Justin Kwabena Shaibu (born 28 October 1997) is a Danish professional footballer who plays as a forward.

Justin Shaibu
Personal information
Full name Justin Kwabena Shaibu[1]
Date of birth (1997-10-28) 28 October 1997 (age 27)
Place of birth Copenhagen, Denmark[2]
Height 1.81 m (5 ft 11 in)[3]
Position(s) Forward
Youth career
0000–2012 Vallensbæk IF
2012–2014 HB Køge
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2014–2016 HB Køge 20 (0)
2016–2020 Brentford 6 (0)
2018Walsall (loan) 14 (0)
2018–2019Boreham Wood (loan) 40 (9)
2019–2020Boreham Wood (loan) 30 (5)
2020–2021 Fredericia 8 (2)
2021 Lyngby 6 (0)
2021–2022 Hobro 13 (2)
2022–2023 Hillerød 12 (1)
International career
2014 Denmark U17 2 (0)
2014–2015 Denmark U18 7 (1)
2017 Denmark U20 2 (1)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 14:17, 13 June 2023 (UTC)

Shaibu began his senior career at HB Køge and transferred to English club Brentford in 2016. After spending four years on the fringes and away on loan, he returned to Denmark and began a nomadic career with a succession of 1st Division clubs. Shaibu was capped by Denmark at youth level.

Club career

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HB Køge

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A forward, Shaibu began his career at Vallensbæk IF, before joining the academy at Danish 1st Division club HB Køge at the age of 14.[4] He won his maiden call into the first team squad for a league match versus Horsens on 31 August 2014 and went on to make 9 appearances during the 2014–15 season.[5] Shaibu won the club's Talent of the Year award for the 2014 calendar year.[6] Shaibu played predominantly for the U19 team during 2015–16 and in a season disrupted by injuries he still managed 12 first team appearances and was rewarded with a new three-year contract midway through the campaign.[4][5][7] He departed the Herfølge Stadion in July 2016, having made 23 appearances in two seasons.[4][5]

Brentford

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On 18 July 2016, Shaibu moved to England to sign a two-year B team contract at Championship club Brentford for an undisclosed fee,[8] reported to be £40,000.[9] He received his maiden call into the first team squad as a substitute for an EFL Cup first round match versus Exeter City on 9 August 2016 and made his debut when he replaced Emmanuel Ledesma in extra time during the eventual 1–0 defeat.[10] After five goals in 12 appearances for the B team over the following six months, a lack of fit recognised forwards at the club meant that Shaibu made a minor breakthrough into the first team squad between February and April 2017 and he made four substitute appearances,[10] before an ankle injury ended his season.[11] He scored 10 goals in 18 B team appearances during the 2016–17 season and signed a new three-year contract on 5 May 2017,[12][13] which saw him promoted into the first team squad for the 2017–18 season.[14]

Shaibu's first appearance of the 2017–18 season came in an EFL Cup first round match versus AFC Wimbledon on 8 August 2017 and his entry onto the pitch during extra time was the first occasion that a fourth substitute had been utilised by Brentford in a competitive fixture.[15] In the final minutes,[12] he scored the first senior goal of his career to seal a 3–1 victory and the strike made him the first-ever fourth substitute to score in a competitive match in England.[16] Shaibu continued in a substitute role, making four further appearances,[5] before dropping out of the squad in October 2017 due to injuries.[17]

From January 2018 onwards, Shaibu spent the remainder of his contract away on loan.[17][18][19] He played the second half of the 2017–18 season on loan at League One club Walsall,[17] for whom he failed to score in 14 appearances.[15] He spent the 2018–19 and 2019–20 seasons on loan at National League club Boreham Wood,[18][19] for whom he made 83 appearances and scored 18 goals during his two loans with the club.[5] Shaibu was released by Brentford in June 2020,[20] after making 10 appearances and scoring one goal during four years at Griffin Park.[2]

