Nathaniel Adjei

{{Infobox football biography

| name = Nathaniel Adjei

| image =

| caption =

| fullname =

| birth_date = {{Birth date and age|2002|8|21|df=y}}

| birth_place = Teshie, Ghana

| height = 1.91m

| position = Centre-back

| currentclub = Lorient

| clubnumber = 32

| youthyears1 = 2015–2017

| youthclubs1 = Danbort FC

| years1 = 2018–2022

| clubs1 = Danbort FC

| caps1 =

| goals1 =

| years2 = 2021–2022

| clubs2 = → Hammarby TFF (loan)

| caps2 = 22

| goals2 = 0

| years3 = 2022–2024

| clubs3 = Hammarby IF

| caps3 = 24

| goals3 = 1

| years4 = 2023–2024

| clubs4 = → Lorient (loan)

| caps4 = 15

| goals4 = 0

| years5 = 2024–

| clubs5 = Lorient

| caps5 = 9

| goals5 = 0

| nationalyears1 = 2019–2021

| nationalteam1 = Ghana U-20

| nationalcaps1 = 2

| nationalgoals1 = 0

| nationalyears2 = 2023–

| nationalteam2 = Ghana U-23

| nationalcaps2 = 2

| nationalgoals2 = 0

| nationalyears3 = 2024–

| nationalteam3 = Ghana

| nationalcaps3 = 1

| nationalgoals3 = 0

| pcupdate = 14 December 2024

| nationalteam-update = 30 June 2023

}}

Nathaniel Adjei (born 21 August 2002) is a Ghanaian professional footballer who plays as a centre-back for French {{French football updater|Lorient}} club Lorient and the Ghana national team.{{cite web|publisher=Lorient|url=https://www.fclorient.bzh/joueur/nathaniel-adjei|title=Nathaniel Adjei|language=fr}}

Early life

Born and raised in Teshie, Adjei started to play youth football with local club Danbort FC at age 13.{{cite web|title=Nathaniel Adjei tackar för stödet: "Mina DM bara exploderade"|url=https://fotbollsthlm.se/hammarby/nathaniel-adjei-tackar-for-stodet-mina-dm-bara-exploderade/|publisher=Fotboll STHLM|date=21 September 2022|accessdate=7 October 2022|language=Swedish}} The team competed in Division One League, Ghana's second tier.{{cite web|title=Base Soccer Agency grabs Ghana U-20 defender Nathaniel Adjei|url=https://newsghana.com.gh/base-soccer-agency-grabs-ghana-u-20-defender-nathaniel-adjei/|publisher=News Ghana|date=21 May 2020|accessdate=18 September 2022|language=English}}

Club career

On 13 August 2021, Ajdei joined Hammarby TFF in Sweden's third tier Ettan, the feeder team of Hammarby IF. He was signed on a one-year loan from Danbort, together with fellow Ghanaian player Emmanuel Agyeman Duah from Karela United.{{cite web|title=Varmt välkomna till HTFF|url=https://hammarbytff.sportadmin.se/nyheter/?ID=315669&NID=813104|publisher=Hammarby Talang FF|date=13 August 2021|accessdate=18 September 2022|language=Swedish}}{{cite web|title=Talangkollen: Vårsäsongen 2022|work=Ettanfotboll |url=https://ettanfotboll.se/nyheter/talangkollen-varsasongen-2022/|publisher=Ettan Fotboll|date=6 July 2022|accessdate=31 January 2023|language=Swedish}}

On 11 July 2022, Adjei was promoted to Hammarby's first team, completing a permanent transfer from Danbort by signing a four-and-a-half-year contract.{{cite web|title=Adjei till A-laget från HTFF|url=https://www.gamlahammarbyfotboll.se/aktuellt/nyheter/adjei-till-a-laget-fran-htff/|publisher=Hammarby Fotboll|date=11 July 2022|accessdate=18 September 2022|language=Swedish}} On 17 September the same year, Adjei made his Allsvenskan debut in a 1–1 away draw against BK Häcken, in which he scored an own goal.{{cite web|title=Sent tappad seger vid Wieselgrensplatsen|url=https://www.gamlahammarbyfotboll.se/aktuellt/nyheter/sent-tappad-seger-vid-wieselgrensplatsen/|publisher=Hammarby Fotboll|date=17 September 2022|accessdate=18 September 2022|language=Swedish}}

