Emanuel Aiwu
{{short description|Austrian footballer (born 2000)}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=September 2022}}
{{Infobox football biography
| name = Emanuel Aiwu
| image = FC RB Salzburg gegen SK Rapid Wien (2022-04-03) 33.jpg
| caption = Aiwu playing for Rapid Wien in 2022
| birth_date = {{birth date and age|2000|12|25|df=y}}
| birth_place = Innsbruck, Austria
| position = Defender
| currentclub = Sturm Graz
| clubnumber = 47
| youthyears1 = 2006–2013
| youthclubs1 = SKN St. Pölten
| youthyears2 = 2013–2017
| youthclubs2 = Admira Wacker
| years1 = 2017–2019
| clubs1 = Admira Wacker II
| caps1 = 20
| goals1 = 0
| years2 = 2017–2021
| clubs2 = Admira Wacker
| caps2 = 81
| goals2 = 5
| years3 = 2021–2022
| clubs3 = Rapid Wien
| caps3 = 23
| goals3 = 2
| years4 = 2022–2024
| clubs4 = Cremonese
| caps4 = 23
| goals4 = 0
| years5 = 2023–2024
| clubs5 = → Birmingham City (loan)
| caps5 = 24
| goals5 = 0
| years6 = 2024–
| clubs6 = Sturm Graz
| caps6 = 27
| goals6 = 1
| nationalyears1 = 2018
| nationalteam1 = Austria U18
| nationalcaps1 = 2
| nationalgoals1 = 0
| nationalyears2 = 2018
| nationalteam2 = Austria U19
| nationalcaps2 = 6
| nationalgoals2 = 1
| nationalyears3 = 2019
| nationalteam3 = Austria U20
| nationalcaps3 = 2
| nationalgoals3 = 0
| nationalyears4 = 2019–2022
| nationalteam4 = Austria U21
| nationalcaps4 = 13
| nationalgoals4 = 2
| club-update = 19:00, 24 May 2025 (UTC)
| nationalteam-update =
}}
Emanuel Aiwu (born 25 December 2000) is an Austrian professional footballer who plays as a defender for Austrian Bundesliga club Sturm Graz. He previously played Austrian Bundesliga football for Admira Wacker (2018–2021) and Rapid Wien (2021–2022) before joining Cremonese ahead of the 2022–23 Serie A season. He spent the 2023–24 season on loan at English Championship (second-tier) club Birmingham City. He has represented Austria from under-18 to under-21 levels.
Early and personal life
Aiwu was born in Innsbruck, Austria, to a Nigerian father, Nathan Aiwu, and an Austrian mother, Heidi Semper, who began her training as a teacher of disabled people while Emanuel was still a baby. He has a younger brother, Elias.{{cite news |url=https://www.noen.at/gmuend/wurzeln-in-harbach-der-mann-den-red-bull-nicht-kaufen-konnte-moorbad-harbach-bezirk-gmuend-waldviertel-redaktionsfeed-emanuel-aiwu-191894148 |title=Der Mann, den Red Bull nicht kaufen konnte |language=de |trans-title=The man Red Bull couldn't buy |website=Niederösterreichische Nachrichten |location=St. Polten |first=Petra |last=Suchy |date=16 February 2020 |access-date=1 September 2023 |url-access=subscription |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200217151236/https://www.noen.at/gmuend/wurzeln-in-harbach-der-mann-den-red-bull-nicht-kaufen-konnte-moorbad-harbach-bezirk-gmuend-waldviertel-redaktionsfeed-emanuel-aiwu-191894148 |archive-date=17 February 2020}} The family moved to St. Pölten in 2006, where the boys began to play football.
