This one is more for future reference since he's only across the border in Canada right now (but he has already done his academy time in the UK). CHITURU ODUNZE Goalkeeper Birth Year: 2002 Hometown: Calgary, Alberta Previous Club: Calgary Foothills FC PROFILE A 6-foot-6 goalkeeper originally from London, England who came to Vancouver by way of Calgary, Alberta. Odunze previously played at Calgary Foothills FC. Growing up in London, England, Odunze spent three years in the academy of Chelsea FC and later at Cardiff City FC and West Ham United FC. Here's the USA part of the story: U.S. U-17 Men’s National Team Roster by Position: GOALKEEPERS (5): Aaron Cervantes (Pateadores; Chino Hills, Calif.), Damian Las (Chicago Fire; Chicago, Ill.), *Chituru Odunze (Vancouver Whitecaps FC; Calgary, Canada), Marzuq Puckerin (FC Greater Boston Bolts; Cambridge, Mass.), *Ethan Wady (Chelsea FC; Surrey, United Kingdom) https://www.ussoccer.com/stories/20...oncurrent-training-camps-in-bradenton-florida Just being born in London doesn't guarantee a UK passport, but it certainly indicates a strong possibility. He's been in a Canadian ID camp, but haven't seen anything else. His Whitecaps portfolio indicates this as his citizenship (which is odd, but maybe he isn't a Canadian citizen yet): Nationality: USA - United States I'm guessing at least one African passport to go with the other possibilities.
Here's an interesting scouting report: https://docs.wixstatic.com/ugd/a2fc72_92516ebbecac46009e44db8df0fb6e14.pdf
Called in for Nike Friendlies: 018 Nike International Friendlies Roster by Position (Club or College; Hometown; Caps/Goals) GOALKEEPERS (3): Robert Alphin (North Carolina FC; Raleigh, N.C.; 0/0), Damian Las (Chicago Fire; Norridge, Ill.; 11/0), Chituru Odunze (Vancouver Whitecaps FC/CAN; Calgary, Alberta; 3/0)
Is this the same kid that played in the DA playoffs for Vancouver? If so, I don’t remember being especially impressed. Hard to imagine anyone supplanting Las as the #1 for this team anyway
Add him to the list of Nigerian-American prospects being watched by Nigeria: https://www.allnigeriasoccer.com/read_news.php?nid=30578
The Nigerian soccer article says Odunze was born in London, but I've been puzzled for the longest time what exactly was his US connection. I had thought he had an American parent. After some digging, it turns out his US connection is his birth in North Carolina, presumably to Nigerian parents. He then moved to England at a young age, and by about 2012, came back across the Atlantic to Canada. Born in North Carolina, the 6-foot-7 goalkeeper moved to London, England at a young age, spending time in the @ChelseaFC Academy, before settling in Calgary, Alberta.#VWFC— Whitecaps FC MLS Academy (@WFCAcademy) November 26, 2018 Also, Odunze does not have Canadian citizenship at this point but is working on it. If, as expected, he makes the US U17 squad for the World Cup qualifiers in late April and gets a competitive youth cap, and he doesn't have Canadian citizenship yet, he won't be able to represent Canada in the future. Same reason why Diego Fagundez can never play for the USMNT -- he didn't have his citizenship by the time he played competitive youth matches for Uruguay. Still working on his citizenship, has many options.— Whitecaps FC MLS Academy (@WFCAcademy) November 30, 2018
Going on trial at Leicester. https://www.whitecapsfc.com/youth/p...unze-set-trial-english-club-leicester-city-fc
He's now got a Soccer Talents profile. Looks like he actually moved to Canada from England in 2013. http://www.soccer-talents.com/Clubs-Chituru Ethan Odunze-3_7-402648-12.html
Odunze started in goal today against Barbados in the USA's second group game of the CONCACAF U-17 Championship, so he is provisionally tied to the United States. With that in mind, it does sound like he is still eligible for a one time switch to Canada:
Heading back to England with Leicester: 📝Really happy to have helped @USYNT U17 keeper @ChituruOdunze secure a move to the @premierleague with @LCFC from @WhitecapsFC with @reminkton. Another USA / UK transfer #TeamBeswicks #REMGMT #LCFC @ussoccer 🇺🇸🏴 pic.twitter.com/OFH6xS9AOM— Jon Hassall (@JonHassall75) August 1, 2019
Vancouver Whitecaps FC announced on Thursday that the club has signed Development Squad goalkeeper Chituru Odunze to an MLS contract and transferred him to English Premier League club Leicester City FC. The agreement includes performance bonuses and Whitecaps FC will retain a percentage of any future transfer fees. Odunze has joined the Leicester City FC Academy for their preseason camp in Poland. https://www.whitecapsfc.com/post/2019/08/01/wfc-transfer-gk-chituru
So you mean signing your star prospect, working with him, his family, and his agent to get him to where he really wants to be can financially benefit everyone? While I'm sure Vancouver wanted him to stay and possibly raise his value in the future if the kid wants to go, take what money, and more importantly percentage of future transfer fee you can get and hey build a relationship with a club other kids could possibly play in the future. Well done Whitecaps and good luck to the kid. LCFC is a sneaky good EPL team.
🇺🇸👏🏼 Big save from @BeswicksSports @ChituruOdunze as the @LCFC U18 and @USYNT U17 player saves from the spot against @FulhamFC U18s yesterday at St George’s Park 🔥 #TeamBeswicks #REMGMT pic.twitter.com/4CdIqKY5rN— George Mellor (@gmellor94) August 29, 2019
He was in training with Leicester's first team today ahead of their match with Manchester United. Kasper Schmeichel: #lcfc's number o̶n̶e̶ nine pic.twitter.com/Td48mmmrqX— Leicester City (@LCFC) September 12, 2019 His potential seems tantalizing. There's no GK in the US youth pool like him, obviously, with his 6-7 size. Still somewhat of a raw prospect, but it seems he's made a lot of progress over the last year or so.
https://soccer.nbcsports.com/2019/1...e-learning-from-schmeichel-at-leicester-city/ Odunze admits to being pleased at the tests provided by Jamie Vardy and the Leicester attackers, but says he’s learning more from the expertise on show from a trio of wise first team goalkeepers: Kasper Schmeichel, Danny Ward, and Eldin Jakupovic.
Interview: https://www.oddschecker.com/us/insi...uru-odunze-adjusting-to-new-life-in-leicester The international break may be considered tedious by supporters, but the 6ft 7 goalkeeper has just finished a training session with Leicester City’s first-team squad, (a consequence of international departures). “No disrespect to the academy, but professional footballers play much faster, and they catch you off guard a bit more, especially as a goalkeeper,” he says. “The English brand of football is very fast-paced.”