Franco Umeh

Franco Umeh

Personal information
Full name	Franco Umeh-Chibueze
Date of birth	(2005-02-26) 26 February 2005 (age 19)
Place of birth	Ireland
Height	5 ft 10 in (1.78 m)
Position(s)	Winger, forward
Team information
Current team	Crystal Palace
Number	46
Youth career
0000–2023	Cork City
2023–2024	Crystal Palace
Senior career*
Years	Team	Apps	(Gls)
2022–2023	Cork City	2	(0)
2024–	Crystal Palace	0	(0)
International career^‡
2021–2022	Ireland U17	10	(4)
2022	Ireland U18	3	(0)
2022–2024	Ireland U19	10	(4)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 00:15 (UTC) 2 February 2023 ‡ National team caps and goals, correct as of 10 September 2024

Franco Umeh-Chibueze (born 26 February 2005) is an Irish professional footballer who plays as winger or forward for Premier League club Crystal Palace.[1]

Club career

Umeh started his career at Irish club Cork City and signed a professional contract with a €75,000 release clause in 2022. That year, he made his senior debut for the club as a 17-year-old in June 2022 against Longford Town. Umeh joined Crystal Palace in January 2023.[2] He was part of the Palace U21 team which won the Premier League International Cup, scoring the crucial goal in a 1-0 win over Jong PSV in May 2024.[3] Umeh was called up to the Crystal Palace first team squad on their pre-season tour in the summer of 2024.[4] He subsequently became a regular member of the first team squad during the early part of the 2024–25 season making the bench for several Premier League matches, but has yet to come off to make his debut.

International career

Since 2021, Umeh has won caps at youth level for the Republic of Ireland from the U17s team through to the U19s.

Personal life

His brother Jaden currently plays for the Benfica under 19s, but growing up in Ireland they both came through the youth system at Cork City.[5][6]

Career statistics

Appearances and goals by club, season and competition

Club	Season	League			National Cup[a]		League Cup		Other		Total
		Division	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals
Cork City	2022–23	League of Ireland Premier Division	2	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	2	0
Crystal Palace	2024–25	Premier League	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
Career total			2	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	2	0

1. Includes FAI Cup & FA Cup

References

1. "Franco Umeh". Soccerway. Retrieved 16 July 2024.
2. McDonnell, Daniel (31 January 2023). "Cork City agree deal to sell teenage striker Franco Umeh to Crystal Palace". Independent.ie. Retrieved 16 July 2024.
3. Brack, Edmund (17 May 2024). "'It's been a rollercoaster' – Franco Umeh on first full Crystal Palace season after Premier League International Cup glory". London News Online. Retrieved 16 July 2024.
4. Brack, Edmund (27 July 2024). "Six highly-rated Crystal Palace youngsters set to head off on first-team pre-season tour". londonnewsonline. Retrieved 12 August 2024.
5. "Umeh brothers quickly climbing the Ringmahon wall of fame". Irish Examiner. 9 Jan 2024. Retrieved 16 July 2024.
6. "The Cork brothers who dream of playing for Ireland together". the42.ie. 7 April 2024. Retrieved 16 July 2024.