Club career
Aiwu spent seven years with his hometown club, SKN St. Pölten, before joining Admira Wacker in 2013.{{cite web |url=https://www.oefb.at/Profile/Spieler/622447 |title=Emanuel Aiwu |publisher=Österreichischer Fußball-Bund |language=de |access-date=1 September 2023}} He came through the youth system to make his senior debut while still a 16-year-old, starting and playing the whole game for Admira II in the Regional League East on 1 September 2017. He made 15 appearances for Admira II, contributed three goals from nine matches for Admira U18 as they went on to win the 2017–18 Jugendliga, found his way into the first-team squad and, towards the end of the season, started three Bundesliga matches, the first coming in a goalless draw away to Austria Wien on 5 May 2018.{{cite news |url=https://www.skysportaustria.at/admira-verlaengert-mit-vier-nachwuchsspielern/ |title=Admira verlängert mit vier Nachwuchsspielern |language=de |trans-title=Admira extend four youth players' contracts |website=Sky Sport Austria |date=29 March 2018 |access-date=1 September 2023}}
The following season, Aiwu was a first-team regular, and in February 2020, reigning champions Red Bull Salzburg made an offer for his services. Although the fee received would have been a club record fee, in excess of the €2.5 million paid by VfB Stuttgart for Saša Kalajdžić, Admira turned it down, believing that Aiwu on the field was of more use to the relegation-threatened club than money in the bank.{{cite news |url=https://kurier.at/sport/fussball/admira-verzichtet-auf-eine-rekordabloese-fuer-emanuel-aiwu/400749066 |title=Admira verzichtet auf eine Rekordablöse für Emanuel Aiwu |language=de |trans-title=Admira turns down a record fee for Emanuel Aiwu |first=Alexander |last=Huber |newspaper=Kurier |location=Vienna |date=8 February 2020 |access-date=1 September 2023 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200915221054/https://kurier.at/info/impressum-kurierat/711895 |archive-date=15 September 2020}}{{cite web |url=https://www.ligaportal.at/bundesliga/allgemein/6220-aiwu-transfer-zu-red-bull-salzburg-abgelehnt-admira-verzichtete-auf-millionen-abloese |title=Aiwu-Transfer zu Red Bull Salzburg abgelehnt: Admira verzichtete auf Millionen-Ablöse! |language=de |trans-title=Aiwu transfer to Red Bull Salzburg rejected: Admira turn down fee in the millions! |first=Daniel |last=Ringsmuth |website=Ligaportal.at |date=8 February 2020 |access-date=1 September 2023}} Admira stayed up Aiwu stayed on for a further season, taking his top-flight appearance totals to 81 matches and five goals.
With the 2021 transfer deadline approaching and speculation rife as to Aiwu's future, he told his coach that he was not fit to play in that day's match against Sturm Graz. Although he insisted that he had not wanted to harm the team by playing while mentally and physically exhausted, his action was widely perceived as a strike in order to force a move, and he and his family were victims of online abuse, some of a racist nature.{{cite news |url=https://www.laola1.at/de/red/fussball/bundesliga/news/sturm-interessiert--emanuel-aiwu-will-admira-abgang-erstreiken/ |title=Emanuel Aiwu will Admira-Abgang erstreiken |language=de |trans-title=Emanuel Aiwu wants to go on strike to leave Admira |website=LAOLA1.at |date=29 August 2021 |access-date=1 September 2023}}{{cite news |url=https://www.skysportaustria.at/rapid-verpflichtet-offenbar-admiras-streikenden-aiwu/ |title=Rapid verpflichtet Admiras streikenden Aiwu |language=de |trans-title=Rapid sign Admira's on-strike Aiwu |website=Sky Sport Austria |date=30 August 2021 |access-date=1 September 2023}}{{cite news |url=https://www.krone.at/2496921 |title=Jetzt redet Aiwu: „Ich war einfach fix und fertig“ |language=de |trans-title=Now Aiwu speaks: "I was just shattered" |newspaper=Kronen Zeitung |location=Vienna |date=31 August 2021 |access-date=1 September 2023}}
