Paul Asiedu Osew (born 25 November 2000) is an English professional footballer who plays as a left back.

Paul Osew
Personal information
Full namePaul Asiedu Osew[1]
Date of birth (2000-11-25) 25 November 2000 (age 23)
Place of birthWandsworth, England[2]
Position(s)Left back
Youth career
2008–2010Chelsea Kicks
2010–2011Evolution Sports & Health Academy
2011–2014Brentford
2015–2019AFC Wimbledon
Senior career*
YearsTeamApps(Gls)
2017Raynes Park Vale2(0)
2019–2023AFC Wimbledon59(1)
2023Northampton Town4(0)
2023–Woking5(1)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 21:45, 30 June 2024 (UTC)

Osew is a product of the Brentford and AFC Wimbledon academies and played in the English Football League for the latter club between 2019 and 2023. Following a short spell with Northampton Town and a period as a free agent, he dropped into non-League football in December 2023.

Career

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Early years

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Osew began his youth career with spells as Chelsea Kicks and in the Evolution Sports & Health Academy. Following a rejection by Chelsea Academy for being "too small",[3] he joined the Brentford academy at the age of 11.[4] At age 15, Osew signed a scholarship deal with AFC Wimbledon, after previously being a part of the club's Foundation's College Education programme.[5] During his time in the club's youth system, he was converted from a forward to a left back.[5] During the first month of the 2017–18 season, Osew played the first senior matches of his career for Combined Counties League First Division club Raynes Park Vale,[6] on an ad-hoc basis.[5]

AFC Wimbledon

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After progressing into AFC Wimbledon's U23 team during the 2018–19 season, Osew signed his first professional contract with the League One club in April 2019.[7] He was a regular inclusion in the first team squad during the truncated 2019–20 season and by the time his season was ended by a stress fracture to his tibia in March 2020,[8][9] he had made 23 appearances and scored one goal.[10] On 8 January 2020, Osew signed a contract extension and made 14 appearances during the 2020–21 season,[8] scoring one goal.[11] He improved his tally to 32 appearances during the 2021–22 season,[12] which culminated in relegation to League Two.[13] Osew proved his versatility as a utility player in defence and midfield during the season and scored one goal,[3] with the only goal of an EFL Cup first round win over Charlton Athletic on 10 August 2022.[12]

Osew was offered a new two-year contract in May 2022,[14] but delayed signing it until 21 August 2022,[15] due to a need to recover from injury.[16] He returned to match play six days later and following six appearances,[17] he was sidelined for two months with an ankle injury.[18][19] Osew failed to appear again before agreeing a mutual termination of his contract on 1 February 2023.[20] He made 76 appearances and scored three goals during 3+12 years as a professional with the club.[20]

Northampton Town

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On 10 March 2023,[21] Osew joined League Two club Northampton Town on a contract running until the end of the 2022–23 season.[22] He made four appearances during the remainder of the club's promotion-winning season and was released when his contract expired.[17][23][24]

Woking

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On 8 December 2023, Osew joined National League club Woking on a contract running until the end of the 2023–24 season.[25][26] He made six appearances during the remainder of the season, scoring one goal, which came with the winner on his league debut, in a 2–1 victory over Dorking Wanderers on 16 December.[2] Osew departed the Kingfield Stadium when his contract expired.[26]

Personal life

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Born in England, Osew is of Ghanaian descent.[27] He attended Sudbourne Primary School, Brixton and Southfields Academy, Southfields.[4][28] Osew is a drummer and as of February 2022, was playing in church on Sundays.[3] In March 2022, he became an ambassador for the AFC Wimbledon Education Hub at Plough Lane.[28]

