Armstrong Oko-Flex
Irish association football player (born 2002)
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Armstrong Inya Echezolachuku Oko-Flex (born 2 March 2002) is an Irish professional footballer who plays as a winger for Bulgarian First League club Levski Sofia.[2]
|
Oko-Flex in 2022 | |||
| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | Armstrong Inya Echezolachuku Oko-Flex[1] | ||
| Date of birth | 2 March 2002 | ||
| Place of birth | Dublin, Ireland | ||
| Height | 1.80 m (5 ft 11 in) | ||
| Position | Winger | ||
| Team information | |||
Current team | Levski Sofia | ||
| Number | 11 | ||
| Youth career | |||
| 2007–2009 | Tolka Rovers | ||
| 2009–2013 | St Kevin's Boys | ||
| 2013–2018 | Arsenal | ||
| 2018–2021 | Celtic | ||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
| 2021 | Celtic | 2 | (0) |
| 2021–2023 | West Ham United | 0 | (0) |
| 2022–2023 | → Swansea City (loan) | 13 | (0) |
| 2023–2025 | Zürich | 29 | (2) |
| 2025–2026 | Botev Plovdiv | 14 | (6) |
| 2026– | Levski Sofia | 8 | (2) |
| International career‡ | |||
| 2017 | Republic of Ireland U15 | 3 | (0) |
| 2017 | England U15 | 1 | (0) |
| 2017 | Republic of Ireland U16 | 5 | (2) |
| 2017–2018 | England U16 | 7 | (3) |
| 2018 | England U17 | 4 | (0) |
| 2019 | Republic of Ireland U19 | 5 | (0) |
| 2023–2024 | Republic of Ireland U21 | 6 | (4) |
|
* Club domestic league appearances and goals as of 17:03, 21 March 2026 (UTC) ‡ National team caps and goals as of 11:15, 15 January 2026 (UTC) | |||
Club career
Youth career
Oko-Flex was born in Dublin and started out playing with a local academy, Tolka Rovers, then St Kevin's Boys before being spotted by Arsenal scout Liam Brady, who had also come through St Kevin's Boys, with Oko-Flex then signing for the London club in 2013. He played in the same youth team as future first-team player Bukayo Saka and in 2018 the pair were among 10 of their squad that signed a first-year scholarship with the club.[3]
Celtic
He joined Celtic on a three-year deal from Arsenal in September 2018.[4] He made his first team debut for the club as a substitute against Hibernian in January 2021.[5] He made just two senior appearances during his time with the club, later stating that he and other young players found it first team opportunities difficult to come by having come through the academy.[6]
West Ham United
On 25 June 2021, Oko-Flex joined West Ham United on a two-year contract with an option for a third year.[7] On 16 August 2021, Oko-Flex scored a hat-trick in his Premier League 2 debut against his boyhood club Arsenal in a 6–1 home win.[8] On 15 December 2021, Oko-Flex was an unused substitute for West Ham's Premier League fixture at the Emirates Stadium, a match won 2–0 by Arsenal.[9] This was the first time he had made a first-team squad for the club. Oko-Flex made his debut for West Ham United on 25 August 2022 coming on as an 82nd minute substitute for Manuel Lanzini in a 3–0 away win against Viborg in the second leg of a play-off round game in the 2022–23 UEFA Europa Conference League.[10][11] He departed the club at the end of the 2022–23 season having made one first team appearance and featured on 35 occasions for the U21 side scoring 14 goals.[12]
Swansea City (loan)
On 30 August 2022, Oko-Flex joined Swansea City on loan for the remainder of the 2022–23 season.[13] He made 13 EFL Championship appearances before being recalled from his loan in January 2023.[14]
FC Zürich
On 14 August 2023, he signed a two-year contract with Swiss Super League club FC Zürich.[15][16] On 17 September 2023, he scored on his debut for the club, in a 3–0 win away to FC Tuggen in the Swiss Cup.[17]
Botev Plovdiv
On 25 August 2025, Oko-Flex joined Bulgarian First League club Botev Plovdiv.[18] He impressed with Botev Plovdiv, scoring 7 goals in 15 appearances in all competitions, earning a move away from the club in January 2026.[19]
Levski Sofia
On 14 January 2026, Oko-Flex joined fellow Bulgarian First League club Levski Sofia on a three-year contract, after the club triggered his €300,000-worth release clause.[20]
International career
Oko-Flex was called up to the Republic of Ireland U21 squad for the first time in November 2021, for their 2023 UEFA European Under-21 Championship qualifiers against Italy & Sweden.[21][22] Oko-Flex made his Republic of Ireland U21 debut on 16 June 2023, in a 2–2 draw with Ukraine U21 in a friendly played in Bad Blumau, Austria.[23] On 13 October 2023, he scored both of his side's goals in a 2–1 win away to Latvia U21.[24]
Personal life
Oko-Flex is the son of the Nigerian-Irish community organiser Reginald Oko-Flex Inya.[25]
Career statistics
- As of match played 15 March 2026[26]
| Club | Season | League | National cup[a] | Europe | Other | Total | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Division | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | ||
| Celtic U21 | 2019–20 | — | — | — | 2[b] | 1 | 2 | 1 | ||||
| Celtic | 2020–21 | Scottish Premiership | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | 2 | 0 | |
| West Ham United U21 | 2021–22 | — | — | — | 2[c] | 1 | 2 | 1 | ||||
| West Ham United | 2022–23 | Premier League | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1[d] | 0 | — | 1 | 0 | |
| Swansea City (loan) | 2022–23 | Championship | 13 | 0 | — | — | — | 13 | 0 | |||
| FC Zürich | 2023–24 | Swiss Super League | 17 | 2 | 3 | 1 | — | — | 20 | 3 | ||
| 2024–25 | 12 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 4[d] | 0 | — | 17 | 0 | |||
| 2025–26 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | — | 0 | 0 | ||||
| Total | 29 | 2 | 4 | 1 | 4 | 0 | — | 37 | 3 | |||
| Botev Plovdiv | 2025–26 | Bulgarian First League | 14 | 6 | 1 | 1 | — | — | 15 | 7 | ||
| Levski Sofia | 2025–26 | Bulgarian First League | 7 | 2 | 1 | 0 | — | — | 8 | 2 | ||
| Career total | 65 | 10 | 6 | 2 | 5 | 0 | 4 | 2 | 80 | 14 | ||
- Includes Swiss Cup, Bulgarian Cup
- Appearances in Scottish Challenge Cup
- Appearances in EFL Trophy
- Appearance(s) in UEFA Conference League