'Was really good for him' - Chelsea U18s Nigerian coach pleased with Olagunju after first league start

Chelsea U18s Nigerian coach Hassan Sulaiman was pleased with Golden Eaglets-eligible defender Saheed Olagunju after his side were held to a 2-2 draw by Leicester City in their first game of 2024.

A left sided centre-back by trade, Olagunju made his full debut in the U18 Premier League in what his eighth call-up for the age group. 

After Jake Evans opened the scoring for the Foxes, the in-form Nigerian winger Tyrique George got Chelsea back on level terms in the 42nd minute. 

Joshua King restored the home team's one-goal advantage at minute 71 but a late goal from Donnell McNeilly ensured both teams shared the spoils.

Olagunju joined Chelsea from Charlton Athletic as an U12, rising through the youth team ranks to sign a scholarship deal in the summer of 2023.

"It was a very different squad to the one we fielded against them in the Youth Cup, so we knew it probably wasn’t going to look as fluid because of the number of changes we had made, " Sulaiman told Chelsea's official website. 

"Having said that, the boys that came in played very well. Saheed Olagunju made his first league start at this age group, which was really good for him."

Olagunju has now totaled three appearances for Chelsea in the U18 Premier League since debuting in the division against West Brom in his final season as a schoolboy. 

The 17-year-old scored his first competitive goal for Chelsea U18s  in their 4-2 win over Barnsley in a Premier League Cup match in September 2023.

Igho Kingsley 

Photo Credit: chelseafc.com

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