Derek Agyakwa

Derek Agyakwa

Personal information
Full name	Derek Emmanuel Adjei Agyakwa[1]
Date of birth	(2001-12-19) 19 December 2001 (age 23)[2]
Place of birth	Amsterdam, Netherlands[3]
Height	1.84 m (6 ft 0 in)[2]
Position(s)	Defender
Team information
Current team	Iberia 1999
Number	24
Youth career
	Amsterdam
2017–2019	Twente
Senior career*
Years	Team	Apps	(Gls)
2020–2022	Watford	0	(0)
2020–2021	→ Como (loan)	4	(0)
2022–2023	Port Vale	1	(0)
2022	→ Chorley (loan)	0	(0)
2024–	Iberia 1999	33	(1)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 11 December 2024

Derek Emmanuel Adjei Agyakwa (born 19 December 2001) is a Dutch professional footballer who plays as a defender for Erovnuli Liga club Iberia 1999.

Agyakwa began his career in the Netherlands as a youth team player with Twente, and spent January 2020 until June 2022 contracted to English club Watford, whilst spending the first half of the 2020–21 season on loan at Como in Italy. He then moved on to Port Vale and was loaned out to Chorley in September 2022. He joined Georgian club Iberia 1999 in February 2024.

Career

Watford

Agyakwa joined Twente from local club Amsterdam but was released after two years in Twente's academy.[3] He joined English Premier League club Watford on an initial six-month contract after passing a two-week trial in January 2020.[3] His contract was extended by a year in June.[4] On 16 September 2020, Agyakwa made his professional debut, playing the first half in Watford's EFL Cup victory over Oxford United.[5] On 5 October, Agyakwa signed a new two-year contract with Watford and was loaned out to Italian Serie C side Como for the 2020–21 season.[6] He played his first match for Como on 20 October in a 3–2 win against Lucchese, and received a yellow card for what he later claimed had been a dive by the opposition forward.[7][3] He was sent off during a 2–2 draw with Olbia at the Stadio Giuseppe Sinigaglia on 25 November.[8] In January 2021, the loan was ended early due to a mutually agreed termination.[9] Having only appeared in a match-day squad as an unused substitute in one FA Cup game throughout the 2021–22 season, Agyakwa left Vicarage Road after being released upon the expiry of his contract.[10]

Port Vale

On 26 July 2022, Agyakwa signed for EFL League One club Port Vale following a successful trial period.[11] On 13 September 2022, he joined National League North club Chorley on a short-term loan deal, where manager Andy Preece felt he could "add vital competition and depth" to the squad.[12] He featured in just one FA Cup game for the "Magpies", before returning to Vale Park to make his debut for "Valiants" in a 2–0 victory over Wolverhampton Wanderers U21 in the EFL Trophy on 18 October.[13] He made his league debut on 18 March, coming on for Will Forrester 35 minutes into a 3–2 home defeat to Burton Albion.[14] David Flitcroft, the club's director of football, confirmed that the player's contract would not be renewed beyond June 2023.[15]

Iberia 1999

In February 2024, Agyakwa travelled to Georgia to join Erovnuli Liga club Iberia 1999.[2]

Personal life

Born in the Netherlands, Agyakwa is of Ghanaian descent.[16]

Career statistics

As of match played 2 May 2024

Appearances and goals by club, season and competition

Club	Season	League			National Cup		League Cup		Other		Total
		Division	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals
Watford	2020–21[17]	Championship	0	0	0	0	2	0	0	0	2	0
	2021–22[2]	Premier League	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
	Total		0	0	0	0	2	0	0	0	2	0
Como (loan)	2020–21[2]	Serie C	4	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	4	0
Port Vale	2022–23[18]	League One	1	0	0	0	0	0	1[a]	0	2	0
Chorley (loan)	2022–23[2][19]	National League North	0	0	1	0	0	0	0	0	1	0
Iberia 1999	2024[2]	Erovnuli Liga	12	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	12	0
Career total			17	0	1	0	2	0	1	0	21	0

1. Appearances in the EFL Trophy

References

1. "Notification of shirt numbers: Watford" (PDF). English Football League. p. 73. Retrieved 27 September 2020.
2. Derek Agyakwa at Soccerway
3. "The Dutchman who plays in one of the most beautifully situated stadiums in the world" (in Dutch). voetbalzone. Retrieved 26 October 2020.
4. Gray, Ryan (25 June 2020). "New deals for Under 23s". Watford Observer. Retrieved 11 July 2022.
5. "Oxford United 1-1 Watford". BBC Sport. 15 September 2020. Retrieved 16 September 2020.
6. "Official: New Deal & Loan For Agyakwa". Watford F.C. 5 October 2020. Retrieved 26 October 2020.
7. "LUCCHESE - COMO 2-3" (in Italian). Como. 19 October 2020. Retrieved 26 October 2020.
8. "Como vs. Olbia - 25 November 2020 - Soccerway". int.soccerway.com. Retrieved 11 July 2022.
9. Gray, Ryan (7 January 2021). "Derek Agyakwa has returned to Watford from Como". watfordfc.com. Retrieved 26 October 2021.
10. "Academy: New Contracts Offered & Departures Confirmed". Watford F.C. 26 May 2022. Retrieved 13 June 2022.
11. "Derek Agyakwa signs for the Vale". Port Vale F.C. 26 July 2022. Retrieved 26 July 2022.
12. Birch, Alex (13 September 2022). "Agyakwa signs on loan | Chorley FC". Chorley F.C. Retrieved 13 September 2022.
13. "Report | Port Vale 2 – 0 Wolves U21s". Port Vale F.C. 18 October 2022. Retrieved 19 October 2022.
14. Bamforth, Harry (18 March 2023). "MATCH REPORT | Port Vale 2-3 Burton Albion". Port Vale F.C. Retrieved 18 March 2023.
15. "Port Vale FC Confirm 2022/23 Retained List". Port Vale F.C. 9 May 2023. Retrieved 9 May 2023.
16. "Derek Agyakwa: "Watford is the perfect club for me to develop at the moment" | SportsWorldGhana". 25 July 2020. Retrieved 13 June 2022.
17. "Games played by Derek Agyakwa in 2020/2021". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 3 July 2021.
18. "Games played by Derek Agyakwa in 2022/2023". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 3 July 2021.
19. "Player Statistics | Chorley FC". chorleyfc.com. Retrieved 27 September 2022.