Jesurun Rak-Sakyi

Jesurun Rak-Sakyi
Personal information
Date of birth (2002-10-05) 5 October 2002 (age 22)[1]
Place of birth Southwark, England
Height 1.78 m (5 ft 10 in)[2]
Position(s) Right winger
Team information
Current team
 Sheffield United
(on loan from Crystal Palace)
Number 11
Youth career
0000–2019 Chelsea
2019–2021 Crystal Palace
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2021– Crystal Palace 8 (0)
2022–23 → Charlton Athletic (loan) 43 (15)
2024– → Sheffield United (loan) 13 (2)
International career‡
2021–22 England U20 5 (1)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 23:58, 5 November 2024 (UTC)
‡ National team caps and goals, correct as of 29 March 2022 (UTC)

Jesurun Rak-Sakyi (born 5 October 2002) is an English professional footballer who plays as a right winger for EFL Championship club Sheffield United, on loan from Premier League club Crystal Palace.

Club career

Crystal Palace

Rak-Sakyi was originally in the youth system at Chelsea, before joining Crystal Palace in 2019.[3] His first appearance in the Crystal Palace first-team squad was as an unused substitute against his previous club on 10 April 2021, and he signed his first professional contract for the club two days later.[4][3][5] He made his debut as a substitute in a 3–0 defeat against former club Chelsea on 14 August 2021 in the Premier League.[6] Rak-Sakyi made his first start for the club in their final home game of the 2021–22 season against Manchester United.

2022–23 season: Loan to Charlton Athletic

On 11 August 2022, Rak-Sakyi joined Charlton Athletic on a season-long loan for their 2022–23 campaign.[7] He made his debut for Charlton, aged 19, in a 5–1 League One win at home to Plymouth Argyle on 17 August 2022 where he scored the side's first goal. Ten days later, on 27 August 2022, Rak-Sakyi scored for Charlton again in a 1–1 League One draw away at Wycombe Wanderers. After scoring 15 goals and registering eight assists, he was later named the club's Supporters' Player of the Year for his performances across the season, receiving 46% of fans' votes.[8]

2023–24 season: Return to Crystal Palace

Rak-Sakyi returned to Palace and made his first appearance of the new season in an EFL Cup second-round fixture against Plymouth Argyle on 29 August 2023.

On 7 October 2023, Rak-Sakyi made his first Premier League appearance of the season against Nottingham Forest, replacing the injured Jeffrey Schlupp on 26 minutes.

2024–25 season: Loan to Sheffield United

On 16 August 2024, EFL Championship club Sheffield United announced the signing of Rak-Sakyi on loan for the 2024–25 season.[9]

International career

Though Rak-Sakyi is also eligible to represent Ghana through his parents,[10] he accepted a call-up to the England U20 team in September 2021 to replace an injured Anthony Gordon.[11] On 6 September 2021, he made a goalscoring debut for the U20s during a 6–1 victory over Romania U20s at St. George's Park.[12]

Personal life

As of September 2022, Rak-Sakyi's younger brother, Samuel, was in the academy at Chelsea.[13]

Career statistics

As of 5 November 2024
Appearances and goals by club, season and competition
Club Season League FA Cup EFL Cup Other Total
Division Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals
Crystal Palace 2021–22 Premier League 2 0 0 0 0 0 – 2 0
2023–24[14] Premier League 6 0 0 0 2 0 – 8 0
Total 8 0 0 0 2 0 – 10 0
Charlton Athletic (loan) 2022–23[15] League One 43 15 2 0 4 0 0 0 49 15
Sheffield United (loan) 2024–25[16] Championship 13 2 0 0 1 0 – 14 2
Career total 64 17 2 0 7 0 0 0 73 17

Honours

Individual

References

  1. ^ "Jesuran Rak-Sakyi". 11v11.com. AFS Enterprises. Retrieved 3 November 2021.
  2. ^ "Jesurun Rak-Sakyi". Charlton Athletic F.C. Retrieved 30 September 2022.
  3. ^ a b "Jesurun Rak-Sakyi". Crystal Palace FC. Archived from the original on 23 April 2021. Retrieved 12 April 2021.
  4. ^ Smith, Sam (12 April 2021). "Crystal Palace youngster Jesurun Rak-Sakyi signs first professional deal". South London News. Retrieved 12 April 2021.
  5. ^ The Athletic Staff. "Rak-Sakyi signs first professional deal with Crystal Palace". The Athletic. Retrieved 14 August 2021.
  6. ^ "Chelsea cruise against Vieira's Palace". BBC Sport. Retrieved 14 August 2021.
  7. ^ "DONE DEAL : RAK-SAKYI IS AN ADDICK". Charlton Athletic Official Site. 11 August 2022. Retrieved 11 August 2022.
  8. ^ "2022/23 award winners revealed | Charlton Athletic Football Club". www.charltonafc.com. Retrieved 20 February 2024.
  9. ^ "JRS makes 10". Sheffield United FC. 16 August 2024. Retrieved 16 August 2024.
  10. ^ "Crystal Palace: Ghanaian youngster Jesurun Rak-Sakyi elated after Premier League debut". Modern Ghana.
  11. ^ "Jesurun Rak-Sakyi receives first international call-up with England U20s". Football London.
  12. ^ "Six at SGP for MU20s". EnglandFootball.com. Retrieved 6 September 2021.
  13. ^ "Jesurun Rak-Sakyi: Crystal Palace's young 'throwback' thriving with rivals Charlton". The Athletic. 21 September 2022. Retrieved 29 May 2023.
  14. ^ "Games played by Jeserun Rak-Sakyi in 2023/2024". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 14 August 2021.
  15. ^ "Games played by Jeserun Rak-Sakyi in 2022/2023". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 14 August 2021.
  16. ^ "Games played by Jeserun Rak-Sakyi in 2024/2025". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 14 August 2021.
  17. ^ "2022/23 AWARD WINNERS REVEALED". Charlton Athletic Official Website. 2023. Retrieved 30 April 2023.
  • Profile at the Crystal Palace F.C. website