Biography of Samuel Oluwabukunmi Adeniran
Samuel Oluwabukunmi Adeniran (born September 30, 1998) is an American professional footballer who plays as a striker for the Austrian club LASK.
Youth Development
Early Beginnings
Adeniran started his football journey with youth teams in the Houston area, including Houston Texans and Houston Express. He played two seasons of high school varsity soccer at Cypress Christian School in Houston, amassing 21 goals in 18 matches as a freshman and 31 goals in 23 games as a sophomore.
Liverpool FC Foundation College
At age 16, Adeniran moved to England to join the Liverpool FC Foundation College (now known as the Steven Gerrard Academy), a program designed to nurture football talent while promoting education. He competed with the college’s U19 squad, returning to Texas in 2016 to participate in the Dallas Cup.
Professional Career
Belenenses
Following his time in England, Adeniran moved to Portugal, where his brother was already playing. He signed with Belenenses and joined their U19 team, appearing in four matches and netting one goal in a 3–1 defeat to Benfica U19 on April 1, 2017.
CD Leganés
In January 2018, Adeniran began his professional career with CD Leganés B in Spain. Although he didn’t feature for the main team, he went on several loan spells.
Chacarita Juniors
Adeniran’s first loan was with Argentine Primera División side Chacarita Juniors in 2018, initially as a trial. He impressed during preseason friendlies, scoring for both the first and reserve teams. The loan became official for the 2018 Clausura season, making him the first American player at the club. However, he played exclusively for the reserves before the loan was terminated in April 2018.
Club Deportivo Guadalajara (Spain)
On returning to Spain in mid-2018, Adeniran was loaned to CD Guadalajara in the Spanish fourth division. He debuted on August 26, 2018, in a 3–2 victory over Azuqueca and scored seven goals in 13 matches before Leganés recalled him to compete at a higher level.
CD Castellón
In January 2019, Adeniran was loaned to CD Castellón in Spain’s third tier. However, he didn’t make any first-team appearances and was a free agent when his contract with Leganés expired in mid-2019.
Kickers Emden
In August 2019, Adeniran joined Kickers Emden in Germany’s fifth division. He scored on his debut on September 7, 2019, in a 2–0 win and ended the season with six goals in 13 games.
Atlas Delmenhorst
Adeniran signed with Atlas Delmenhorst in Germany’s Regionalliga Nord in August 2020. He scored twice in seven matches before the COVID-19 pandemic disrupted the season. In January 2021, he terminated his contract to pursue opportunities in the United States.
USL and MLS Career
Tacoma Defiance
Adeniran joined Tacoma Defiance in the USL Championship in March 2021. He debuted on May 16, 2021, as a substitute in a 1–0 win over Orange County SC. He scored 13 goals in 30 appearances and was named Player of the Week in Week 25 after a hat trick against Orange County.
Seattle Sounders
Adeniran was frequently recalled by Seattle Sounders FC during the 2021 MLS season due to roster shortages. He made his MLS debut on July 18, 2021, in a 1–0 loss to Minnesota United FC. In December 2021, he was permanently promoted to Seattle’s first-team roster.
San Antonio FC
In June 2022, Adeniran was loaned to San Antonio FC, where he scored 10 goals in 20 regular-season games and netted the winning goal in the USL Championship final.
St. Louis City SC
In December 2022, Adeniran was traded to St. Louis City SC. Despite limited early opportunities, he scored eight goals in 18 games during the 2023 season.
Philadelphia Union
Adeniran joined Philadelphia Union in July 2024, debuting in a 3–0 win over Nashville SC.
LASK
On December 2, 2024, Adeniran signed a 3.5-year deal with Austrian club LASK, effective January 2025.
Career Statistics
As of October 2, 2024