The following day, Aiwu joined another Bundesliga club, Rapid Wien, on a three-year contract. The fee was undisclosed.{{cite web |url=https://www.skrapid.at/en/home/news/news/latest-news/2021/08/emanuel-aiwu-wechselt-zum-sk-rapid |title=Emanuel Aiwu joins SK Rapid |publisher=SK Rapid |date=30 August 2021 |access-date=1 September 2023}} He made his debut on 15 September, starting in the home defeat against Genk in the Europa League group stage, and rarely missed a game thereafter. The club's sporting director, Zoran Barišić, said that Aiwu had gone to another level during the season, fulfilling all the expectations they had of him, and had behaved in a professional manner throughout.{{cite web |url=https://www.skrapid.at/de/startseite/news/news/aktuelles/2022/08/aiwu-wechselt-nach-italien |title=Aiwu wechselt nach Italien |language=de |trans-title=Aiwu switches to Italy |publisher=SK Rapid |date=5 August 2022 |access-date=1 September 2023 |quote=Emanuel Aiwu hat in der letzten Saison einen weiteren Schritt nach vorne gemacht und die hohen Erwartungen, die wir in ihn gesetzt haben, absolut erfüllt. ... Ich wünsche 'Manu', der sich bei uns stets sehr professionell verhalten hat, alles Gute für seine nächste Karrierestation.}}
On 5 August 2022, Aiwu joined Serie A club Cremonese, newly promoted to Serie A,{{cite web |url=https://www.uscremonese.it/aiwu-nuovo-calciatore-della-cremonese/ |title=Aiwu nuovo calciatore della Cremonese |language=it |trans-title=Aiwu new Cremonese player |publisher=US Cremonese |date=5 August 2022 |access-date=5 August 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220808202352/https://www.uscremonese.it/aiwu-nuovo-calciatore-della-cremonese/ |archive-date=8 August 2022}} on a four-year contract for a fee reported as €3.5 million.{{cite web |url=https://www.laola1.at/de/red/fussball/international/italien/serie-a/news/emanuel-aiwu--so-steht-es-um-seine-zukunft-beim-oefb/ |title=Aiwu-Berater: "Nigeria hätte ihn schon jetzt eingeladen" |language=de |trans-title=Aiwu adviser: "Nigeria had already invited him" |first=Lewis |last=Ambrose |website=LAOLA1.at |date=19 June 2023 |access-date=1 September 2023}} He played regularly for the first part of the season, but a mid-season change of management brought in a coach who preferred older, more experienced defenders, and although Aiwu was still a regular in the matchday squad, he rarely started.{{cite web |url=https://www.kicker.at/aiwu-fuer-nigeria-wuerde-luegen-wenn-ich-sage-dass-ich-mir-keine-gedanken-darueber-mache-948555/artikel |title=Aiwu für Nigeria? "Würde lügen, wenn ich sage, dass ich mir keine Gedanken darüber mache" |language=de |trans-title=Aiwu for Nigeria? "Be lying if I say I never think about it" |first=Emanuel |last=Aiwu |interviewer=Maximilian Augustin |website=kicker |date=27 April 2023 |access-date=1 September 2023}} Cremonese were relegated, and it appeared that Aiwu saw his future at a higher level than Serie B.{{cite interview |url=https://www.kicker.de/berater-brillmann-ueber-aiwu-zukunft-es-gibt-sowohl-interessenten-aus-den-top-fuenf-ligen-wie-auch-aus-kleineren-ligen-955875/artikel |title=Berater Brillmann über Aiwu-Zukunft: "Es gibt sowohl Interessenten aus den Top-fünf-Ligen, wie auch aus kleineren Ligen" |language=de |trans-title=Adviser Brillmann on Aiwu's future: "There's interest from the top five leagues as well as from smaller leagues" |first=Marcello |last=Brillmann |interviewer=Maximilian Augustin |website=kicker |date=19 June 2023 |access-date=1 September 2023}}
