David Okagbue
{{short description|Irish association football player}}
{{Infobox football biography
| name = David Okagbue
| fullname = David Chukwudubem Okagbue{{cite web |title=EFL - Squad List 2023/24 |url=https://s3.eu-west-1.amazonaws.com/gc-media-assets.gc.eflservices.co.uk/f9455bd0-4dac-11ee-8864-711544c578ce.pdf |website=English Football League |access-date=8 September 2023}}
| birth_place = Ireland
| height =
| image =
| caption =
| birth_date = {{birth date and age|2004|2|4|df=y}}
| position = Defender
| currentclub = Walsall
| clubnumber = 26
| youthyears1 =
| youthclubs1 = St. Mochta's
| youthyears2 = {{0|0000}}–2020
| youthclubs2 = St. Kevin's Boys
| youthyears3 = 2020–2022
| youthclubs3 = Stoke City
| years1 = 2022–2024
| clubs1 = Stoke City
| caps1 = 0
| goals1 = 0
| years2 = 2022
| clubs2 = → Chester (loan)
| caps2 = 1
| goals2 = 0
| years3 = 2022–2023
| clubs3 = → Oldham Athletic (loan)
| caps3 = 9
| goals3 = 1
| years4 = 2023–2024
| clubs4 = → Walsall (loan)
| caps4 = 30
| goals4 = 1
| years5 = 2024–
| clubs5 = Walsall
| caps5 = 36
| goals5 = 2
| nationalyears1 = 2021–2022
| nationalteam1 = Republic of Ireland U19
| nationalcaps1 = 3
| nationalgoals1 = 0
| nationalyears2 = 2024–
| nationalteam2 = Republic of Ireland U21
| nationalcaps2 = 3
| nationalgoals2 = 0
| club-update = 01:36, 12 March 2025 (UTC)
| ntupdate = 00:29, 7 June 2025 (UTC)
}}
David Chukwudubem Okagbue (born 4 February 2004) is an Irish professional footballer who plays as a defender for {{English football updater|Walsall}} club Walsall. He is a Republic of Ireland youth international.{{cite web|url=https://uk.soccerway.com/players/david-okagbue/669514/|website=Soccerway|accessdate=2 September 2023|title=David Onagbue}}
Career
=Stoke City=
Okagbue came over to Stoke City from Dublin in 2020. He had played for then Bohemians affiliate St. Kevin's Boys. Previous to that he had started his football life at Clonsilla Club, St. Mochta's FC for several years. He spent time on loan with Chester from February 2022.{{cite web|url=https://www.stokesentinel.co.uk/sport/football/transfer-news/stoke-city-transfer-david-okagbue-8721157.amp|website=Stoke Sentinel|accessdate=2 September 2023|date=1 September 2023|first=Peter|last=Smith|title= Stoke City confirm defender exit on loan after impressing Alex Neil}}{{cite web|url=https://www.dublinlive.ie/sport/soccer/dublin-teenager-david-okagbue-seals-22951160#google_vignette|website=Dublinlive.ie|accessdate=2 September 2023|first=David|last=Donnelly|date=1 February 2022|title=Dublin teenager David Okagbue seals first senior loan to Chester from Stoke City}}{{cite web|url=https://m.independent.ie/sport/soccer/league-of-ireland/bohemians-to-end-partnership-with-st-kevins-boys/41855955.html|website=Independent.ie|accessdate=2 September 2023 |first=Aidan|last=Fitzgerald|date=20 July 2022|title= Bohemians to end partnership with St Kevin's Boys}} In September 2022, he joined Oldham Athletic of the National League on loan.{{cite web|url=https://www.stokesentinel.co.uk/sport/football/transfer-news/stoke-oldham-transfer-david-okagbue-7541641.amp|website=Stoke Sentinel|accessdate=2 September 2023|title=Stoke City defender seals loan move to Oldham Athletic|first=Peter|last=Smith}} On 1 September 2023, he joined Walsall of EFL League Two on a season-long loan.{{cite web|title=Walsall signings: Stoke defender David Okagbue & Wolves midfielder Harvey Griffiths join|url=https://www.bbc.com/sport/football/66681667|website=BBC Sport|date=1 September 2023|accessdate=2 September 2023}} Okabgue made 35 appearances and scored 1 goal in a 2-1 win over Accrington Stanley in 2023–24 as the Saddlers finished in 11th position.{{cite web |title=AFC Wimbledon 5-1 Walsall |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/68862493 |website=BBC Sport |access-date=28 April 2024}} He was offered a new contract in May 2024.{{cite web|url=https://www.stokecityfc.com/news/2024/may/21/potters-release-contracts-update/|title=Potters release contracts update|website=www.stokecityfc.com|date=21 May 2024|accessdate=21 May 2024}}
=Walsall=
