James Olayinka: Arsenal academy graduate makes move to Waterford

With a statement on their official website, League of Ireland Premier Division club Waterford F.C. have announced the signing of Arsenal academy graduate James Olayinka.

Olayinka has finally found a new employer following his release by Cheltenham Town at the end of the 2023-2024 season.

The 24-year-old was on the books of Arsenal for fourteen years, having joined them at the age of seven,

He received only two call-ups for first team games during his time at the Emirates Stadium - against Standard Liege in the Europa League (December 2019) and Liverpool in the Community Shield (August 2020).

This is the first time in Olayinka's career that he has made a bold step of joining a non-English club.

A midfielder by trade, he was in the Northampton side that secured promotion to the League One via the playoffs in June 2020, playing the last sixteen minutes of a 4-0 rout of Exeter City at Wembley.

Overall, Olayinka has made 59 appearances in the Football League and is credited with three goals.

In his first words as a player of Waterford, Olayinka said: "I’m very pleased to get going at Waterford. I’ve had a bit of time out [since his 2023 season finished with Cheltenham Town], so it will be good to get back playing & training every day with the squad".

Olayinka describes himself as a box-to-box midfielder, who can make late runs and scores goals, and he's not afraid to take on his man.

Before agreeing terms with Waterford, he trained with their sister club Fleetwood Town at Poolfoot Fram.

Ifeanyi Emmanuel 

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