Jayden Roy Onen (born 17 February 2001) is an English professional footballer who plays as an attacking midfielder for USL League One club FC Naples.

Jayden Onen
Personal information
Full name Jayden Roy Onen[1]
Date of birth (2001-02-17) 17 February 2001 (age 23)
Place of birth Edmonton, England
Height 1.81 m (5 ft 11 in)[1]
Position(s) Attacking midfielder
Team information
Current team
FC Naples
Number 10
Youth career
0000–2017 Arsenal
2017 Crystal Palace
2017–2018 Brighton & Hove Albion
2018–2020 Brentford
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2019–2020 Brentford 0 (0)
2019Bromley (loan) 0 (0)
2020–2021 Reading 1 (0)
2021–2022 Sheffield Wednesday 0 (0)
2023 Forward Madison 26 (3)
2024 Lexington SC 8 (0)
2025– FC Naples 0 (0)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 16:13, 9 December 2024 (UTC)

Onen is a product of the Arsenal, Crystal Palace and Brighton & Hove Albion academies and began his professional career with Brentford B in 2018. Following spells with the U23 teams at Reading and Sheffield Wednesday, he moved to the United States in 2023. There he played for USL League One clubs Forward Madison, Lexington SC and FC Naples.

Club career

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Youth years

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An attacking midfielder, Onen began his career in the Arsenal academy,[2] before joining Crystal Palace on a scholarship deal in 2017.[3] He remained at Selhurst Park until December 2017, when he joined the Brighton & Hove Albion academy as a scholar.[4] Onen made one EFL Trophy appearance for Albion's U21 team during the 2018–19 season,[5] before his release in December 2018.[6]

English Football League

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On 17 December 2018, Onen transferred to the B team at Championship club Brentford and signed an 18-month contract.[6] He made 30 appearances and scored three goals for the B team prior to his release at the end of the 2019–20 season.[7] A one-month loan at National League club Bromley in late 2019 yielded just one injury time substitute appearance.[2][8][9]

On 6 November 2020, after a successful trial period,[10] Onen joined the U23 team at Championship club Reading on a contract running until the end of the 2020–21 season.[11] During the remainder of the season, he was an unused substitute for the first team on 16 occasions and made two appearances prior to the expiration of his contract.[2][12]

Following a trial spell, Onen signed a contract running until the end of the 2021–22 season with the U23 team at League One club Sheffield Wednesday.[13][14] He failed to win a call into a first team matchday squad and was released when his contract expired.[2][14]

USL League One

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On 17 January 2023, Onen signed a one-year contract with USL League One club Forward Madison.[15] He made 27 appearances and scored four goals during a 2023 season which concluded with a playoff quarter-final defeat.[2][16] Onen's performances were recognised with a nomination for the USL League One Young Player of the Year award.[17] In January 2024, he joined Lexington SC on a free transfer and made 14 appearances during the 2024 season.[2][18] On 9 December 2024, Onen became FC Naples' first ever signing ahead of the club's inaugural season in 2025.[19]

International career

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Onen was called up to the Uganda squad for two 2021 Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers in March 2020, which were later postponed.[20] He participated in a training camp in Dubai in October 2020.[21]

Personal life

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Onen is of Ugandan descent.[11] In July 2020, it was reported that FUFA were trying to arrange dual-citizenship with Uganda for Onen.[22]

Career statistics

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As of match played 27 October 2024
Appearances and goals by club, season and competition
Club Season League National cup[a] League cup[b] Other Total
Division Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals
Brighton & Hove Albion U21 2018–19[5] 1[c] 0 1 0
Bromley (loan) 2019–20[2] National League 0 0 0 0 1[d] 0 1 0
Reading 2020–21[23] Championship 1 0 1 0 0 0 2 0
Forward Madison 2023[2] USL League One 26 3 1 1 0 0 27 4
Lexington SC 2024[2] USL League One 8 0 1 0 5 0 14 0
Career total 35 3 3 1 5 0 2 0 45 4
  1. ^ Includes FA Cup, U.S. Open Cup
  2. ^ Includes EFL Cup, USL Cup
  3. ^ Appearance in EFL Trophy
  4. ^ Appearance in FA Trophy

References

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  1. ^ a b Jayden Onen at WorldFootball.net
  2. ^ a b c d e f g h i Jayden Onen at Soccerway. Retrieved 18 December 2018.
  3. ^ "Squads for 2017/18 Premier League confirmed". www.premierleague.com. Retrieved 18 December 2018.
  4. ^ "Jayden Onen – Midfielder – U18 Team". Brighton & Hove Albion. Archived from the original on 17 December 2018. Retrieved 18 December 2018.
  5. ^ a b "Games played by Jayden Onen in 2018/2019". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 18 December 2018.
  6. ^ a b "Jayden Onen signs for Brentford B". www.brentfordfc.com. Retrieved 18 December 2018.
  7. ^ "Nine players depart Brentford FC". www.brentfordfc.com. Retrieved 6 July 2020.
  8. ^ "Jayden Onen joins Bromley on one-month youth loan deal". www.brentfordfc.com. Retrieved 23 November 2019.
  9. ^ "Jaden Brissett and Jayden Onen back with Brentford B following loan stints". www.brentfordfc.com. Retrieved 24 December 2019.
  10. ^ "Uganda Cranes midfielder signs contract with English club". Swift Sports Uganda. 7 November 2020. Retrieved 7 November 2020.
  11. ^ a b Lusulire, Ronnie (27 September 2020). "Uganda Cranes starlet joins Reading FC U-23 side". BigWhale sports. Retrieved 29 September 2020.
  12. ^ "✉️ Contracts offered, clauses triggered, loans end and best wishes issued for those set for pastures new…". www.readingfc.co.uk. Retrieved 12 May 2021.
  13. ^ "Jayden Onen signs for Wednesday". Sheffield Wednesday F.C. Retrieved 6 December 2021.
  14. ^ a b "Owls confirm Under-23 departures". Sheffield Wednesday F.C. Retrieved 16 March 2022.
  15. ^ Warwick, Evan (17 January 2023). "Forward Madison FC Signs Versatile Attacker Jayden Onen". Forward Madison FC. Archived from the original on 17 January 2023. Retrieved 17 January 2023.
  16. ^ "Forward Madison FC Finish 2023 Season In Colorado". Forward Madison FC. Retrieved 29 October 2023.
  17. ^ "Jackson Khoury Named Tormenta FC Newcomer of the Year". South Georgia Tormenta FC. Retrieved 20 November 2023.
  18. ^ "Midfielder Jayden Onen set to join Lexington Sporting Club". Lexington Sporting Club. Retrieved 4 January 2024.
  19. ^ "FC Naples Welcomes Jayden Onen as Inaugural Player Signing". FC Naples. Retrieved 9 December 2024.
  20. ^ "Africa Cup of Nations Qualifiers postponed". www.brentfordfc.com. Retrieved 14 March 2020.
  21. ^ "Full Uganda Cranes Delegation for Dubai Training Camp". FUFA: Federation of Uganda Football Associations. 4 October 2020. Retrieved 5 October 2020.
  22. ^ "Know Your Football Star: Jayden Onen". Retrieved 31 July 2020.
  23. ^ "Games played by Jayden Onen in 2020/2021". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 25 November 2020.
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