Stefano Okaka

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Stefano Okaka
File:Okaka Spezia.jpg
Okaka at Spezia in 2012
Personal information
Full name Stefano Okaka Chuka
Date of birth (1989-08-09) 9 August 1989 (age 34)
Place of birth Castiglione del Lago, Italy
Height Script error: No such module "person height".
Position(s) Striker
Team information
Current team
 Anderlecht
Number 99
Youth career
1994–0000 Castiglionese
0000–2001 Sanfatucchio
2001 Centro Italia Parma
2002–2004 Cittadella
2004–2005 Roma
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2005–2012 Roma 34 (2)
2007–2008 → Modena (loan) 33 (7)
2009–2010 → Brescia (loan) 16 (2)
2010–2011 → Fulham (loan) 11 (2)
2011 → Bari (loan) 10 (2)
2012 → Parma (loan) 14 (3)
2012–2014 Parma 2 (0)
2012–2013 → Spezia (loan) 38 (7)
2014–2015 Sampdoria 36 (8)
2015– Anderlecht 20 (9)
International career‡
2007–2008 Italy U19 3 (0)
2008 Italy U20[1] 2 (2)
2009–2010 Italy U21 7 (2)
2014– Italy 3 (1)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 10:27, 27 December 2015 (UTC)
‡ National team caps and goals, correct as of 17 November 2015

Stefano Okaka Chuka (Italian pronunciation: [ˈsteːfano oˈkaːka]; born 9 August 1989) is an Italian footballer who currently plays as a striker for Belgium club Anderlecht and the Italy national team.

Club career

Roma

Born in Castiglione del Lago, Umbria, Italy to Nigerian parents who later obtained Italian citizenship, Okaka joined the Roma youth system in 2004. He was part of the team that won the U-20 national title in 2005 and scored goals against Juventus in the semi-final and Atalanta in the final.

On 29 September 2005, he made his debut with the first team in the UEFA Cup, playing against Aris. He thus became the youngest footballer to debut in an international competition for an Italian team.[2] Okaka scored with a powerful run from midfield and a precise shot to the left of the goalkeeper his first official goal for Roma in a Coppa Italia match against Napoli on 8 December 2005. He has since appeared a number of times for the senior squad, scoring his first Serie A goal on 17 September 2006, the last of three Roma goals in a 3–1 win over Siena.

He was subsequently loaned to Serie B side Modena for the 2007–08 season in order to gain some first team experience. Okaka had a fairly good season at Modena, scoring seven times in 33 appearances.

After returning to Roma, he signed a new contract which lasted until 30 June 2012. As a part of it, he earned a gross annual salary of €0.6M in the first 2 seasons, which then increased to €0.7M and €0.9M.[3] He also spent a six-month loan period at Brescia in Serie B from January to June 2009, where he scored two goals in 16 appearances.

On August 2009, he scored his first goal with Roma in a continental competition, the final goal in a 7–1 result defeat of Gent in the second leg of the 2009–10 UEFA Europa League third qualifying round. He scored again in the Europa League in Roma's 2–0 win over CSKA Sofia and in Roma's 2–1 win over Fulham. His last goal with Roma was an 88th-minute winner against Siena.

On 1 February 2010, he joined Fulham on loan until the end of the season. He made his debut for Fulham in the 1–0 win over Portsmouth on 3 February 2010. He scored his first goal for the club on 14 February 2010 in a 5th round FA Cup tie at home to Notts County.[4] He scored his first league goal for the club against Wigan Athletic on 4 April 2010.[5]

In January 2011 he moved to AS Bari on loan. There, he scored his first goal against US Lecce for 1–0 win. In this game he and Kamil Glik marking their debuts for Bari. He scored one further goal for Bari that season. Okaka sustained an injury in round 30 and missed the rest of the season.

During August 2011, Stefano was attacked by Roma fans after a training session for allegedly not wishing to sign autographs.[6]

After failing to make a single appearance for Roma in the first half of the season, on 22 January 2012, he joined Parma F.C. on loan until the end of the season.[7] He scored his first Parma goal on 7 March 2012, the opener in a 2–2 against Fiorentina. He scored his second goal on 21 April from the spot against Cesena. He scored his 3rd against Palermo 4 days later.

Parma

On 1 July he returned to Roma and on 20 August, signed a permanent deal with Parma. Next day he was loaned to the newly promoted Serie B club Spezia Calcio where he made 38 appearances, scoring seven goals and assisting six more. After his loan spell, he returned to Parma for the 2013–14 season, making only two Serie A matches as a substitute. He wore no.14 shirt that season.[8]

Sampdoria

On 31 January 2014, Okaka was transferred to the fellow Serie A outfit Sampdoria on a permanent deal, with Nicola Pozzi moved to opposite direction.[9] Okaka made a good start to his Sampdoria career, scoring five times in 13 appearances in the 13–14 season.

Okaka scored his first goal of the 2014-15 season on 14 September 2014, a stunning solo effort, in the 2-0 victory against Torino on 14 September 2014.

On 11 June 2015, the owner and president of Sampdoria Massimo Ferrero told the Italian media that forward Stefano Okaka would be leaving the club. In the past few months there has been speculation with regards to the future of the striker with the Serie A side, and there have been recent claims Leeds United, Southampton and Anderlecht want to sign the player.

Anderlecht

On 28 July 2015, Okaka joined Belgian side Anderlecht from Sampdoria.[10]

International career

After gaining Italian citizenship in 2007, Okaka was selected for the Italian Under-19 side. He made his debut for the Italy U-20 team in 2008, scoring two goals.[1] On 17 November 2009, he made his debut with the Italy U-21 squad in a match against Luxembourg.

In April 2014, Okaka revealed he was in talks with the Nigeria Football Federation about the possibility of him switching allegiance to his parents' country and play with the Nigeria national football team already at the 2014 FIFA World Cup.[11]

However, Okaka was included in the Italy squad for their friendly against Albania on 18 November 2014 by manager Antonio Conte. He made his debut as a substitute, replacing Sebastian Giovinco in the second half, and scored the winning goal at Sampdoria's ground the Stadio Luigi Ferraris.[12]

Personal life

Okaka's twin sister, Stefania Okaka, is also a professional sportsperson.[13] A volleyball player, she plays for Béziers Volley of the French first division[14] and the Italian national team.

Career statistics

Club

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International

As of 17 November 2015
Italy national team
Year Apps Goals
2014 1 1
2015 2 0
Total 3 1

International goals

Scores and results list Italy's goal tally first.
# Date Venue Opponent Score Result Competition
1. 18 November 2014 Stadio Luigi Ferraris, Genoa, Italy  Albania 1–0 1–0 Friendly

References

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  2. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  3. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  4. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  5. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  6. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  7. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  8. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  9. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  10. ↑ http://www.football-italia.net/70216/official-anderlecht-sign-okaka
  11. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  12. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  13. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  14. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.

External links

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