Jesurun Rak-Sakyi

{{Infobox football biography

| name = Jesurun Rak-Sakyi

| image =

| upright =

| caption =

| full_name =

| birth_date = {{Birth date and age|df=y|2002|10|5}}{{cite web |url=https://www.11v11.com/players/jesuran-rak-sakyi-267214/|title=Jesuran Rak-Sakyi|website=11v11.com |publisher=AFS Enterprises |access-date=3 November 2021}}

| birth_place = Southwark, England

| height = 1.78 m{{cite web|url=https://www.charltonafc.com/player/151 |title=Jesurun Rak-Sakyi |publisher=Charlton Athletic F.C. |access-date=30 September 2022}}

| position = Right winger

| currentclub = Sheffield United
(on loan from Crystal Palace)

| clubnumber = 11

| youthclubs1 = Chelsea

| youthyears1 = {{0|0000}}–2019

| youthclubs2 = Crystal Palace

| youthyears2 = 2019–2021

| years1 = 2021–

| clubs1 = Crystal Palace

| caps1 = 8

| goals1 = 0

| years2 = 2022–2023

| clubs2 = → Charlton Athletic (loan)

| caps2 = 43

| goals2 = 15

| years3 = 2024–

| clubs3 = → Sheffield United (loan)

| caps3 = 34

| goals3 = 7

| nationalyears1 = 2021–2022

| nationalteam1 = England U20

| nationalcaps1 = 5

| nationalgoals1 = 1

| nationalyears2 = 2024–

| nationalteam2 = England U21

| nationalcaps2 = 2

| nationalgoals2 = 0

| club-update = 23:04, 25 April 2025 (UTC)

| ntupdate = 22:35, 18 November 2024 (UTC)

}}

Jesurun Rak-Sakyi (born 5 October 2002) is an English professional footballer who plays as a right winger for {{English football updater|SheffieU}} club Sheffield United, on loan from {{English football updater|CrystalP}} club Crystal Palace.

Club career

=Crystal Palace=

Rak-Sakyi was originally in the youth system at Chelsea, before joining Crystal Palace in 2019. His first appearance in the Crystal Palace first-team squad was as an unused substitute against his previous club on 10 April 2021, and he signed his first professional contract for the club two days later.{{Cite web|last=Smith|first=Sam|date=2021-04-12|title=Crystal Palace youngster Jesurun Rak-Sakyi signs first professional deal|url=https://londonnewsonline.co.uk/crystal-palace-youngster-jesurun-rak-sakyi-signs-first-professional-deal/|access-date=2021-04-12|website=South London News|language=en-GB}}{{Cite web|url=https://www.cpfc.co.uk/teams/u18-team/midfielder/jesurun-rak-sakyi/|title=Jesurun Rak-Sakyi|publisher=Crystal Palace FC|access-date=2021-04-12|archive-date=23 April 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210423172704/https://www.cpfc.co.uk/teams/u18-team/midfielder/jesurun-rak-sakyi/|url-status=dead}}{{Cite web|author=The Athletic Staff|title=Rak-Sakyi signs first professional deal with Crystal Palace|url=https://theathletic.com/news/crystal-palace-jesurun-rak-sakyi/E50Bxze6bkpi|access-date=2021-08-14|website=The Athletic|language=en}} He made his debut as a substitute in a 3–0 defeat against former club Chelsea on 14 August 2021 in the Premier League.{{Cite news|title=Chelsea cruise against Vieira's Palace|language=en-GB|work=BBC Sport|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/58124898|access-date=2021-08-14}} Rak-Sakyi made his first start for the club in their final home game of the 2021–22 season, a 1–0 win against Manchester United.

==2022–23 season: Loan to Charlton Athletic==

On 11 August 2022, Rak-Sakyi joined Charlton Athletic on a season-long loan for their 2022–23 campaign.{{cite news |title=DONE DEAL : RAK-SAKYI IS AN ADDICK|url=https://www.charltonafc.com/news/done-deal-rak-sakyi-addick |access-date=11 August 2022 |publisher=Charlton Athletic Official Site |date=11 August 2022}} He made his debut for the Addicks, aged 19, in a 5–1 League One win at home to Plymouth Argyle on 17 August 2022, scoring Charlton's first goal. Ten days later, on 27 August 2022, Rak-Sakyi scored for Charlton again in a 1–1 League One draw away at Wycombe Wanderers. After scoring 15 goals and registering eight assists, he was later named the club's Supporters' Player of the Year for his performances across the season, receiving 46% of fans' votes.{{Cite web |title=2022/23 award winners revealed {{!}} Charlton Athletic Football Club |url=https://www.charltonafc.com/news/202223-award-winners-revealed |access-date=2024-02-20 |website=www.charltonafc.com |language=en}}

==2023–24 season: Return to Crystal Palace==

Rak-Sakyi returned to Palace and made his first appearance of the new season in an EFL Cup second-round fixture against Plymouth Argyle on 29 August 2023.

