Nigeria-eligible Malachi Ogunleye among 10 youngsters offered contracts at Bournemouth

ENGLISH Premier Side Bournemouth have announced that 10 new first year scholars will join up with its U18 squad  next season with a Nigeria eligible defender Malachi Ogunleye named as one of them.

With the current season coming to a close, Bournemouth, who look to have escaped relegation, have begun preparing for the 2023/24 campaign. Ogunleye has officially signed his contract and is among the players stepping up to the U18s in the hope that he will soon graduate into the senior squad.

A central defender by trade, Ogunleye is a long serving player at Bournemouth having joined the academy from under the age of 10.  Regarded as a highly talented youngster, he has already experienced U18 football with the Cherries, making his debut for the age group as a schoolboy.

Despite being out for virtually all of this season, the Cherries have kept their faith with Ogunleye, offering him a scholarship despite the defender spending almost seven months on the sidelines due to injury. Joining him in Bournemouth U18s are Will Seeley, Sonny Parkes, Tommy Whitehead, Harold William, Jay Williams, Charlie Stevens, Josh Salmon, Ryan Carroll and Kashanga Kasukumya.

Ogunleye will be aiming to follow in the footsteps of former Flying Eagles midfielder Nnamdi Ofoborh who rose through the academy ranks before making his first team debut for the Cherries. Ferdinand Okoh, 18, is currently on the books of Bournemouth but was loaned out to Dorchester Town in January.