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Sone Aluko
Personal information
Full name	Omatsone Aluko
Date of birth	19 February 1989 (1989-02-19) (age 20)
Place of birth	London, England
Height	5 ft 8 in (1.73 m)
Playing position	Left winger
Club information
Current club	Aberdeen
Number	11
Youth career
1997–2005	Birmingham City
Senior career1
Years	Club	App (Gls)*
2005–2008 2007–2008 2008 2008–	Birmingham City → Aberdeen (loan) → Blackpool (loan) Aberdeen	00 0(0) 20 0(3) 01 0(0) 39 0(3)
National team2
2006–2007 2007–2008 2009–	England U18 England U19 Nigeria	03 (0) 01 (0)
1 Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only and correct as of 01:51, 4 November 2009 (UTC). 2 National team caps and goals correct as of 09:23, 30 May 2009 (UTC). * Appearances (Goals)

Omatsone "Sone" Aluko (born 19 February 1989) is a professional footballer who plays for Aberdeen. He plays as a left winger or a forward.

Born in England, Aluko was capped by England at all levels up to under-19 before accepting an offer to play for Nigeria.

Contents 1 Club career 1.1 Birmingham City 1.2 Blackpool 1.3 Aberdeen 2 International career 3 Personal life 4 References 5 External links

[edit] Club career

[edit] Birmingham City

Aluko was born in London^[1] and brought up from a young age in Birmingham. He progressed through Birmingham City's youth system, which he joined at the age of eight.^[2] He was given a first-team squad number in the 2005–06 season, and was an unused substitute in the Premier League match against Arsenal at Highbury in October 2005.^[3] He made his first-team debut for Birmingham on 28 August 2007 as a late substitute in the League Cup tie against Hereford United.^[4] Three days later he joined Scottish Premier League club Aberdeen on loan until January 2008.^[5] He made his debut for the Dons as a late substitute in the UEFA Cup group match against Panathinaikos on 25 October 2007. He scored his first goal for the club the following week, opening the scoring in a 2–0 victory over Dundee United.^[6]

On expiry of the initial loan, it was extended to keep Aluko at Aberdeen for the rest of the season.^[7]

In February 2008, as part of a performance which earned him the man-of-the-match award, he scored Aberdeen's second goal — his first in European competition — in a 2–2 draw against FC Bayern Munich in the UEFA Cup Round of 32.^[8][9]

[edit] Blackpool

Aluko signed for Blackpool on a month's emergency loan on 8 August 2008,^[10] and made his debut the following day as a late substitute in the Seasiders' 1–0 home defeat to Bristol City.^[11]

[edit] Aberdeen

On transfer deadline day, 1 September 2008, Aluko returned to Aberdeen on a permanent basis, signing a three-year contract for a fee of £50,000 with the Pittodrie club.^[12][13] He made his return in a 2–1 home defeat to Hamilton on 13 September,^[14] and scored his first goal since rejoining the club to clinch Aberdeen's first home win of the season, a single-goal victory over Kilmarnock on 1 November.^[15] Aluko went on to win the Clydesdale Bank Scottish Premier League Young Player of the Month award for November 2008.^[16] He is a fan favourite of Aberdeen fans due to his skills and ability to get past opposition players. Recentely he has been in the papers after going AWOL from the club to play in the U-20 World Cup, against McGhee's wishes, which has put his future at Aberdeen in doubt.^[17]

[edit] International career

Aluko represented England at under-16,^[18] under-17^[19] and under-18^[20] level before making his debut for the England under-19 team on 11 September 2007 in a friendly against Belarus under-19. He was involved in two of the goals in a 4–0 win.^[21] He was selected in the 23-man provisional squad for the 2008 UEFA European Under-19 Football Championship^[22] but did not make the final 18.^[23]

Aluko was called up to the Nigerian national team for a friendly against the Republic of Ireland on 29 May 2009,^[24] an offer which with the support of his family he chose to accept.^[1] He made his full international debut in the starting eleven, forcing the Irish goalkeeper to save his 40-yard lobbed free kick and playing the first 61 minutes of the game.^[25][26]

[edit] Personal life

Aluko's older sister, Eniola, is also a footballer who has played for England's women football team at full international level.

[edit] References

[edit] External links

• Sone Aluko career stats at Soccerbase
• Aluko's official website (registration with valid email address required)

v • d • e Aberdeen F.C. – current squad 1 Langfield · 2 Mulgrew · 3 Foster · 4 McDonald · 5 Diamond · 6 Considine · 7 Maguire · 8 Kerr · 9 Miller · 10 Mackie · 11 Aluko · 14 Young · 15 Wright · 16 Duff · 17 M. Ross · 18 Grassi · 19 Pawlett · 21 Nelson · 22 Ifil · 23 Stewart · 24 Paton · 25 Crawford · 27 Smith · 30 Bateman · 31 Megginson · 32 S. Ross · 34 Fyvie · Manager: McGhee

Persondata
NAME	Aluko, Sone
ALTERNATIVE NAMES
SHORT DESCRIPTION	Professional footballer
DATE OF BIRTH	19 February 1989
PLACE OF BIRTH	London, England
DATE OF DEATH
PLACE OF DEATH