James Olayinka

James Olayinka
Personal information
Full name Olujimi James Ayodele Olayinka[1]
Date of birth (2000-10-05) 5 October 2000[2]
Place of birth Lambeth, England
Height 5 ft 9 in (1.75 m)[2]
Position Midfielder
Team information
Current team
 Derry City
Number 28
Youth career
–2019 Arsenal
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2019–2022 Arsenal 0 (0)
2020 → Northampton Town (loan) 1 (0)
2020–2021 → Southend United (loan) 20 (2)
2022–2024 Cheltenham Town 38 (1)
2025 Waterford 31 (1)
2026– Derry City 12 (1)
* Club domestic league appearances and goals as of 23:30, 14 May 2026 (UTC)

Olujimi James Ayodele Olayinka (born 5 October 2000) is an English professional footballer who plays as a midfielder for League of Ireland Premier Division club Derry City.

Career

Arsenal

Olayinka began his career with Arsenal.[3] He signed his first professional contract with the club in January 2019.[4]

On 29 August 2020, Olayinka was named an unused substitute in the 2020 FA Community Shield, with Arsenal clinching a 5–4 victory over Liverpool in the penalty shootout after the match finished 1–1 after 90 minutes.[5]

Loan to Northampton Town

In January 2020, Olayinka moved on loan to League Two side Northampton Town until the end of the season,[6][7] making his debut in a 3–0 win over Scunthorpe United on 28 January.[8] He helped Northampton Town to secure promotion to League One by winning the play-off final.[9]

Loan to Southend United

In October 2020 he joined Southend United on loan until January 2021.[10] He scored his first goal for the club, and his first professional goal, in an FA Cup tie against Boreham Wood on 7 November 2020.[11] On 1 February 2021, Olayinka extended his loan with Southend United to the end of the 2020–21 season.[12]

Cheltenham Town

He signed a two-year contract with Cheltenham Town on 1 September 2022.[13] On 2 January 2024, manager Darrell Clarke announced that Olayinka had been made available for transfer.[14] He was released by the club at the end of the 2023–24 season.[15]

Waterford

On 14 November 2024, it was announced that Olayinka would be joining League of Ireland Premier Division club Waterford ahead of their 2025 season.[16] On 21 November 2025, it was announced that he would be departing the club at the end of his contract, having made 33 appearances and scored one goal in all competitions.[17]

Derry City

On 15 December 2025, League of Ireland Premier Division club Derry City announced that Olayinka would join the club on a free transfer ahead of the 2026 season, signing a two-year contract.[18][19] On 9 July 2026 he scored Derry's second goal in a 3–2 defeat away to CSKA Sofia in the UEFA Europa League, the first European goal of his career.[20]

Personal life

Olayinka is of Nigerian descent.[21]

Career statistics

As of match played 9 July 2026
Appearances and goals by club, season and competition
Club Season League National Cup[a] League Cup[b] Other Total
DivisionAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoals
Arsenal U21 2018–19[22] ———4[c]040
2019–20[23] ———2[c]121
2020–21[24] ———2[c]020
2021–22[25] ———3[c]232
2022–23[26] ———1[c]010
Total ———123123
Arsenal 2019–20[23] Premier League 0000000000
2020–21[24] Premier League 0000000000
2021–22[25] Premier League 0000000000
Total 0000000000
Northampton Town (loan) 2019–20[23] League Two 1000003[d]040
Southend United (loan) 2020–21[24] League Two 202110000213
Cheltenham Town 2022–23[26] League One 271100000281
2023–24[27] League One 11000103[c]0150
Total 381101030431
Waterford 2025[28] LOI Premier Division 31110–1[e]0331
Derry City 2026[28] LOI Premier Division 21100–1[f]1222
Career total 1115311020413510
  1. ↑ Includes FA Cup & FAI Cup
  2. ↑ Includes EFL Cup
  3. 1 2 3 4 5 6 Appearance(s) in the EFL Trophy.
  4. ↑ Appearances in the League Two play-offs.
  5. ↑ Appearance in the 2025 League of Ireland Premier Division Promotion/Relegation play-off
  6. ↑ Appearances in the UEFA Europa League