On 7 October 2023, Rak-Sakyi made his first Premier League appearance of the season against Nottingham Forest, replacing the injured Jeffrey Schlupp on 26 minutes.

==2024–25 season: Loan to Sheffield United==

On 16 August 2024, EFL Championship club Sheffield United announced the signing of Rak-Sakyi on loan for the 2024–25 season.{{cite news |title=JRS makes 10 |url=https://www.sufc.co.uk/news/2024/august/16/jrs-makes-10/ |access-date=16 August 2024 |publisher=Sheffield United FC |date=16 August 2024}}

International career

Though Rak-Sakyi is also eligible to represent Ghana through his parents,{{Cite news|title= Crystal Palace: Ghanaian youngster Jesurun Rak-Sakyi elated after Premier League debut|language=en-GB|work=Modern Ghana|url=https://www.modernghana.com/sports/1098565/crystal-palace-ghanaian-youngster-jesurun-rak.html}} he accepted a call-up to the England Under 20 squad in September 2021 to replace an injured Anthony Gordon.{{Cite news|title= Jesurun Rak-Sakyi receives first international call-up with England U20s|language=en-GB|work=Football London|url= https://www.football.london/crystal-palace-fc/jesurun-rak-sakyi-receives-first-21458976.amp}} On 6 September 2021, he made a goalscoring debut during a 6–1 victory over the Romania Under 20s at St. George's Park.{{Cite web|title=Six at SGP for MU20s|url=https://www.englandfootball.com/articles/2021/Sep/06/20210609-england-mu20s-romania-match-report|access-date=2021-09-06|website=EnglandFootball.com|language=en}}

On 13 November 2024, Rak-Sakyi was called up to the England Under 21 squad for the first time and made his debut two days later during a goalless draw with Spain in La Línea de la Concepción. {{cite web| url=https://www.englandfootball.com/articles/2024/Nov/15/england-mu21s-spain-live-report-20241511 |title=Report: Spain 0-0 England MU21s |first=Tom |last=Harle |website=England Football |date=15 November 2024 |access-date=17 November 2024}}

Personal life

Rak-Sakyi's younger brother, Samuel, is currently a member of the development squad at Chelsea.{{Cite web|title=Jesurun Rak-Sakyi: Crystal Palace's young 'throwback' thriving with rivals Charlton|url=https://theathletic.com/3611675/2022/09/21/jesurun-rak-sakyi-crystal-palace-charlton/|date=21 September 2022|access-date=29 May 2023|work=The Athletic}}

Career statistics

rowspan="2"\|Club !rowspan="2"\|Season !colspan="3"\|League !colspan="2"\|FA Cup !colspan="2"\|EFL Cup !colspan="2"\|Other !colspan="2"\|Total
class="wikitable" style="text-align: center;" \|+ Appearances and goals by club, season and competition
Division	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals
rowspan="5"\|Crystal Palace \|2021–22{{Soccerbase season\|138945\|2021\|accessdate=23 November 2024}} \|Premier League \|2	0	0	0	0	0	colspan="2"\|–	2	0
2022–23 \|Premier League \|0	0	0	0	0	0	colspan="2"\|–	0	0
2023–24{{Soccerbase season\|138945\|2023\|accessdate=14 August 2021}} \|Premier League \|6	0	0	0	2	0	colspan="2"\|–	8	0
2024–25 \|Premier League \|0	0	0	0	0	0	colspan="2"\|–	0	0
colspan=2\|Total !8\|\|0\|\|0\|\|0\|\|2\|\|0\|\|0\|\|0\|\|10\|\|0
Charlton Athletic (loan) \|2022–23{{Soccerbase season\|138945\|2022\|accessdate=14 August 2021}} \|League One \|43	15	2	0	4	0	0	0	49	15
Sheffield United (loan) \|2024–25{{Soccerbase season\|138945\|2024\|accessdate=14 August 2021}} \|Championship \|24	5	0	0	1	0	colspan="2"\|–	25	5
colspan=3\|Career total !75\|\|20\|\|2\|\|0\|\|7\|\|0\|\|0\|\|0\|\|84\|\|20

Honours

Individual

Charlton Athletic Player of the Year: 2022–23{{cite news |url=https://www.charltonafc.com/news/202223-award-winners-revealed |title=2022/23 AWARD WINNERS REVEALED|publisher=Charlton Athletic Official Website |date= 2023 |access-date=30 April 2023}}