Ashanti Akpan

Ashanti Akpan

Personal information
Date of birth	(2005-11-24) 24 November 2005 (age 19)
Place of birth	Warsaw, Poland[1]
Height	1.67 m (5 ft 6 in)[2]
Position(s)	Midfielder
Team information
Current team	Birmingham City (on loan from Chelsea)
Number	21
Youth career
	Kosa Konstancin
2013–2024	Chelsea
Senior career*
Years	Team	Apps	(Gls)
2022–	Chelsea	0	(0)
2024–	→ Birmingham City (loan)	6	(0)
International career
	England U16
	England U17
	England U18
2023–2024	England U19
*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 20 October 2024

Ashanti Akpan (born 24 November 2005) is a professional footballer who plays as a midfielder for Birmingham City, on loan from Chelsea. Born in Poland, she represents England internationally.

Club career

Akpan joined the Chelsea Academy in August 2013, aged seven. With the Academy squad, she won the FA Youth Cup in 2021–22 and the FA WSL Academy Cup in 2022–23.^[3]

She was involved with the Chelsea senior squad for the first time when she was named on the bench in a 2–0 UEFA Women's Champions League win over Real Madrid Femenino on 23 November 2022, though she did not feature.^[4] Her debut came in a 3–1 Women's FA Cup win against Reading on 19 March 2023, when she came on as a second-half substitute for Sophie Ingle.^[5] In December of the same year, Akpan signed her first professional contract with the club until the summer of 2025, with the option to extend by a further year.^[3]

International career

Internationally, Akpan is eligible to play for Poland through her place of birth, for Nigeria through her Nigerian father, and for England.^[1][6] She was capped for the latter at all youth levels from under-15 to under-19.^[2] With the under-19s, she participated at the 2024 UEFA Women's Under-19 Championship, where England reached the semi-finals after being eliminated by eventual champions Spain.^[7]

In October 2024, Akpan was called up to the England under-23 squad following the injury to Massie Symonds.^[8]

Personal life

Akpan was born in Warsaw to a Polish mother and Nigerian father, and later moved to England with her family.^[1] She is the sister of fellow professional footballer Ashley Akpan.^[1]

Career statistics

Club

As of 20 October 2024^[9]

Appearances and goals by club, season and competition

Club	Season	League			National cup[a]		League cup[b]		Continental		Total
		Division	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals
Chelsea	2022–23	Women's Super League	0	0	1	0	0	0	0	0	1	0
	2023–24		0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
	Total		0	0	1	0	0	0	0	0	1	0
Birmingham City (loan)	2024–25	Women's Championship	6	0	0	0	1	0	0	0	7	0
Career total			6	0	1	0	1	0	0	0	8	0

1. Includes Women's FA Cup
2. Includes Women's League Cup

References

1. Westerby, Nick (6 April 2019). "Football associations involved in three-way scrap for talented Polish-Nigerian footballing siblings". The First News. Retrieved 23 November 2022.
2. "Ashanti Akpan – Profile". Chelsea F.C. Retrieved 8 January 2024.
3. "Academy midfielder Ashanti Akpan signs first professional contract". Chelsea F.C. 22 December 2023. Retrieved 7 February 2024.
4. "Chelsea vs. Real Madrid – 23 November 2022". Soccerway. Retrieved 19 March 2023.
5. "Report: Reading Women 1 Chelsea Women 3". Chelsea F.C. 19 March 2023. Retrieved 19 March 2023.
6. "Meet Nigerian-born Ashanti Akpan who plays for Chelsea women's youth team". The Daily News. 29 July 2021. Retrieved 23 November 2022.
7. Vassell, Zac (24 July 2024). "Report: England WU19s 1–3 Spain". England Football. Retrieved 21 October 2024.
8. "England squad update: WU23 and WU19 changes". England Football. 21 October 2024. Retrieved 21 October 2024.
9. Ashanti Akpan at Soccerway