Okagbue joined Walsall on a permanent deal on 4 July 2024 after the club reach agreement on compensation with Stoke City. He signed a two-year contract.{{cite web |title=David Okagbue completes permanent Walsall move |url=https://www.stokecityfc.com/news/2024/july/04/david-okagbue-completes-permanent-walsall-move/ |website=Stoke City |access-date=4 July 2024}}{{cite web |title=David Okagbue joins the Saddlers from Stoke City |url=https://www.saddlers.co.uk/news/2024/july/04/david-okagbue-joins-the-saddlers-from-stoke-city/ |website=Walsall FC |access-date=4 July 2024}} He scored his first league goal as a permanent member of the Walsall squad when he bundled home a late equaliser to earn his club a 2-2 draw away against Bromley F.C. on 26 November 2024.{{cite web|url= https://www.limerickleader.ie/news/sport/1665545/david-okagbue-rescues-point-for-walsall-against-bromley.html|website=Limerick Leader|accessdate=26 April 2025|title= David Okagbue rescues point for Walsall against Bromley|date=26 November 2024}}
International career
A former Republic of Ireland U19 international,{{cite web|website=Stoke Sentinel|accessdate=2 September 2023|url=https://www.stokesentinel.co.uk/sport/football/football-news/stoke-city-youth-academy-internationals-7158980.amp|date=2 June 2022|title= Five Stoke City youngsters called up for international duty as juniors head out on tour|first=Peter|last=Smith}} he made his debut for the side on 10 November 2021, against Montenegro U19.{{cite web|url=https://uk.soccerway.com/matches/2021/11/10/europe/uefa-u19-championship-qualification/ireland-republic-under-19/montenegro-under-19/3604467/|title= REPUBLIC OF IRELAND U19 VS. MONTENEGRO U19 3 - 2 |date=10 November 2021|accessdate=2 September 2023|website=Soccerway}} In November 2024, he received his first call up to the Republic of Ireland U21 squad for their two friendlies against Sweden U21 in Marbella, Spain.{{cite web|website=fai.ie|url=https://www.fai.ie/latest/jim-crawford-names-under-21-squad-sweden-friendlies/|title= Jim Crawford names Under-21 squad for Sweden friendlies|accessdate=26 April 2025|date=Nov 7, 2024}} Okagbue made his Ireland under-21 debut in the subsequent 3-2 win over Sweden U21 in Marbella.{{cite web|date=26 Feb 2025|url= https://www.expressandstar.com/sport/2025/02/26/walsall-defender-david-okagbue-eager-to-rack-up-the-caps/# |title=Walsall defender David Okagbue eager to rack up the caps|first=George|last=Bennett|accessdate=26 April 2025|website=Express and Star}}
Career statistics
{{updated|match played 13 March 2025}}{{soccerway|669514}}
| 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"|League Cup !colspan="2"|Other !colspan="2"|Total | ||||||||||
| Division | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| rowspan=3|Stoke City
|2022–23{{Soccerbase season|id=165855|season=2022}} |0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | colspan=2|— | 0 | 0 | ||
| 2023–24{{Soccerbase season|id=165855|season=2023}}
|Championship |0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | colspan=2|— | 0 | 0 | ||
| colspan=2|Total
!0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | colspan=2|—||0 | 0 | |||
| Chester (loan)
|1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | colspan=2|— | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | ||
| Oldham Athletic (loan)
|9 | 1 | 3 | 0 | colspan=2|— | 0 | 0 | 12 | 1 | ||
| Walsall (loan)
|30 | 1 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1{{efn|name=EFLT|Appearance(s) in EFL Trophy}} | 0 | 35 | 1 | |
| rowspan=2|Walsall
|2024–25{{Soccerbase season|id=165855|season=2024}} |League Two |36 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 3{{efn|name=EFLT|Appearance(s) in EFL Trophy}} | 0 | 43 | 2 | |
| colspan=2|Total
!66 | 3 | 5 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 5 | 0 | 78 | 3 | |
| colspan="3"|Career total
!55 | 3 | 8 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 69 | 3 |
{{notelist}}
References
{{reflist}}
{{Walsall F.C. squad}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Okagbue, David}}
Category:Stoke City F.C. players
Category:Oldham Athletic A.F.C. players
Category:Men's association football defenders
Category:Association footballers from County Dublin
Category:National League (English football) players
Category:Republic of Ireland men's association footballers
Category:Republic of Ireland men's youth international footballers
Category:Republic of Ireland men's under-21 international footballers
Category:Irish expatriate sportspeople in England
Category:English Football League players