Fredericia

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On 16 October 2020, Shaibu signed a contract until the end of the 2020–21 season with Danish 1st Division club Fredericia.[21] He made eight appearances and scored two goals before departing the club on 1 February 2021.[5][22]

Lyngby

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On 1 February 2021, Shaibu joined Danish Superliga club Lyngby on a contract running until the end of the 2020–21 season, with an option for one further year.[22] He made six appearances during the remainder of a season which ended with relegation to the 1st Division and departed when his contract expired.[5][23][24]

Hobro

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On 8 August 2021, Shaibu signed a one-year contract with Danish 1st Division club Hobro on a free transfer.[25] He made 13 appearances and scored two goals during an injury-affected 2021–22 season.[5][26] Following his departure from the club, he played a period of the 2022–23 pre-season on trial with FC Helsingør, but did not win a contract.[27]

Hillerød

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On 8 September 2022, Shaibu signed a short-term contract with Danish 1st Division club Hillerød on a free transfer.[27] Following six appearances prior to the winter break,[5] Shaibu signed a contract extension until the end of the 2022–23 season,[28] with an option to extend.[29] He finished the season with 12 appearances and one goal, scored in a 2–0 win over Fredericia on 19 February 2023.[5] Shaibu departed when the club neglected to take up the option on his contract.[29]

International career

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Shaibu won 9 caps for Denmark at U17 and U18 level and scored one goal,[30] which came with the opener in a 2–0 U18 friendly win over Montenegro on 25 September 2014.[31] In early October 2017, Shaibu was called into the U20 squad for two friendlies versus Sweden and appeared in both matches, scoring one goal.[30]

Playing style

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Shaibu stated that he likes "to think I play like Romelu Lukaku. I have got great pace, a lot of energy, a lot of power and I am a great finisher".[32]

Personal life

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Shaibu is of Ghanaian descent through his parents.[33]

Career statistics

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As of match played 2 June 2023
Appearances and goals by club, season and competition
Club Season League National Cup League Cup Other Total
Division Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals
HB Køge 2014–15[5] Danish 1st Division 8 0 1 0 9 0
2015–16[5] 12 0 2 0 14 0
Total 20 0 3 0 23 0
Brentford 2016–17[10] Championship 4 0 0 0 1 0 5 0
2017–18[15] 2 0 0 0 3 1 5 1
Total 6 0 0 0 4 1 10 1
Walsall (loan) 2017–18[15] League One 14 0 14 0
Boreham Wood (loan) 2018–19[5] National League 40 9 3 1 6[a] 3 49 13
Boreham Wood (loan) 2019–20[5] National League 30 5 1 0 3[b] 0 34 5
Total 70 14 4 1 9 3 83 18
Fredericia 2020–21[5] Danish 1st Division 8 2 8 2
Lyngby 2020–21[5] Danish Superliga 6 0 6 0
Hobro 2021–22[5] Danish 1st Division 13 2 0 0 13 2
Hillerød 2022–23[5] Danish 1st Division 12 1 12 1
Career total 149 19 7 1 4 1 9 3 169 24
  1. ^ 3 appearances in Herts Senior Cup, 2 appearances and 3 goals in FA Trophy, 1 appearance in Scottish Challenge Cup
  2. ^ 2 appearances in National League play-offs, 1 appearance in FA Trophy