Honours

Northampton Town

Arsenal

References

  1. ↑ "2018/19 Premier League squads confirmed". www.premierleague.com. Retrieved 1 February 2020.
  2. 1 2 "James Olayinka". 11v11. Retrieved 1 February 2020.
  3. ↑ "James Olayinka". www.arsenal.com.
  4. ↑ "James Olayinka signs professional contract". www.arsenal.com. Retrieved 25 March 2021.
  5. ↑ Association, The Football. "Arsenal 1–1 Liverpool (5–4 on penalties)". www.thefa.com. Retrieved 25 March 2021.
  6. ↑ "James Olayinka & Callum Morton: Northampton Town loan Arsenal and West Brom youngsters". BBC Sport. 27 January 2020.
  7. ↑ "Olayinka joins Northampton Town on loan". www.arsenal.com. Retrieved 25 March 2021.
  8. ↑ "NORTHAMPTON TOWN 3 SCUNTHORPE UNITED 0". www.ntfc.co.uk. Retrieved 25 March 2021.
  9. ↑ Critchlow, Dan (30 June 2020). "James Olayinka ends loan with promotion win at Wembley". Retrieved 25 March 2021.
  10. ↑ "Southend sign Arsenal's Olayinka on loan". BBC Sport. 17 October 2020.
  11. ↑ "Boreham Wood 3–3 Southend". BBC. 7 November 2020. Retrieved 8 November 2020.
  12. ↑ "Olayinka stays". Southend United FC. 1 February 2021. Retrieved 2 February 2021.
  13. ↑ "Cheltenham sign Arsenal midfielder Olayinka". BBC Sport. September 2022.
  14. ↑ "Six loan players to return to parent clubs". www.ctfc.com. 2 January 2024. Retrieved 2 January 2024.
  15. ↑ "Curtis Davies one of seven released by Cheltenham Town". BBC Sport. 30 April 2024. Retrieved 30 April 2024.
  16. ↑ FC, Waterford (14 November 2024). "Olayinka Becomes A Blue!".
  17. ↑ "Waterford FC 2025 Retained List". Waterford FC. 21 November 2025. Retrieved 15 December 2025.
  18. ↑ "Olayinka Swaps Blue for Red & White". Derry City Football Club. 15 December 2025. Retrieved 15 December 2025.
  19. ↑ "LOI transfers: Derry bring Olayinka to the Brandywell". RTÉ. 15 December 2025. Retrieved 15 December 2025.
  20. ↑ Collins, Simon. "Derry City take first-leg defeat to CSKA Sofia in Europa League qualifiers". The Irish Times.
  21. ↑ "Nigerian-born James Olayinka signs professional contract with Arsenal". Pulse Nigeria. 29 January 2019. Retrieved 1 February 2020.
  22. ↑ "Games played by James Olayinka in 2018/2019". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 8 May 2021.
  23. 1 2 3 "Games played by James Olayinka in 2019/2020". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 20 June 2020.
  24. 1 2 3 "Games played by James Olayinka in 2020/2021". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 8 May 2021.
  25. 1 2 "Games played by James Olayinka in 2021/2022". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 12 September 2022.
  26. 1 2 "Games played by James Olayinka in 2022/2023". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 12 September 2022.
  27. ↑ "Games played by James Olayinka in 2023/2024". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 14 November 2024.
  28. 1 2 "England - J. Olayinka - Profile with news, career statistics and history - Soccerway".
  29. ↑ Pilnick, Brent (29 June 2020). "Exeter City 0–4 Northampton Town". BBC Sport. Retrieved 29 June 2020.
  30. ↑ Sanders, Emma (29 August 2020). "Arsenal 1–1 Liverpool". BBC Sport. Retrieved 31 August 2020.
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