Alex Matos
{{Short description|English footballer (born 2004)}}
{{hatnote|For the Macanese footballer, see Alexandre Matos. For the Dominican singer, see {{ill|1=Alex Matos (singer)|2=es|3=Alex Matos (cantante)}}}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=October 2024}}
{{Infobox football biography
| name = Alex Matos
| image =
| fullname = Alex Ojahn Matos{{cite web|url=https://www.premierleague.com/news/2470630/1000|title=Updated squad lists for 2021/22 Premier League|date=4 February 2022|access-date=25 March 2025|website=Premier League}}
| birth_date = {{birth date and age|2004|10|3|df=y}}{{WorldFootball.net|alex-matos}}
| birth_place = Bedford, England
| height =
| currentclub = Oxford United (on loan from Chelsea)
| clubnumber = 18
| position = Central midfielder, defensive midfielder
| youthyears1 =
| youthclubs1 = Kempston Colts
| youthyears2 = {{0|0000}}–2016
| youthclubs2 = Luton Town
| youthyears3 = 2016–2023
| youthclubs3 = Norwich City
| youthyears4 = 2023
| youthclubs4 = Chelsea
| years1 = 2023–
| clubs1 = Chelsea
| caps1 = 1
| goals1 = 0
| years2 = 2024
| clubs2 = → Huddersfield Town (loan)
| caps2 = 19
| goals2 = 1
| clubs3 = → Oxford United (loan)
| caps3 = 16
| goals3 = 0
| years3 = 2025–
| nationalyears1 = 2018
| nationalteam1 = England U15
| nationalcaps1 =
| nationalgoals1 =
| nationalyears2 = 2024–
| nationalteam2 = England U20
| nationalcaps2 = 2
| nationalgoals2 = 0
| club-update = 23:32, 12 April 2025 (UTC)
| nationalteam-update = 08:42, 14 June 2024 (UTC)
}}
Alex Ojahn Matos (born 3 October 2004) is an English professional footballer who plays as a central midfielder or defensive midfielder for {{English football updater|OxfordUn}} club Oxford United, on loan from {{English football updater|Chelsea}} club Chelsea.
Club career
=Early career=
Born in Bedford, educated at Langley School, Norfolk. Matos started his career with Kempston Colts, later joining Luton Town at under-9 level,{{Cite web |title=Alex Matos, the rise of a boy Chelsea are very excited about|url=https://theathletic.com/5154221/2023/12/26/matos-alex-chelsea-norwich/ |access-date=31 December 2023|date=26 December 2023 |publisher=The Athletic}}{{Cite web |last=Lewis |first=Arnold |date=2023-07-04 |title=Chelsea's Alex Matos — Scouting Report {{!}} EPL News Now |url=https://premierleaguenewsnow.com/stamford-bridge-young-guns-alex-matos-joins-chelsea-youth-revolution/ |access-date=2023-08-30 |language=en-US}} before joining Norwich City in 2016.{{Cite web |title=Alex Matos signs first professional contract at Norwich City |url=https://www.canaries.co.uk/content/alex-matos-signs-first-professional-contract-at-norwich-city |access-date=2023-08-30 |website=Norwich City |language=en}} Matos can play in attacking midfield, either wing or as a striker.{{Cite web |last=Banerjee |first=Apratim |date=2023-07-01 |title=Who is Alex Matos? Meet the latest Chelsea signing who joins from Norwich City |url=https://www.sportskeeda.com/football/news-who-alex-matos-meet-latest-chelsea-signing-joins-norwich-city |access-date=2023-08-30 |website=www.sportskeeda.com |language=en-gb}} He became a regular for Norwich's Under-18s during the 2022–23 season.{{Cite web |date=2023-07-01 |title=Chelsea snap up City youngster |url=https://www.pinkun.com/news/23627137.norwich-city-transfer-news-alex-matos-signs-chelsea/ |access-date=2023-08-30 |website=The Pink Un |language=en}} He also made his debut for the Under-21s and scored three goals in the Premier League 2 for the latter.{{Cite web |title=Football: Chelsea sign promising youngsters Alex Matos and Diego Moreira |url=https://www.daijiworld.com/news/newsDisplay?newsID=1095502 |access-date=2023-08-30 |website=www.daijiworld.com |language=en}}
=Chelsea=
On 1 July 2023, Matos signed for Premier League side Chelsea.{{Cite web |title=Alex Matos joins Chelsea |url=https://www.chelseafc.com/en/news/article/alex-matos-joins-chelsea |access-date=2023-08-30 |website=www.chelseafc.com |language=en-gb}} The transfer was reported as a free transfer with add-ons.{{Cite web |title=Done deals: Chelsea complete signings of two attack-minded players |url=https://www.allnigeriasoccer.com/read_news.php?nid=47937 |access-date=2023-08-30 |website=www.allnigeriasoccer.com}}
On 2 October 2023, a day before his 19th birthday, Matos made his professional debut in the Premier League match against Fulham. He came off the bench in stoppage time, replacing Enzo Fernández in a 2–0 away victory.{{Cite web |title=Fulham v Chelsea, 2023/24 {{!}} Premier League |url=https://www.premierleague.com/match/93384 |access-date=2023-10-02 |website=www.premierleague.com |language=en}}
==Loan to Huddersfield==
On 4 January 2024, Matos signed for EFL Championship side Huddersfield Town on loan until the end of the season.{{Cite news |title=Huddersfield sign Chelsea midfielder Matos on loan |url=https://www.bbc.com/sport/football/67883876 |access-date=2024-01-04 |work=BBC Sport |language=en-GB}} He scored his first senior goal in a 5–3 defeat to Southampton.{{Cite web |date=2024-02-10 |title=REPORT: SOUTHAMPTON 5-3 TOWN |url=https://www.htafc.com/news/2024/february/10/report-southampton-5-3-town |access-date=2024-12-06 |website=Huddersfield Town A.F.C. |language=en}} He made 19 league appearances for the Terriers as Huddersfield were relegated to League One.