Despite his adviser's mention of interest from top-five leagues, and reports of possible moves to Turkish Super Lig club Besiktas{{cite web |url=https://www.allnigeriasoccer.com/read_news.php?nid=48456 |title=Besiktas keen to sign Aiwu as talks stall with Manchester United for 2015 Afcon |first=Ifeanyi |last=Emmanuel |website=All Nigeria Soccer |date=14 August 2023 |access-date=1 September 2023}} and to Burnley, newly returned to the Premier League,{{cite news |url=https://www.burnleyexpress.net/sport/football/there-is-contact-update-emerges-on-burnleys-interest-in-austrian-defender-4189073 |title='There is contact': Update emerges on Burnley's interest in Austrian defender |first=Matt |last=Scrafton |newspaper=Burnley Express |date=20 June 2023 |access-date=1 September 2023}} Aiwu signed for English Championship (second-tier) club Birmingham City on 31 August 2023 on loan for the season.{{cite web |url=https://www.bcfc.com/news/all/emanuel-aiwu-signs-for-blues |title=Emanuel Aiwu signs for Blues on loan |publisher=Birmingham City F.C. |date=31 August 2023 |access-date=1 September 2023}} The deal included an option to purchase. After a lengthy spell as an unused member of the matchday squad, Aiwu made his Birmingham debut on 3 October as a late substitute in a 4–1 win at home to Huddersfield Town.{{cite news |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/66920481 |title=Birmingham City 4–1 Huddersfield Town |website=BBC Sport |date=3 October 2023 |access-date=3 October 2023}}
International career
Aiwu's first international appearance for Austria came at under-18 level in 2018. Called up for two friendlies against Ukraine, he was an unused substitute for the first match and started the second, a 3–0 win on 23 March.{{cite web |url=https://www.oefb.at/NT-Profile/Spieler/1218466/U18 |title=Emanuel Aiwu U18 |publisher=Österreichischer Fußball-Bund |language=de |access-date=1 September 2023}} Match list includes all matches for which Aiwu was named, whether he took the field or not. He made six appearances, scoring once, for Austria under-19s,{{cite web |url=https://www.oefb.at/NT-Profile/Spieler/1218466/U19 |title=Emanuel Aiwu U19 |publisher=Österreichischer Fußball-Bund |language=de |access-date=1 September 2023}} and moved into the under-20s the following year.{{cite web |url=https://www.oefb.at/NT-Profile/Spieler/1218466/U20 |title=Emanuel Aiwu U20 |publisher=Österreichischer Fußball-Bund |language=de |access-date=1 September 2023}} Aiwu was approached to represent Nigeria at the 2019 FIFA U-20 World Cup, but declined, preferring to continue within the Austrian system.{{cite web |url=https://owngoalnigeria.com/2019/03/14/austria-based-defender-emanuel-aiwu-snubs-nigeria-u20-opts-for-austria/ |title=Austria based defender Emanuel Aiwu snubs Nigeria U20, opts for Austria |website=OwnGoalNigeria |date=14 March 2019 |access-date=1 September 2023}}{{cite web |url=https://www.laola1.at/de/red/fussball/oefb-nationalteam/talente-ranking/ranking-2019--oesterreichs-groesste-fussball-talente--rang-1-25-/ |title=Ranking: Die größten ÖFB-Talente |language=de |trans-title=Ranking: The greatest Austrian talents |first1=Harald |last1=Prantl |first2=Simon |last2=Urhofer |website=LAOLA1.at |date=14 August 2019 |access-date=1 September 2023}} Aiwu made his Austria under-21 debut in October 2019 in 2021 European Championship qualifier against Turkey, went on to make thirteen appearances, including seven in 2023 European qualifying, and captained the side.{{cite web |url=https://www.oefb.at/NT-Profile/Spieler/1218466/U21 |title=Emanuel Aiwu U21 |publisher=Österreichischer Fußball-Bund |language=de |access-date=1 September 2023}}{{cite web |url=https://www.oefb.at/oefb/News/U21-siegt-zum-Jahresabschluss-gegen-Ungarn |title=U21 siegt zum Jahresabschluss gegen Ungarn |language=de |trans-title=U21 end the year with a win against Hungary |publisher=Österreichischer Fußball-Bund |access-date=1 September 2023}}
