King Udoh

{{short description|Association football player (born 1997)}}

{{Use dmy dates|date=August 2024}}

{{Infobox football biography

|name = King Udoh

|image =

|fullname = King Paul Akpan Udoh

|birth_date = {{Birth date and age|1997|09|05|df=y}}

|birth_place = Reggio Emilia, Italy

|height = {{height|m=1.87}}

|position = Forward

|currentclub = Triestina

|clubnumber = 27

|youthyears1 = {{0|0000}}–2011

|youthclubs1 = Reggiana

|youthyears2 = 2011–2016

|youthclubs2 = Juventus

|youthyears3 = 2011–2012

|youthclubs3 = → Reggiana (loan)

|years1 = 2016–2018

|clubs1 = Juventus

|caps1 = 3

|goals1 = 1

|years2 = 2016

|clubs2 = → Virtus Lanciano (loan)

|caps2 = 0

|goals2 = 0

|years3 = 2016–2017

|clubs3 = → Pontedera (loan)

|caps3 = 18

|goals3 = 1

|years4 = 2017

|clubs4 = → Fernana (loan)

|caps4 = 0

|goals4 = 0

|years5 = 2018

|clubs5 = → Fano (loan)

|caps5 = 2

|goals5 = 0

|years6 = 2018–2019

|clubs6 = Viareggio

|caps6 = 26

|goals6 = 8

|years7 = 2019–2020

|clubs7 = Pianese

|caps7 = 23

|goals7 = 5

|years8 = 2020–2022

|clubs8 = Olbia

|caps8 = 70

|goals8 = 19

|years9 = 2022–2024

|clubs9 = Cesena

|caps9 = 20

|goals9 = 4

|years10 = 2023–2024

|clubs10 = → Gubbio (loan)

|caps10 = 35

|goals10 = 11

|years11 = 2024–

|clubs11 = Trapani

|caps11 = 10

|goals11 = 2

|years12 = 2025–

|clubs12 = → Triestina (loan)

|caps12 = 1

|goals12 = 1

|club-update = 4 January 2025

|nationalteam-update =

}}

King Paul Akpan Udoh (born 5 September 1997) is an Italian association footballer who plays as a forward for {{Italian football updater|Triestina}} club Triestina on loan from Trapani.

Club career

Having started his career with Reggiana, Udoh moved to Juventus in 2011, and was immediately loaned back for a year.{{cite web|url=http://www.tribalfootball.com/articles/juventus-send-youngster-king-udoh-reggiana-1791791 |title=Juventus send youngster King Udoh to Reggiana |date=2 August 2011 |accessdate=7 April 2017 |work=Tribal Football}} After progressing through the youth ranks of Juventus, Udoh secured a loan move to Serie B side Virtus Lanciano in 2016, with an option to buy at the end of the season.{{cite web|url=http://www.corrieredellosport.it/news/calcio/calcio-mercato/2016/01/14-7547836/calciomercato_juventus_al_lanciano_king_udoh_e_vitale/ |title=Calciomercato Juventus, al Lanciano King Udoh e Vitale |date=14 January 2017 |accessdate=7 April 2017 |work=Corriere Dello Sport |language=Italian}}{{cite web|url=http://www.mondoprimavera.com/2016/04/01/lanciano-parla-d-s-leone-vitale-puo-diventare-uno-juve-udoh-deve-crescere/ |title=Lanciano, parla il d.s. Leone: "Vitale può diventare uno da Juve. Udoh? Deve crescere" |date=1 April 2016 |accessdate=7 April 2017 |work=Mondo Primavera |language=Italian}}{{cite web|url=http://www.tuttosport.com/news/calcio/serie-a/juventus/2016/02/02-8117394/calciomercato_juventus_tutti_i_movimenti_della_sessione_invernale/ |title=Calciomercato Juventus: tutti i movimenti della sessione invernale |date=2 February 2016 |accessdate=7 April 2017 |work=Tutto Sport |language=Italian}} Failing to impress, he was returned to Juve, and then loaned to Lega Pro side Pontedera later the same year.{{cite web|url=http://www.pisatoday.it/sport/calciomercato-pontedera-arrivi-juventus.html |title=U.S. Città di Pontedera: tris di arrivi dalla Juventus |date=22 July 2016 |accessdate=7 April 2017 |work=Pisa Today |language=Italian}}{{cite web|url=http://www.juventus.com/en/teams/loanplayers/forwards/king-paul-akpan/index.php |title=King Paul Akpan Udoh |accessdate=7 April 2017 |work=Juventus F.C. {{subscription required}}}}

On 14 July 2019, he signed with Pianese.{{cite press release|publisher=Pianese|url=http://www.uspianeseasd.it/news.aspx?NewsId=81594|title=PIANESE: PRESI MOMENTÈ, CASON, UDOH, VAVASSORI. ACCORDO DA PERFEZIONARE CON AMBROGIO E MONTAPERTO|date=14 July 2019|language=Italian}}

On 13 September 2020 he joined Olbia on a 2-year contract.{{cite press release|publisher=Olbia|url=http://www.olbiacalcio.com/news/comunicati/1902/udoh-e-un-giocatore-dell-olbia|title=Udoh è un giocatore dell'Olbia|date=13 September 2020|language=Italian}}

On 26 August 2022, Udoh signed a three-year deal with Cesena.{{cite web|publisher=Cesena|url=https://cesenafc.com/it/news/2022/8/26/king-udoh-in-bianconero|title=KING UDOH IN BIANCONERO|date=26 August 2022|access-date=20 September 2022|language=it}} On 1 August 2023, he was loaned to Gubbio, with an option to buy.{{cite web|publisher=Gubbio|url=https://cesenafc.com/en/news/2023/1/8/udoh-transferred-on-a-temporary-loan-to-gubbio|title=UDOH TRANSFERRED ON LOAN TO GUBBIO|date=1 August 2023|access-date=22 August 2023}}

Coronavirus infection

On 27 February 2020, Udoh became the first professional footballer to be infected by the virus in Italy.{{Cite web|url=https://www.legit.ng/1306899-king-paul-udoh-footballer-diagnosed-corona-virus.html|title=Italian-Nigerian player King Udoh reportedly contracts corona-virus in Italy|last=Shittu|first=Ibitoye|date=2020-02-28|website=Legit.ng - Nigeria news.|language=en|access-date=2020-02-28}} According to the publications Udoh was put under quarantine after showing symptoms of the virus.{{Cite web|url=https://epoca.globo.com/esportes/king-udoh-primeiro-jogador-diagnosticado-com-coronavirus-24277134|title=King Udoh: o primeiro jogador diagnosticado com coronavírus|date=2020-02-28|website=Época|language=pt-BR|access-date=2020-02-28}}{{Cite news|url=https://www.bbc.com/afrique/region-51673234|title=Un footballeur nigérian infecté par le coronavirus en Italie|date=2020-02-28|work=BBC News Afrique|access-date=2020-02-28|language=fr}}

Personal life

Born in Italy, Udoh is of Yoruba-Nigerian descent.{{Cite web|url=https://www.bbc.com/pidgin/sport-51677486|title=Nigerian footballer don become di first player to get Coronavirus|via=www.bbc.com}} On 27 February 2020, Udoh became the first professional footballer to be diagnosed with the COVID-19.{{Cite web |date=2020-02-27 |title=Serie C star becomes first professional player in Italy to contract coronavirus |url=https://metro.co.uk/2020/02/27/serie-c-star-becomes-first-professional-footballer-italy-contract-coronavirus-12314991/ |access-date=2020-02-27 |website=Metro |language=en}}

References

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