Tudor Mendel-Idowu
Personal information
Full name Tudor Olorunninbe Mendel-Idowu[1]
Date of birth (2005-01-15) 15 January 2005 (age 19)
Place of birth Slough, England[2]
Height 1.80 m (5 ft 11 in)
Position(s) Midfielder
Team information
Current team
 RSCA Futures
Number 77
Youth career
2013–2023 Chelsea
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2023– Anderlecht 0 (0)
2023– RSCA Futures 16 (1)
International career‡
2019 England U15 2 (1)
2022 England U17 4 (3)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 1 April 2024
‡ National team caps and goals, correct as of 20:34, 30 March 2022 (UTC)

Tudor Olorunninbe Mendel-Idowu (born 15 January 2005) is an English footballer who plays as an attacking midfielder for Belgian side RSCA Futures.

Early life

Born in Berkshire, England, Mendel-Idowu was regarded as a child prodigy academically, featuring numerous times in national and international competitions, most notably coming second in the 2014 edition of Child Genius.[3] Mendel-Idowu attended independent boys' preparatory boarding school Ludgrove School.[3] At the age of thirteen, he was made a King's Scholar at Eton College.[4]

Club career

Early career

He joined the youth academy of Chelsea at under-8 level, following interest from numerous other clubs including Arsenal and Tottenham.[5][4] In July 2021, he signed a new contract with the Blues.[6]

Following the conclusion of the 2022–23 season, with his contract set to expire, Mendel-Idowu was offered a new deal by Chelsea.[7] However, on 18 July 2023, it was reported by Spanish journalist Albert Rogé that Mendel-Idowu had rejected this offer, and was close to joining Spanish side Barcelona.[8]

Anderlecht

Despite these links, on 27 July 2023, he officially signed for Belgian side Anderlecht.[9] Initially assigned to the club's reserve team, RSCA Futures, Mendel-Idowu scored on his debut in the Challenger Pro League in a 3–2 win against Dender.[10]

International career

Eligible to represent both England and Nigeria at international level, Mendel-Idowu was first called up to the England national under-15 football team in 2019.[11] Tudor scored his first England U17 goal against Scotland on 8 February in a 3–0 win and followed that up with a further 2 goals in England U17's next game playing as a right winger. He later made substitute appearances against France and Luxembourg in the England U17 qualification games.

Personal life

Mendel-Idowu's grandfather on his mother's side is, John Adeleye-Abai, played for the Nigeria national football team as a winger.[4] His other grandfather on his father's side, Dr Fola Kayode Mendel-Idowu, was a gifted academic – he specialised in bio-aeronautics and was Africa's first 'flying doctor'.[4]

Career statistics

Club

As of 18 July 2023[12]
Appearances and goals by club, season and competition
Club Season League Cup Europe Other Total
Division Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals
Chelsea U21 2022–23 — — — 1[a] 0 1 0
RSCA Futures 2023–24 Challenger Pro League 1 1 — 0 0 0 0 1 1
Career total 1 1 0 0 0 0 1 0 2 1
  1. ^ Appearances in the EFL Trophy

References

  1. ^ "Premier League clubs publish 2022/23 retained lists". premierleague.com. 16 June 2023. Retrieved 16 June 2023.
  2. ^ Tudor Mendel-Idowu at WorldFootball.net
  3. ^ a b Naylor, Mary (20 October 2015). "Wokingham Child Genius wins EuroTalk Junior Language Challenge". getreading.co.uk. Retrieved 5 March 2022.
  4. ^ a b c d "Meet The King's Scholar aiming to make history". fifa.com. 3 March 2022. Retrieved 5 March 2022.
  5. ^ "Tudor Mendel-Idowu". chelseafc.com. Retrieved 5 March 2022.
  6. ^ Emmenuel, Ifeanyi (7 July 2021). "Official: Very intelligent left-footed attacking midfielder Mendel-Idowu inks new Chelsea deal". allnigeriasoccer.com. Retrieved 5 March 2022.
  7. ^ Emmanuel, Ifeanyi (17 June 2023). "Chelsea in negotiations with talented Anglo-Nigerian winger over new contract". allnigeriasoccer.com. Retrieved 21 July 2023.
  8. ^ Sanderson, Tom (18 July 2023). "FC Barcelona Sign Chelsea Player: Reports". forbes.com. Retrieved 21 July 2023.
  9. ^ "RSCA welcomes Tudor Mendel-Idowu from Chelsea FC". R.S.C. Anderlecht. 27 July 2023. Retrieved 27 July 2023.
  10. ^ Crabbé, Scott (19 August 2023). "🎥 Débarqué de Chelsea, Tudor Mendel montre déjà de quoi il est capable à Anderlecht" [🎥 Landed from Chelsea, Tudor Mendel is already showing what he is capable of in Anderlecht]. walfoot.be (in French). Retrieved 24 August 2023.
  11. ^ Emmenuel, Ifeanyi (16 December 2019). "England Move To Beat Nigeria To Chelsea's Child Genius Mendel-Idowu". allnigeriasoccer.com. Retrieved 5 March 2022.
  12. ^ Tudor Mendel-Idowu at Soccerway

External links

R.S.C. Anderlecht – current squad
Categories