==Loan to Oxford United==
On 10 January 2025, Matos joined EFL Championship side Oxford United on loan until the end of the season.{{Cite web |title=Alex Matos completes loan switch |url=https://www.chelseafc.com/en/news/article/alex-matos-completes-loan-switch |access-date=2025-01-26 |website=www.chelseafc.com |language=en-gb}}
International career
Matos is of Ghanaian descent. He has represented England at the under-15 level.{{Cite web |title=Alex Matos |url=https://www.chelseafc.com/en/teams/profile/alex-matos |access-date=2023-08-30 |website=www.chelseafc.com |language=en-gb}}{{Cite web |last=Cusack |first=Richard |date=2023-05-03 |title=Alex Matos profiled as Chelsea 'complete signing' of Norwich wonderkid |url=https://www.football.london/chelsea-fc/transfer-news/who-is-alex-matos-chelsea-26831991 |access-date=2023-08-30 |website=Football.London |language=en}}
On 7 June 2024, Matos made his England U20 debut during a 2–1 win over Sweden at Stadion ŠRC Sesvete.{{cite web|url=https://www.englandfootball.com/articles/2024/Jun/07/england-elite-squad-sweden-report-20240706|title=Report: Sweden 1-2 England Elite League Squad|website=www.englandfootball.com|date=7 June 2024|accessdate=8 June 2024}}
Career statistics
=Club=
{{updated|match played 25 January 2025}}{{Soccerway|alex-matos/679633}}
| class=wikitable style=text-align:center
|+ Appearances and goals by club, season and competition | ||||||||||||
| rowspan=2|Club
!rowspan=2|Season !colspan=3|League !colspan=2|FA Cup !colspan=2|EFL Cup !colspan=2|Europe !colspan=2|Other !colspan=2|Total | ||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Division | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals |
| rowspan=3|Chelsea U21
|colspan=3|— | colspan=2|— | colspan=2|— | colspan=2|— | 2{{efn|name=EFLT|Appearance in EFL Trophy}} | 0 | 2 | 0 | |||||
| 2024–25
|colspan=3|— | colspan=2|— | colspan=2|— | colspan=2|— | 2{{efn|name=EFLT|Appearance in EFL Trophy}} | 0 | 2 | 0 | |||||
| colspan=2|Total
!0||0||0||0||0||0||0||0||4||0||4||0 | ||||||||||||
| Chelsea
|1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | colspan=2|— | colspan=2|— | 2 | 0 | |||
| Huddersfield Town (loan)
|19 | 1 | 1 | 0 | colspan="2"|— | colspan="2"|— | colspan="2"|— | 20 | 1 | ||||
| Oxford United (loan)
|4 | 0 | 1 | 0 | colspan="2"|— | colspan="2"|— | colspan="2"|— | 5 | 0 | ||||
| colspan="3|Career total
!24||1||2||0||1||0||0||0||4||0||31||1 |
{{notelist}}
References
{{reflist}}
{{Oxford United F.C. squad}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Matos, Alex}}
Category:Footballers from Bedford
Category:English men's footballers
Category:Men's association football forwards
Category:English people of Ghanaian descent
Category:Sportspeople of Ghanaian descent
Category:Norwich City F.C. players
Category:Huddersfield Town A.F.C. players
Category:Oxford United F.C. players
Category:Black British sportsmen
Category:21st-century Black British people
Category:England men's youth international footballers
Category:Premier League players