Adeleke Akinyemi

Adeleke Akinola Akinyemi (born 11 August 1998) is a Nigerian professional footballer playing as a forward for Veikkausliiga club Ilves.^[2]

Adeleke Akinyemi

Personal information
Full name	Adeleke Akinola Akinyemi
Date of birth	(1998-08-11) 11 August 1998 (age 26)
Place of birth	Lagos, Nigeria[1]
Height	1.88 m (6 ft 2 in)[1]
Position(s)	Forward
Team information
Current team	Ilves
Youth career
	Real Sapphire
Senior career*
Years	Team	Apps	(Gls)
2015	Serdarlı GB	13	(10)
2015–2016	Skënderbeu Korçë	0	(0)
2015–2016	→ Trepça'89 (loan)	16	(10)
2017–2018	Ventspils	40	(23)
2018–2021	Start	32	(3)
2020	→ HamKam (loan)	8	(0)
2021–2023	KF Laçi	35	(9)
2023–2024	Karviná	46	(10)
2024	Karviná B	3	(1)
2024–	Ilves	15	(5)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 16 July 2025

Club career

Serdarlı GB

On 24 January 2015, Akinyemi signed for KTFF Süper Lig side Serdarlı GB. He played 13 matches in the league, scoring 10 goals. In total, he played 17 matches and scored 11 goals for the Turkish Cypriot side during the 2014–15 season.^[3]

Ventspils

In early August 2018, Akinyemi went AWOL, resulting in his club, FK Ventspils filling a missing persons report amid fear the player had been kidnapped.^[4][5][6] Akinyemi returned to Ventspils a few days later, 13 August, playing in their win over FK Liepāja on the same day.^[7]

Start

On 16 August 2018, IK Start announced the signing of Akinyemi, on a contract until the end of the 2021 season, from FK Ventspils.^[8] After scoring 3 goals in Start's 2018 campaign which ended in relegation, in the 2019 1. divisjon season opener he broke his ankle.^[9] He was sidelined for a long time and failed to break into Start's first team after that. The former top scorer did not manage any goals during a loan to Hamkam in 2020 either.^[2] Following a goalless league run in 2021,^[10] Start decided to release him after the end of the 2021 season.^[11]

Karviná

On 6 February 2023, Karviná announced the signing of Akinyemi, from KF Laçi.^[12]

Ilves

On 27 August 2024, Akinyemi joined Ilves in Finnish Veikkausliiga, signing a deal for the rest of the season with an option for the 2025.^[13] On 1 September, Akiyemi scored in his Ilves debut, in a 1–1 away draw against Gnistan in the league. On 18 February 2024, he signed a new 1+1-year deal with Ilves.^[14]

Career statistics

Club

As of 16 July 2025^[2][10]

Appearances and goals by club, season and competition

Club	Season	League			National Cup		Continental		Other		Total
		Division	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals
Serdarlı GB	2014–15	KTFF Süper Lig	13	10	–		–		–		13	10
Skënderbeu Korçë	2015–16	Kategoria Superiore	0	0	0	0	0	0	–		0	0
Trepça'89 (loan)	2015–16	Kosovo Superleague	16	10	–		–		–		16	10
Ventspils	2017	Virslīga	23	10	6	7	1	0	–		30	17
	2018	Virslīga	17	13	1	0	4	7	–		22	20
	Total		40	23	7	7	5	7	–		52	37
Start	2018	Eliteserien	12	3	2	0	–		–		14	3
	2019	1. divisjon	1	0	0	0	–		0	0	1	0
	2020	Eliteserien	3	0	–		–		–		3	0
	2021	1. divisjon	16	0	3	4	–		–		19	4
	Total		32	3	5	4	–		–		37	7
HamKam (loan)	2020	1. divisjon	8	0	–		–		–		8	0
KF Laçi	2021–22	Kategoria Superiore	16	3	3	2	–		–		19	5
	2022–23	Kategoria Superiore	19	6	1	0	4	0	–		24	6
	Total		35	9	4	2	4	0	–		43	11
Karviná	2022–23	FNL	14	6	–		–		–		14	6
	2023–24	Czech First League	32	4	1	0	–		–		33	4
	Total		46	10	1	0	–		–		47	10
Karviná B	2023–24	MSFL	1	0	–		–		–		1	0
	2024–25	MSFL	2	1	–		–		–		2	1
	Total		3	1	–		–		–		3	1
Ilves	2024	Veikkausliiga	6	3	–		–		–		6	3
	2025	Veikkausliiga	9	2	1	0	0	0	1	0	11	2
	Total		15	5	1	0	0	0	1	0	17	5
Career total			208	31	18	13	9	7	1	0	236	51

Honours

MFK Karviná

• Czech National Football League: 2022–23^[15]

Ventspils

• Latvian Cup: 2017

Ilves

• Veikkausliiga runner-up: 2024^[16]

Individual

• Virslīga top goalscorer: 2017
• Veikkausliiga Player of the Month: September 2024