Honours

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Boreham Wood

Individual

References

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  1. ^ "Club list of registered players: As at 19th May 2018: Brentford" (PDF). English Football League. p. 8. Retrieved 16 June 2018.
  2. ^ a b Justin Shaibu at Soccerbase  
  3. ^ "Justin Shaibu – Forward – First Team". Brentford FC. Archived from the original on 1 August 2019. Retrieved 12 July 2019.
  4. ^ a b c "HB Køge sælger Justin Shaibu til Brentford F.C." Retrieved 18 July 2016.
  5. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r Justin Shaibu at Soccerway. Retrieved 18 July 2016.
  6. ^ a b "Justin Shaibu kåret til Årets Talent". Retrieved 19 July 2017.
  7. ^ "HB Køge forlænger med Brøndby-emne". Retrieved 18 July 2016.
  8. ^ "Brentford sign Danish Youth International striker Justin Shaibu". Retrieved 18 July 2016.
  9. ^ Aarons, Ed (5 April 2017). "Why Brentford ditched their academy in favour of developing Premier League outcasts". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved 5 April 2017.
  10. ^ a b c "Games played by Justin Shaibu in 2016/2017". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 10 August 2016.
  11. ^ "Summer Medical and Performance updates from Neil Greig". Brentford FC. Retrieved 15 June 2017.
  12. ^ a b ""Hopefully this will be the first of many"". Brentford FC. Retrieved 9 August 2017.
  13. ^ "Brentford striker Justin Shaibu Signs New Three-Year Deal". Retrieved 7 May 2017.
  14. ^ "Robert Rowan: B Team Season Review". Brentford FC. Retrieved 24 May 2017.
  15. ^ a b c d "Games played by Justin Shaibu in 2017/2018". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 8 August 2017.
  16. ^ "Stats Zone: QPR". Brentford FC. Retrieved 22 August 2017.
  17. ^ a b c "Justin Shaibu heads to Walsall on loan". Brentford FC. Retrieved 29 January 2018.
  18. ^ a b "International talent signs at Meadow Park". Boreham Wood Football Club. 6 August 2018. Retrieved 6 August 2018.
  19. ^ a b "Justin Shaibu joins Boreham Wood on season-long loan". www.brentfordfc.com. Archived from the original on 29 July 2019. Retrieved 29 July 2019.
  20. ^ "Nine players depart Brentford FC". www.brentfordfc.com. Retrieved 6 July 2020.
  21. ^ "FC Fredericia skriver kontrakt med Justin Shaibu". FC Fredericia (in Danish). 16 October 2020. Retrieved 17 October 2020.
  22. ^ a b Maimann, Kristian (February 2021). "Lyngby Boldklub henter Justin Shaibu". Lyngby Boldklub (in Danish). Retrieved 1 February 2021.
  23. ^ "Summary – Superliga – Denmark – Results, fixtures, tables and news". Soccerway. Retrieved 4 June 2021.
  24. ^ Viborg, Patrick; Andersen (17 July 2021). "FC Fredericia tabte den sidste testkamp". AVISEN (in Danish). Retrieved 18 July 2021.
  25. ^ "Hobro IK henter Justin Shaibu". hobroik.dk (in Danish). 8 August 2021. Retrieved 8 August 2021.
  26. ^ Jasper, Thomas (18 March 2022). "Formstærke Hobro bliver formentlig forstærket i nedrykningsslagsmål". www.nordjyske.dk (in Danish). Retrieved 30 May 2022.
  27. ^ a b Hussing, Mads (8 September 2022). "Ny mand i front for Hillerød Fodbold". Sjællandske Nyheder (in Danish). Retrieved 9 September 2022.
  28. ^ Gabriel, Cecilie (19 January 2023). "Justin Shaibu forlænger til sommer". HF Elite (in Danish). Retrieved 20 January 2023.
  29. ^ a b Gyimah, Edmund Okai (7 June 2023). "FC Hillerod release Ghanaian forward Justin Shaibu". SportsWorldGhana.com. Retrieved 13 June 2023.
  30. ^ a b Justin Shaibu national team profile at the Danish Football Association (in Danish)
  31. ^ "Landsholdsdatabasen kamp information". www.dbu.dk. Retrieved 10 August 2016.
  32. ^ Brett, Ciaran. "Justin Shaibu reacts to joining Brentford B". Retrieved 18 July 2016.
  33. ^ "Brentford loanee Justin Shaibu hits hat-trick to power Boreham to FA Trophy". Ghana Sports Online. 17 December 2018. Retrieved 12 January 2019.
  34. ^ "24.04.2019 at 19:45 Broughinge Road". St Albans City F.C. Statistics. Retrieved 25 December 2019.
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