# Dele Adeleye

Ayodele "Dele" Adeleye (born 25 December 1988) is a Nigerian former professional footballer who played as a centre-back.

## Club career

Adeleye is a defender who was born in Lagos and made his debut in professional football as part of the Shooting Stars FC squad before joining Sparta Rotterdam. Reports had linked him to English Premier League clubs Everton, West Ham United and Blackburn Rovers. After Sparta's relegation Adeleye went to FC Metalurh Donetsk on a free transfer in June 2010. On 2 September 2011: Tavria have officially announced the signing of two Nigerian international players – Dele Adeleye and Sani Kaita- through a statement on their official website, FC Tavria, Dele Adeleye, in the Nigeria squad for two live-wire games against Madagascar on Sunday, comes from Donetsk Metallurg, where he scored three goals in 26 appearances from central defense. In August 2013, Adeleye signed for Anzhi Makhachkala. In January 2014 Adeleye moved to Greek side Ergotelis on a Five-month contract, with the option of another year.
In February 2015, Adeleye signed a two-year-contract with Kazakhstan Premier League side FC Aktobe. Following the conclusion of the 2015 season, Adeleye was transfer listed by Aktobe.
On 20 February 2018, after two years of free agency, he joined Russian club FC SKA-Khabarovsk. He only made two appearances for the club, before leaving again as the club were relegated Russian First League and eventually retired from football.

## International career

A tall central defender, Adeleye caught the eye of Sparta when playing 3 matches for the Nigeria U-20 at the 2005 FIFA Youth World Cup in the Netherlands. He made his first senior cap in a friendly against Ireland on 29 May 2009.

## Career statistics
### Club

Appearances and goals by club, season and competition :
| Club | Season | League | League | League | National Cup | National Cup | League Cup | League Cup | Continental | Continental | Other | Other | Total | Total |
| Club | Season | Division | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals |
| Sparta Rotterdam | 2006–07 | Eredivisie | 5 | 1 | | | – | – | – | – | – | – | 5 | 1 |
| Sparta Rotterdam | 2007–08 | Eredivisie | 22 | 0 | | | – | – | – | – | – | – | 22 | 0 |
| Sparta Rotterdam | 2008–09 | Eredivisie | 17 | 2 | | | – | – | – | – | – | – | 17 | 2 |
| Sparta Rotterdam | 2009–10 | Eredivisie | 28 | 1 | 2 | 0 | – | – | – | – | 3 | 0 | 33 | 1 |
| Sparta Rotterdam | Total | Total | 72 | 4 | 2 | 0 | - | - | - | - | 3 | 0 | 77 | 4 |
| Metalurh Donetsk | 2010–11 | Ukrainian Premier League | 26 | 3 | 1 | 0 | – | – | – | – | – | – | 27 | 3 |
| Metalurh Donetsk | 2011–12 | Ukrainian Premier League | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | – | – | – | – | – | – | 0 | 0 |
| Metalurh Donetsk | Total | Total | 26 | 3 | 1 | 0 | - | - | - | - | - | - | 27 | 3 |
| Tavriya Simferopol | 2011–12 | Ukrainian Premier League | 18 | 1 | 1 | 0 | – | – | – | – | – | – | 19 | 1 |
| Tavriya Simferopol | 2012–13 | Ukrainian Premier League | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | – | – | – | – | – | – | 2 | 0 |
| Tavriya Simferopol | Total | Total | 20 | 1 | 1 | 0 | - | - | - | - | - | - | 21 | 1 |
| Kuban Krasnodar | 2012–13 | Russian Premier League | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | – | – | – | – | – | – | 0 | 0 |
| Anzhi Makhachkala | 2013–14 | Russian Premier League | 9 | 0 | 0 | 0 | – | – | 4 | 0 | – | – | 13 | 0 |
| Ergotelis | 2013–14 | Super League | 8 | 0 | 0 | 0 | – | – | – | – | – | – | 8 | 0 |
| OFI Crete | 2014–15 | Super League | 14 | 0 | 2 | 0 | – | – | – | – | – | – | 16 | 0 |
| Aktobe | 2015 | Kazakhstan Premier League | 29 | 1 | 3 | 0 | – | – | 2 | 0 | – | – | 34 | 1 |
| SKA-Khabarovsk | 2017–18 | Russian Premier League | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | – | – | – | – | – | – | 2 | 0 |
| Career total | Career total | Career total | 180 | 9 | 9 | 0 | - | - | 6 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 198 | 9 |

### International

    As of match played 15 November 2011.
| National team | Year | Apps | Goals |
| Nigeria | 2009 | 5 | 0 |
| Nigeria | 2010 | 2 | 0 |
| Nigeria | 2011 | 3 | 0 |
| Total | Total | 10 | 0 |