Derrick Abu
 Derrick Abu playing for Chelsea Academy in 2018 | |||
| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Date of birth | 18 December 2003 | ||
| Place of birth | Regensburg, Germany[1] | ||
| Height | 1.79 m (5 ft 10 in)[1] | ||
| Position | Right-back | ||
| Team information | |||
Current team | Valenciennes | ||
| Number | 2 | ||
| Youth career | |||
| Coerver Coaching Performance Academy | |||
| 2012–2023 | Chelsea | ||
| 2023–2024 | Southampton | ||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
| 2024–2025 | Southampton | 0 | (0) |
| 2024 | → Harrogate Town (loan) | 14 | (0) |
| 2025– | Valenciennes | 8 | (0) |
| International career‡ | |||
| 2020 | England U17 | 2 | (0) |
|
* Club domestic league appearances and goals as of 05:23, 10 August 2026 (UTC) ‡ National team caps and goals as of 2 January 2023 | |||
Derrick Abu (born 18 December 2003) is a professional footballer who plays as a right-back for Ligue 3 club Valenciennes. Born in Germany, he represented England at youth level.
Club career
[edit]Early career
[edit]Born in Regensburg, Germany to Nigerian parents, Abu's family moved to England in 2006, when he was two years old.[2][3] After representing grassroots side Coerver Coaching at a tournament in Spain, he was scouted and signed by Premier League side Chelsea at under-11 level.[4][5] He signed a scholarship contract with The Blues in July 2020, before signing on professional terms in February 2021.[6]
In late April 2023, he went on trial with fellow Premier League side Crystal Palace, scoring the winning penalty in a 5–3 penalty shoot-out win against the youth team of Valencia in the Premier League International Cup semi-final.[7][8] On 16 June 2023, Chelsea announced that Abu would leave the club when his contract expired at the end of June.[9]
Southampton
[edit]On 5 July 2023, Abu joined Southampton on a two-year contract, initially joinining the Under-21 side for the 2023–24 season.[10]
On 1 February 2024, Abu joined League Two side Harrogate Town for the remainder of the 2023–24 season.[11] Two days later, he made his first appearance for the club in a 1–1 draw against Stockport County.[12]
On 25 June 2025, Southampton confirmed that Abu would be released following the expiry of his contract.[13]
Valenciennes
[edit]On 1 July 2025, Abu joined Valenciennes on a two-year contract.[14][15]
International career
[edit]Abu is eligible to represent England, Germany and Nigeria at international level.[1] In 2019, he reportedly made himself available to represent Nigeria at youth international level.[16] He has since stated his desire to represent all three countries before making a final decision on who to represent.[3]
He has represented England at under-17 level.[1]
Music career
[edit]Describing himself as having a "huge passion for music",[3] Abu was involved with his church's choir from a young age, and wrote his first song at the age of eleven.[17] He released a rap single in early 2022, and followed this up with an EP later the same year, under the name Cho$en.[17][18]
Career statistics
[edit]Club
[edit]- As of match played 7 August 2026[19]
| Club | Season | League | Domestic Cup | League Cup | Europe | Other | Total | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Division | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | ||
| Chelsea U21 | 2022–23 | — | — | — | — | 2[a] | 0 | 2 | 0 | |||||
| Southampton | 2023–24[20] | Championship | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | — | 0 | 0 | ||
| Harrogate Town (loan) | 2023–24[20] | League Two | 14 | 0 | — | — | — | 0 | 0 | 14 | 0 | |||
| Valenciennes | 2025–26 | Championnat National | 7 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | — | — | 7 | 0 | |||
| 2026–27 | Ligue 3 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | — | — | 1 | 0 | ||||
| Total | 8 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | — | — | 8 | 0 | |||||
| Career total | 22 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 24 | 0 | ||
- ↑ Appearances in EFL Trophy
Discography
[edit]Singles
[edit]- Life's Changing (2022)
- Real Love (2022)
- Gucci (2022)
- little do you know (2022)
- Waste my time (2022)
- Outside (2023)
- Get in motion (2023)
EPs
[edit]- Page 1 (2022)
References
[edit]- 1 2 3 4 Derrick Abu at WorldFootball.net
- ↑ "Meet Nigeria born Chelsea youngster with promising football and rap careers". 234sportsng.com. 31 March 2022. Retrieved 2 January 2023.
- 1 2 3 Rotzer, Magnus (25 December 2020). "Derrick Abu: Auf den Spuren von Callum Hudson-Odoi" [Derrick Abu: In the footsteps of Callum Hudson-Odoi]. idowa.de (in German). Retrieved 2 January 2023.
- ↑ Emmanuel, Ifeanyi (27 June 2022). "Pictured : Nigerian defender reports for pre-season training with Chelsea Youth". allnigeriasoccer.com. Retrieved 2 January 2023.
- ↑ "Derrick Abu". chelseafc.com. Retrieved 2 January 2023.
- ↑ "Nigeria-eligible Derrick Abu signed first professional contract". en.africatopsports.com. 12 February 2021. Retrieved 2 January 2023.
- ↑ "U21s Report: Palace beat Valencia on penalties to reach PL International Cup Final". cpfc.co.uk. 4 May 2023. Retrieved 4 May 2023.
- ↑ Emmanuel, Ifeanyi (4 May 2023). "Crystal Palace take Chelsea's young Nigerian RB on trial with a view to a permanent move". allnigeriasoccer.com. Retrieved 4 May 2023.
- ↑ "Retained list and goodbye to Bakayoko". www.chelseafc.com. Retrieved 16 June 2023.
- ↑ "Saints confirm Derrick Abu signing". Southampton FC. 5 July 2023. Retrieved 5 July 2023.
- ↑ "Derrick Abu joins Harrogate on loan". Southampton FC. 1 February 2024. Retrieved 1 February 2024.
- ↑ "Stockport County 1–1 Harrogate Town". BBC Sport. 3 February 2024. Retrieved 4 February 2024.
- ↑ "Walker-Peters and Lumley to depart". Southampton FC. 25 June 2025. Retrieved 25 June 2025.
- ↑ "Derrick Abu s'engage avec le VAFC!". Valenciennes FC (in French). 1 July 2025. Retrieved 1 July 2025.
- ↑ House, Alfie (1 July 2025). "Abu signs at Sport Republic Valenciennes on Southampton exit". Southern Daily Echo. Retrieved 1 July 2025.
- ↑ Emmanuel, Ifeanyi (30 October 2019). "Highly-Rated Chelsea Right-Back Abu Wants To Play For Nigeria". allnigeriasoccer.com. Retrieved 2 January 2023.
- 1 2 "'There's no reason I can't develop as a music artist too' - Academy youngster Derrick Abu on finding the right notes on the field and in the studio". chelseafc.com. 25 March 2022. Retrieved 2 January 2023.
- ↑ Clark, Gill (19 December 2022). "Chelsea academy player Derrick Abu (AKA Cho$en) releases first EP - including track titled 'Reece James'". goal.com. Retrieved 2 January 2023.
- ↑ Derrick Abu at Soccerway
- 1 2 "Games played by Derrick Abu in 2023/2024". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 1 February 2024.
- 2003 births
- Living people
- Footballers from Regensburg
- English people of Nigerian descent
- Sportspeople of Nigerian descent
- German people of Nigerian descent
- English men's footballers
- German men's footballers
- England men's youth international footballers
- Men's association football defenders
- Chelsea F.C. players
- Southampton F.C. players
- Harrogate Town A.F.C. players
- Valenciennes FC players
- English Football League players
- Ligue 3 players
- 21st-century English sportsmen
- 21st-century German sportsmen