On 27 January 2024, Adjei joined Lorient on loan with option to purchase in France until the end of the season.{{cite web|publisher=Lorient|url=https://www.fclorient.bzh/nathaniel-adjei-prete-chez-les-merlus/|title=Nathaniel Adjei prêté chez les Merlus|date=27 January 2024|language=fr}}

Adjei was transferred to Lorient upon exercise of the purchase option on 15 June 2024.{{cite web|publisher=Lorient|url=https://www.fclorient.bzh/nathaniel-adjei-poursuit-son-aventure-au-fc-lorient/|title=Nathaniel Adjei poursuit son aventure au FC Lorient|date=15 June 2024|language=fr}}

International career

Being part of the Ghanaian youth selections since 2018, Adjei was the vice captain of the Ghana national U17's.{{cite web|title=We're not taking any chances, says Ghana starlet ahead of Cote d'Ivoire clash at Wafu Zone B championship|url=https://www.goal.com/en-ie/news/were-not-taking-any-chances-says-ghana-starlet-ahead-of-cote/rkhfa0gbl5xz1ph08tbzr7wbp|publisher=Goal|date=11 September 2018|accessdate=18 September 2022|language=English}}

Adjei was called up to the Ghana national U20's for the 2019 Africa U-20 Cup of Nations, at age 16.{{cite web|title=Satellites search for lost glory|url=https://www.cafonline.com/news-center/news/satellites-search-for-lost-glory|publisher=Ghana Football Association|date=27 January 2019|accessdate=18 September 2022|language=English}}

He was also part of Ghana's squad in the 2021 Africa U-20 Cup of Nations.{{cite web|title=Black Satellites off to Mauritania for U20 Afcon|url=https://www.ghanafa.org/black-satellites-off-to-mauritania-for-u20-afcon|publisher=Ghana Football Association|date=13 February 2021|accessdate=18 September 2022|language=English}} He played three games throughout the tournament, before suffering an injury ahead of the knockout stage, that Ghana went on to win through a 2–0 win in the final against Uganda.{{cite web|title=Ghana beat debutants Uganda to clinch Total AFCON U20 title|url=https://www.cafonline.com/total-u20-africa-cup-of-nations/2021/news/ghana-beat-debutants-uganda-to-clinch-total-afcon-u20-title|publisher=Confederation of African Football|date=6 March 2021|accessdate=18 September 2022|language=English}}{{cite web|title=Black Satellites receive massive boost as three injured players return to training|url=https://www.ghanafa.org/black-satellites-receive-massive-boost-as-three-injured-players-return-to-training|publisher=Ghana Football Association|date=1 March 2021|accessdate=18 September 2022|language=English}}

Adjei made his debut for Ghana national team on 18 November 2024 in an Africa Cup of Nations qualifier against Niger at the Accra Sports Stadium. He started the game and was substituted after 40 minutes, as Niger won 2–1.{{cite web|publisher=ESPN|url=https://www.espn.com/soccer/match/_/gameId/722125|title=Ghana v Niger game report|date=18 November 2024}}

Career statistics

=Club=

rowspan="2"\|Club !rowspan="2"\|Season !colspan="3"\|League !colspan="2"\|National Cup{{Efn\|Includes Svenska Cupen}} !colspan="2"\|Continental !colspan="2"\|Total
class="wikitable" style="text-align:center;"
Division	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals
rowspan="3"\|Hammarby TFF \|2021 \|rowspan="2"\|Ettan \|8	0	0	0	colspan="2"\|—	8	0
2022 \|14	0	0	0	colspan="2"\|—	14	0
colspan="2"\|Total !22	0	0	0	0	0	22	0
rowspan="3"\|Hammarby IF \|2022 \|rowspan="2"\|Allsvenskan \|3	0	1	0	colspan="2"\|—	4	0
2023 \|21	1	5	0	2{{efn\|Appearances in UEFA Europa Conference League\|name=CON}}	0	28	1
colspan="2"\|Total !24	1	6	0	2	0	32	1
Lorient (loan) \|2023–24 \|Ligue 1 \|15	0	0	0	0	0	15	0
rowspan=2\|Lorient \|2024–25 \|Ligue 2 !7!!0!!0!!0!!0!!0!!7!!0
colspan=2\|Total !22	0	0	0	0	0	22	0
colspan="3"\|Career total !68	1	6	0	2	0	76	1