy which has produced players such as John Guidetti, Albin Ekdal, Simon Tibbling, Dejan Kulusevski and Ludwig Augustinsson. Asoro was targeted for some of Europe's leading clubs, among them Manchester City, Manchester United, Chelsea and Juventus.[4]
Asoro signed for English side Sunderland in 2015.[5] On 21 August 2016, a year after joining the club, Asoro made his professional debut in the Premier League against Middlesbrough, coming on as an 81st-minute substitute for Duncan Watmore;[6] in doing so he became Sunderland's youngest Premier League player, as well as the youngest Swedish national to feature.[7] On 24 August 2016, Asoro was given his first Sunderland start under manager David Moyes in a 1–0 victory over League One side Shrewsbury Town in an EFL Cup second round tie. Asoro later appeared as a starter in the EFL Cup Round 3 victory over Championship side Queens Park Rangers and was subbed off for Josh Maja.[8]
Asoro joined Swansea City on a four-year contract for a fee of £2 million in July 2018.[9]
On 15 August 2019, Asoro agreed to a loan move to Eredivisie club FC Groningen for the 2019–20 season.[10] He made 17 appearances and scored three goals for the side before the football season in the Netherlands was suspended in March.
On 16 September 2020, Asoro joined Serie A club Genoa on a season-long loan deal with a conditional obligation to buy.[11]
On 8 February 2021, Asoro signed with Allsvenskan club Djurgårdens IF, keeping him with the club until 31 December 2024.[12]
On 5 September 2016, Asoro made his debut for Sweden U21 starting the game against Spain in 1–1 draw. Swedish press reported that Paris Saint-Germain, Milan, Inter Milan, Borussia Dortmund, Bayern Munich, RB Leipzig, Villarreal, Valencia and Lyon all scouted Asoro in his debut.[13] The following day Asoro was praised by Arsenal scout Bobby Bennett and Newcastle United Chief Scout Graham Carr.[14]
Asoro's parents are from Nigeria.[15] His sister, Abigail Glomazic is a professional basketball player who has played with the likes of CCC Polkowice and Sleza Wroclaw in Poland.
Club | Season | League | Domestic Cup | League Cup | Continental | Total | ||||||
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Division | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | ||
Sunderland | 2016–17 | Premier League | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 0 | — | 4 | 0 | |
2017–18 | Championship | 26 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 0 | — | 29 | 3 | ||
Total | 27 | 3 | 2 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 33 | 3 | ||
Swansea City | 2018–19 | Championship | 14 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 0 | — | 17 | 0 | |
2020–21 | Championship | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | — | 1 | 0 | ||
Total | 14 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 18 | 0 | ||
Groningen | 2019–20 | Eredivisie | 15 | 3 | 2 | 0 | — | — | 17 | 3 | ||
Genoa | 2020–21 | Serie A | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | — | 0 | 0 | ||
Djurgården | 2021 | Allsvenskan | 26 | 3 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | 26 | 3 | |
Career total | 82 | 9 | 8 | 0 | 6 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 94 | 9 | ||
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Djurgårdens IF – current squad | |
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