Career statistics
{{updated|match played 24 May 2025{{cite web |url=https://uk.soccerway.com/players/emanuel-aiwu/503962/ |title=E. Aiwu |website=Soccerway |publisher=Perform Group |access-date=10 March 2025}}}}
| 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"|National cup{{efn|Includes Austrian Cup, Coppa Italia, FA Cup}} !colspan="2"|Continental !colspan="2"|Other !colspan="2"|Total | ||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Division | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals |
| rowspan="3"|Admira Wacker II
|15 | 0 | colspan="2"|— | colspan="2"|— | colspan="2"|— | 15 | 0 | ||||
| 2018–19
|Austrian Regionalliga East |5 | 0 | colspan="2"|— | colspan="2"|— | colspan="2"|— | 5 | 0 | ||||
| colspan="2"|Total
!20||0||colspan="2"|—||colspan="2"|—||colspan="2"|—||20||0 | ||||||||||
| rowspan="6"|Admira Wacker
|3 | 0 | colspan="2"|— | colspan="2"|— | colspan="2"|— | 3 | 0 | ||||
| 2018–19
|Austrian Bundesliga |19 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 1{{efn|Appearance in UEFA Europa League}} | 0 | colspan="2"|— | 21 | 3 | ||
| 2019–20
|Austrian Bundesliga |26 | 0 | 2 | 0 | colspan="2"|— | colspan="2"|— | 28 | 0 | |||
| 2020–21
|Austrian Bundesliga |28 | 1 | 1 | 0 | colspan="2"|— | colspan="2"|— | 29 | 1 | |||
| 2021–22
|Austrian Bundesliga |5 | 1 | 1 | 0 | colspan="2"|— | colspan="2"|— | 6 | 1 | |||
| colspan="2"|Total
!81 | 5 | 5 | 0 | 1 | 0 | colspan="2"|— | 87 | 5 | ||
| rowspan="3"|Rapid Wien
|Austrian Bundesliga |23 | 2 | 3 | 0 | 8{{efn|Six appearances in UEFA Europa League, two in UEFA Europa Conference League}} | 0 | 2{{efn|Appearances in Bundesliga UEFA Conference League play-offs}} | 0 | 36 | 2 | |
| 2022–23
|Austrian Bundesliga |0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 2{{efn|Appearances in UEFA Europa Conference League}} | 0 | colspan="2"|— | 3 | 0 | ||
| colspan="2"|Total
!23||2||4||0||10||0||2||0||39||2 | ||||||||||
| rowspan="3"|Cremonese
|23 | 0 | 4 | 0 | colspan="2"|— | colspan="2"|— | 27 | 0 | |||
| 2023–24
|0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | colspan="2"|— | colspan="2"|— | 0 | 0 | |||
| colspan="2"|Total
!23||0||4||0||colspan="2"|—||colspan="2"|—||27||0 | ||||||||||
| Birmingham City (loan)
|24 | 0 | 1 | 0 | colspan="2"|— | colspan="2"|— | 25 | 0 | |||
| Sturm Graz
|Austrian Bundesliga |27 | 1 | 3 | 0 | 6{{efn|name=UCL|Appearances in UEFA Champions League}} | 0 | colspan="2"|— | 36 | 1 | ||
| colspan="3"|Career total
!198 | 8 | 17 | 0 | 17 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 235 | 8 |
{{notelist}}
References
{{reflist}}
External links
{{commons category}}
- [https://www.oefb.at/NT-Profile/Spieler/1218466 National team profile] at Austrian Football Association website
{{SK Sturm Graz squad}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Aiwu, Emanuel}}
Category:Footballers from Innsbruck
Category:Austrian men's footballers
Category:Austria men's under-21 international footballers
Category:Austria men's youth international footballers
Category:Men's association football defenders
Category:SKN St. Pölten players
Category:Admira Wacker players
Category:SK Rapid Wien players
Category:Birmingham City F.C. players
Category:Austrian Regionalliga players
Category:Austrian Football Bundesliga players
Category:English Football League players
Category:Austrian expatriate men's footballers
Category:Expatriate men's footballers in Italy
Category:Expatriate men's footballers in England
Category:Austrian expatriate sportspeople in Italy
Category:Austrian expatriate sportspeople in England
Category:Austrian people of Nigerian descent