Mullingar’s Deji is back in the Premier League
Former Mullingar Athletic starlet Ayodeji ‘Deji’ Sotona has signed for Premier League side Brentford on loan from Ligue 1 side OGC Nice, writes Robert Brennan.
The west London club have an option to buy Sotona (19) at the end of the 2021/22 season.
The pacy winger, a graduate of Manchester United’s academy, will play in Brentford’s B team. He will link up with the club for their friendly against League of Ireland champions Shamrock Rovers in Tallaght Stadium on February 9.
“Deji has electrifying speed and we’ve been interested in him prior to his move to Nice,” Neil MacFarlane, the manager of Brentford’s B side, said of Deji’s arrival in an article on the club’s website.
“Our recruitment team has done a fantastic job in producing a trial game recently with the highest performing players. He did really well and we're pleased to bring him in.
“It’s a good opportunity for Deji to keep his career moving forwards.”
Before Christmas, Champions League holders Chelsea and Scottish giants Celtic were both interested in signing the teenager.
Sotona, who moved to Mullingar from his native Waterford as a child, attended the local Educate Together National School where he was part of the school team that won a Cumann na mBunscol boys’ Division 4 Gaelic football title in 2013.
He enjoyed success in athletics and soccer with Mullingar Harriers and Mullingar Athletic respectively. With Harriers, he won a Leinster indoor 60m U12 medal and an All-Ireland bronze medal in 2013. That same year, he ran lead leg for the 4x100m relay (U12), where the team won a silver medal.
Sotona signed for Manchester United in his mid-teens and played in the English giants’ youth sides. In 2019, it was revealed that the winger was the fastest player following speed tests at United’s Carrington training ground, with first team regular Diogo Dalot coming second.
In 2020, he turned down a new contract at United and subsequently moved to Nice.
Sotona is capped at schoolboy level with the Republic of Ireland, but is also eligible to play for both Nigeria and England.