Career statistics

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As of match played 20 April 2024
Appearances and goals by club, season and competition
ClubSeasonLeagueFA CupLeague CupOtherTotal
DivisionAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoals
Raynes Park Vale2017–18[6]Combined Counties League First Division2020
AFC Wimbledon2019–20[10]League One18120102[a]0231
2020–21[11]League One10000004[a]1141
2021–22[12]League One27020211[a]0321
2022–23[17]League Two4000002[a]060
Total591403191753
Northampton Town2022–23[17]League Two4040
Woking2023–24[2]National League511[b]061
Career total7024031101874
  1. ^ a b c d Appearance(s) in EFL Trophy
  2. ^ Appearance(s) in FA Trophy

References

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  1. ^ "Notification of shirt numbers: AFC Wimbledon" (PDF). English Football League. p. 2. Retrieved 17 October 2019.
  2. ^ a b c Paul Osew at Soccerway
  3. ^ a b c Cornell, Rob. "Paul bangs the drum for more points". www.afcwimbledon.co.uk. Retrieved 8 August 2022.
  4. ^ a b Slavin, Chris (27 November 2019). "Paul moves on quickly after leaving Brentford behind". AFC Wimbledon. Retrieved 9 January 2020.
  5. ^ a b c Slavin, Chris (29 August 2019). "From Raynes Park Vale to Wimbledon's first-team". AFC Wimbledon. Retrieved 31 August 2019.
  6. ^ a b "Paul Osew – Raynes Park Vale FC First Team". Raynes Park Vale F.C. Retrieved 9 January 2020.
  7. ^ "Trio sign pro deals at AFC Wimbledon". AFC Wimbledon. 26 April 2019. Retrieved 9 January 2020.
  8. ^ a b "Dons full-back signs new contract at Wimbledon". AFC Wimbledon. 8 January 2020. Retrieved 9 January 2020.
  9. ^ "Paul ruled out for six weeks with stress fracture". www.afcwimbledon.co.uk. Retrieved 5 September 2020.
  10. ^ a b "Games played by Paul Osew in 2019/2020". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 9 January 2020.
  11. ^ a b "Games played by Paul Osew in 2020/2021". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 5 September 2020.
  12. ^ a b c "Games played by Paul Osew in 2021/2022". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 12 August 2021.
  13. ^ AFC Wimbledon at the Football Club History Database
  14. ^ "Retained List Announced". www.afcwimbledon.co.uk. Retrieved 3 June 2022.
  15. ^ "Defender signs new deal". www.afcwimbledon.co.uk. Retrieved 20 August 2022.
  16. ^ Brack, Edmund (23 July 2022). "'It has gone on longer than you would hope' – Dons boss on contract talks with defender". South London News. Retrieved 25 July 2022.
  17. ^ a b c d "Games played by Paul Osew in 2022/2023". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 30 August 2022.
  18. ^ Brack, Edmund (13 October 2022). "AFC Wimbledon boss has injury update on sidelined quartet". South London News. Retrieved 16 October 2022.
  19. ^ "Trophy exit for Dons after Argyle fightback". www.afcwimbledon.co.uk. Retrieved 7 January 2023.
  20. ^ a b Thorpe, Chris. "Paul leaves after seven years". www.afcwimbledon.co.uk. Retrieved 1 February 2023.
  21. ^ "Paul Osew – Defender – First Team – Northampton Town". www.ntfc.co.uk. Retrieved 26 April 2023.
  22. ^ "Paul Osew Signs for Northampton Town". Northampton Town. 11 March 2023. Retrieved 11 March 2023.
  23. ^ Northampton Town F.C. at the Football Club History Database
  24. ^ "Northampton Town Retained List". www.ntfc.co.uk. Retrieved 11 May 2023.
  25. ^ Bewsey, William (8 December 2023). "Paul Osew Signs". Woking F.C. Retrieved 8 December 2023.
  26. ^ a b "2023/24 Retained and Released List". Woking FC. 26 April 2024. Retrieved 26 April 2024.
  27. ^ "Exclusive: Sunderland in pursuit of Ghanaian defender Paul Osew". Footballghana. Retrieved 30 January 2021.
  28. ^ a b "Paul shows the way to Plough Lane's class of 2022". www.afcwimbledon.co.uk. Retrieved 9 August 2022.
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