Michael Elechi

{{Infobox football biography

|name = Michael Elechi

|image =

|caption =

|fullname = Chickanele Michael Elechi{{Cite web |date=23 June 2020 |title=Club list of registered players: As at 23rd June 2020: Oxford United |url=https://www.efl.com/siteassets/image/202021/efl-professional-retain-list---2019-20.pdf |access-date=6 October 2020 |page=44 }}

|birth_date = {{birth date and age|2001|10|10|df=y}}

|birth_place = Westminster, England

|height = {{convert|1.85|m|order=flip}}{{Soccerway|michael-elechi/591830|accessdate=6 October 2020}}

|position = Defender

|currentclub = Raynes Park Vale

|clubnumber =

|youthyears1 = 2016–2018

|youthclubs1 = Manchester United

|youthyears2 = 2018–2020

|youthclubs2 = Oxford United

|years1 = 2020–2022

|clubs1 = Oxford United

|caps1 = 0

|goals1 = 0

|years2 = 2020

|clubs2 = → Gosport Borough (loan)

|caps2 = 4

|goals2 = 0

|years3 = 2021

|clubs3 = → Oxford City (loan)

|caps3 = 2

|goals3 = 0

|years4 = 2021

|clubs4 = → Chippenham Town (loan)

|caps4 = 3

|goals4 = 0

|years5 = 2021–2022

|clubs5 = → Salisbury (loan)

|caps5 = 4

|goals5 = 0

|years6 = 2022–2024

|clubs6 = Leatherhead

|caps6 = 28

|goals6 = 1

|years7 = 2024–2025

|clubs7 = Lewes

|caps7 = 2

|goals7 = 0

|years8 = 2025–

|clubs8 = Raynes Park Vale

|caps8 = 4

|goals8 = 0

|club-update = 16:38, 7 March 2025 (UTC)

}}

Chickanele Michael Elechi (born 10 October 2001) is an English professional footballer who plays as a defender for {{English football updater|RaynesPV}} club Raynes Park Vale.

Career

Born in Westminster, Elechi started his youth career at Manchester United, joining their academy in 2016, but was released in 2018.{{Cite news |last=Pritchard |first=David |date=10 December 2018 |title=Oxford United agree first professional contract with Michael Elechi |work=Oxford Mail |url=https://www.oxfordmail.co.uk/sport/17287856.oxford-united-agree-first-contract-michael-elechi/ |access-date=6 October 2020}} He subsequently joined Oxford United and signed his first professional contract with them in December 2018, lasting until summer 2021.

On 1 February 2020, Elechi joined Southern League Premier Division South side Gosport Borough on a one-month loan deal.{{Cite web |url=https://www.oufc.co.uk/news/2020/february/elechi-and-mccreadie-loans/ |title=Youngsters join Gosport on loan |publisher=Oxford United F.C. |date=1 February 2020 |accessdate=15 December 2021}} On 3 March 2020, the loan spell was extended by a further month.{{Cite web |url=https://www.oufc.co.uk/news/2020/march/duo-extend-loans/ |title=Duo extend loans at Gosport Borough |publisher=Oxford United F.C. |date=3 March 2020 |accessdate=15 December 2021}}

He made his debut for Oxford United on 6 October 2020 in a 1–1 EFL Trophy draw with Bristol Rovers, in which Oxford won the resultant penalty shoot-out.{{Cite news |last=Roberts |first=James |date=6 October 2020 |title=Oxford United win bonus point in Bristol Rovers shoot-out |work=Oxford Mail |url=https://www.oxfordmail.co.uk/sport/18774958.oxford-united-1-osei-89-bristol-rovers-1-meher-12-us-win-4-3-penalties/ |access-date=6 October 2020}}

On 5 February 2021, Elechi joined National League South side Oxford City on a one-month loan, with an option to extend to the end of the season.{{cite web |url=https://nonleaguedaily.com/oxford-city-sign-oxford-uniteds-elechi-on-loan/ |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210417145609/https://nonleaguedaily.com/oxford-city-sign-oxford-uniteds-elechi-on-loan/ |url-status=usurped |archive-date=17 April 2021 |title=Oxford City sign Oxford United's Elechi on loan |website=nonleaguedaily.com |date=5 February 2021 |accessdate=5 February 2021}} He made 2 league appearances on loan at Oxford City, before the Coronavirus pandemic curtailed the season. On 9 September 2021, Elechi returned to the National League South, joining Chippenham Town on an initial one-month loan.{{cite web |url=https://www.oufc.co.uk/news/2021/september/michael-elechi-loan/ |title=Michael Elechi Joins Chippenham On Loan |publisher=Oxford United F.C. |date=9 September 2021 |accessdate= 9 September 2021}} In November of the same year he was loaned to Southern League Premier Division South side Salisbury for a month.{{cite web |url=https://www.oufc.co.uk/news/2021/november/michael-elechi-loan/ |title=Michael Elechi Loan |date=12 November 2021 |publisher=Oxford United F.C. |access-date=15 November 2021}} On 14 December 2021, his loan spell at Salisbury was extended by a further month.{{Cite web |url=https://www.oufc.co.uk/news/2021/december/loan-watch/ |title=Elechi and Chambers-Parillon loans extended |publisher=Oxford United F.C. |date=14 December 2021 |accessdate=15 December 2021}} Elechi was released by Oxford at the end of the 2021–22 season.{{cite news |url=https://www.oxfordmail.co.uk/sport/20118347.oxford-uniteds-sam-winnall-jamie-hanson-among-released-summer-2022/ |title=Oxford United's Sam Winnall and Jamie Hanson among those released in summer 2022 |first=James |last=Roberts |date=6 May 2022 |newspaper=Oxford Mail |access-date=19 May 2022}}

On 21 October 2022, Elechi signed for Isthmian League South Central Division club Leatherhead.{{cite web|url=https://leatherheadfc.com/club-announcement-21st-oct|title=CLUB ANNOUNCEMENT - NEW SIGNINGS|website=leatherheadfc.com|date=21 October 2022|accessdate=24 October 2022}}

In February 2025, following a short spell with Lewes, Elechi joined Raynes Park Vale. {{cite tweet|number=1890569206296355127|title=🔵🔴 NEW PLAYER SIGNING take 2. A big Raynes Park Vale welcome to MICHAEL ELECHI. Left back Michael has had spells at Oxford Utd., Leatherhead & Lewes ⚽️ UTV 🤝|user=RPVFC|author-link=Raynes Park Vale F.C.|date=15 February 2025|accessdate=7 March 2025}}

Personal life

Born in England, Elechi is of Nigerian descent.{{Cite web|url=https://www.allnigeriasoccer.com/read_news.php?nid=26630|title=Manchester United Release Promising Nigerian Defender:: All Nigeria Soccer - The Complete Nigerian Football Portal|website=www.allnigeriasoccer.com}}