Tolaji Adeyinka Osegie Bola[1][3] (born 4 January 1999) is an English professional footballer who plays as a left back.

Tolaji Bola
Personal information
Date of birth (1999-01-04) 4 January 1999 (age 25)[1]
Place of birth Camden, England
Height 5 ft 11 in (1.80 m)[2]
Position(s) Left back
Youth career
2008–2020 Arsenal
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2020–2021 Arsenal 0 (0)
2020–2021Rochdale (loan) 11 (0)
2021–2024 Rotherham United 8 (0)
2023Bradford City (loan) 4 (0)
2024Burton Albion (loan) 10 (0)
International career
2015–2016 England U17 6 (0)
England U18
*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 3 July 2024 (UTC)

Club career

edit

Arsenal

edit

Born in London,[4] Bola began his career at Arsenal, joining at under-9 level.[5] He signed his first professional contract with the club in January 2016.[6]

Bola moved on loan to the League One side Rochdale in October 2020.[7] He made his debut in a 3–0 loss against Hull City on 17 October.[8] He returned to Arsenal in January 2021 after making 11 appearances for the club.[9]

Rotherham United

edit

In August 2021 he signed for Rotherham United.[10][11] He made his debut for the club in an EFL Trophy game against Doncaster Rovers on 7 September 2021, followed by his league debut against Lincoln City a week later.[12][13]

In January 2023 he moved on loan to Bradford City.[14][15] In January 2024, Bola joined League One club Burton Albion on loan for the remainder of the 2023–24 season.[16][17]

He was released by Rotherham at the end of the 2023–24 season.[18]

International career

edit

Bola is an England youth international, appearing at under-17 and under-18 levels.[2][4]

Career statistics

edit
As of 7 April 2024[2]
Club Season League FA Cup League Cup Other Total
Division Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals
Arsenal U21 2018–19[19] 3[a] 0 3 0
2019–20[20] 2[a] 0 2 0
2020–21[21] 1[a] 0 1 0
Total 0 0 0 0 0 0 6 0 6 0
Arsenal 2020–21[21] Premier League 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
Rochdale (loan) 2020–21[21] League One 11 0 1 0 0 0 12 0
Rotherham United 2021–22[22] League One 4 0 2 0 0 0 7[a] 0 13 0
2022–23[23] Championship 2 0 0 0 0 0 2 0
2023–24[24] Championship 2 0 0 0 2 0 4 0
Total 8 0 2 0 2 0 7 0 19 0
Bradford City (loan) 2022–23[23] League Two 4 0 0 0 0 0 4 0
Burton Albion (loan) 2023–24[24] League One 10 0 0 0 0 0 10 0
Career total 33 0 3 0 2 0 13 0 51 0
  1. ^ a b c d Appearance(s) in the EFL Trophy.

References

edit
  1. ^ a b Tolaji Bola at the English National Football Archive (subscription required)
  2. ^ a b c Tolaji Bola at Soccerway. Retrieved 19 August 2023.
  3. ^ "List of Players under Written Contract Registered Between 01/07/2018 and 31/07/2018". The Football Association. p. 4. Archived from the original on 24 October 2019.
  4. ^ a b "Tolaji Bola profile". www.arsenal.com.
  5. ^ "Young Guns: Tolaji Bola". www.arsenal.com.
  6. ^ "Moore and Bola agree new contracts". www.arsenal.com. Retrieved 25 March 2021.
  7. ^ "Rochdale sign Arsenal's Bola on loan". BBC Sport.
  8. ^ "Match Report | Rochdale 0–3 Hull City". www.rochdaleafc.co.uk. Retrieved 25 March 2021.
  9. ^ "Tolaji Bola Returns To Parent Club Arsenal". www.rochdaleafc.co.uk. Retrieved 25 March 2021.
  10. ^ "Bola joins Rotherham United in permanent deal". www.arsenal.com.
  11. ^ "Tolaji Bola joins Rotherham United". www.rotherhamadvertiser.co.uk.
  12. ^ "Report | Doncaster 0 v 6 Rotherham". Rotherham United F.C. 7 September 2021.
  13. ^ "Report | Lincoln City 1 v 1 Rotherham". Rotherham United F.C. 14 September 2021.
  14. ^ "City make full back Bola fifth signing of the transfer window". Bradford Telegraph and Argus.
  15. ^ "Rotherham loan defender Bola to Bradford". BBC Sport.
  16. ^ "Brewers Sign Tolaji Bola on Loan". www.burtonalbionfc.co.uk. 23 January 2024. Retrieved 23 January 2024.
  17. ^ "Rotherham defender Bola joins Burton on loan" – via www.bbc.co.uk.
  18. ^ "Read | Retained List Confirmed by Millers Boss". www.themillers.co.uk.
  19. ^ "Games played by Tolaji Bola in 2018/2019". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 25 June 2021.
  20. ^ "Games played by Tolaji Bola in 2019/2020". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 25 June 2021.
  21. ^ a b c "Games played by Tolaji Bola in 2020/2021". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 25 June 2021.
  22. ^ "Games played by Tolaji Bola in 2021/2022". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 4 January 2022.
  23. ^ a b "Games played by Tolaji Bola in 2022/2023". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 14 September 2022.
  24. ^ a b "Games played by Tolaji Bola in 2023/2024". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 19 August 2023.
edit