Caleb Okoli
Italian footballer (born 2001)
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Memeh Caleb Okoli (born 13 July 2001) is an Italian professional footballer who plays as a centre-back for EFL Championship club Leicester City.
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Okoli with Leicester City in 2025 | |||
| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | Memeh Caleb Okoli[1] | ||
| Date of birth | 13 July 2001[2] | ||
| Place of birth | Vicenza, Italy | ||
| Height | 1.91 m (6 ft 3 in)[2] | ||
| Position | Centre-back | ||
| Team information | |||
Current team | Leicester City | ||
| Number | 5 | ||
| Youth career | |||
| 2015–2016 | Vicenza | ||
| 2016–2020 | Atalanta | ||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
| 2020–2024 | Atalanta | 17 | (0) |
| 2020–2021 | → SPAL (loan) | 16 | (1) |
| 2021–2022 | → Cremonese (loan) | 27 | (0) |
| 2023–2024 | → Frosinone (loan) | 34 | (0) |
| 2024– | Leicester City | 35 | (1) |
| International career | |||
| 2019–2020 | Italy U19 | 10 | (0) |
| 2021 | Italy U20 | 1 | (0) |
| 2021–2023 | Italy U21 | 14 | (1) |
| * Club domestic league appearances and goals as of 02:28, 19 January 2026 (UTC) | |||
Club career
Atalanta
Okoli started his career with the youth academy of Vicenza, and then he joined the youth teams of Atalanta in the summer of 2015, where he started playing for their under-19 squad in the 2018–19 season.[3] Okoli was occasionally called up to Atalanta's senior team in that season and the next, but never appeared on the field. He also represented the club in the UEFA Youth League.
Loan to SPAL
On 25 September 2020, Okoli joined Serie B club SPAL on loan.[4]
He made his Serie B debut for SPAL on 21 November 2020 in a game against Pescara. Okoli started and played the full game in a 2–0 victory.[5]
He grabbed his first ever career goal on 10 April 2021 in a Serie B game, which was in a 2–1 away win against Leece, where he scored the winner in the 54th minute.[6]
Loan to Cremonese
On 12 July 2021, Okoli joined Serie B club Cremonese on a season-long loan.[7]
Return to Atalanta
He returned to Atalanta in July 2022, after his loan ended, and was integrated into Atalanta's first team for the following season. Okoli made his Serie A debut with Atalanta on 13 August 2022 in a 2–0 victory over Sampdoria.[8]
Loan to Frosinone
On 1 September 2023, he moved to newly promoted Serie A club Frosinone on a season-long loan.[9]
Leicester City
On 9 July 2024, Okoli signed for newly promoted English Premier League club Leicester City on a five-year deal.[10] He made his competitive debut for the club on 1 September 2024 in a 2–1 home defeat to Aston Villa.[11] He then grabbed his first-ever Premier League goal on 12 April 2025 in a 2–2 away draw to Brighton.[12]
International career
Born in Italy to parents of Nigerian origin, Okoli is Igbo and Yoruba by descent.[13] He was first called up to represent Italy in 2019 with the Italy U19 side.[14]
Okoli made his debut with the Italy U21 team on 7 September 2021, playing as a starter in the qualifying match 1–0 win against Montenegro.[15] He was called up to the senior Italy squad for 2024–25 UEFA Nations League matches against France and Israel on 6 and 9 September 2024, respectively.[16]
Career statistics
- As of match played 17 January 2026[17]
| Club | Season | League | National cup [a] | League cup[b] | Europe | Total | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Division | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | ||
| Atalanta | 2020–21 | Serie A | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| 2021–22 | Serie A | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | ||
| 2022–23 | Serie A | 17 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | — | 17 | 0 | |||
| 2023–24 | Serie A | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | ||
| Total | 17 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | 0 | 0 | 17 | 0 | |||
| SPAL (loan) | 2020–21 | Serie B | 16 | 1 | 3 | 0 | — | — | 19 | 1 | ||
| Total | 16 | 1 | 3 | 0 | — | — | 19 | 1 | ||||
| Cremonese (loan) | 2021–22 | Serie B | 27 | 0 | 1 | 0 | — | — | 28 | 0 | ||
| Total | 27 | 0 | 1 | 0 | — | — | 28 | 0 | ||||
| Frosinone (loan) | 2023–24 | Serie A | 34 | 0 | 3 | 0 | — | — | 37 | 0 | ||
| Total | 34 | 0 | 3 | 0 | — | — | 37 | 0 | ||||
| Leicester City | 2024–25 | Premier League | 19 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 3 | 0 | — | 23 | 1 | |
| 2025–26 | Championship | 16 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | 17 | 0 | ||
| Total | 35 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 3 | 0 | — | 40 | 1 | |||
| Career total | 129 | 2 | 9 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 141 | 2 | ||
- Notes
- Includes Coppa Italia, FA Cup
