Josh Oluwayemi

DOB 12/3/01

Josh Oluwayemi joined the Wellington Phoenix in August 2024 from Finnish club FC Lahti on a one-year contract.

The English-Nigerian goalkeeper came through the youth system at Tottenham Hotspur and played for their under-18 and under-23 sides before leaving the Premier League club in 2022 in search of first team football.

Oluwayemi, 23, played nine matches for Portsmouth in League One and in the EFL Trophy during the 2022-23 season, recording four clean sheets before being loaned to Chelmsford City in National League South.

He represented England at under-15 level and was called up to Nigeria’s national team as a 20-year-old in 2021.

> 2023-24 season

Josh Oluwayemi played 19 matches for Chelmsford City in the first half of the National League South season and kept six clean sheets.

He joined FC Lahti in Finland’s Veikkausliiga at the start of 2024 and went on to start 14 matches, recording two clean sheets.

Oluwayemi refined his ability to play out from the back while he was at FC Lahti.

“Before the move to Finland I had other options within the U.K., but I wanted to challenge myself and show another side of my football that I think I possess.

“I want to continue to show other people and myself the level I can get to whilst playing that style in terms of playing out from the back, that sweeper ‘keeper role.

“In terms of my impact on the team I’d hope to have a very strong impact; be a livewire for my teammates and improve upon last season.

“I’m excited to get to work, play my heart out for the fans, and show what I’m about.”