# Joel Ndala

Joel Tshisanga Ndala (born 31 May 2006) is an English footballer who plays as a forward for Premier League club Nottingham Forest, on loan from Manchester City. He has represented England up to under-19 level.
Ndala joined the Manchester City Academy from Port Vale for a £300,000 fee in 2017 and turned professional in July 2022. He spent the first half of the 2024–25 season on loan at Jong PSV, the reserve team of Dutch club PSV Eindhoven. He joined Nottingham Forest on loan in February 2025.

## Early and personal life

Ndala was born in Manchester and grew up in France before returning to England to live in Burslem, Stoke-on-Trent at seven years old. He attended school at St Nathaniel's Academy in Stoke. He then quickly moved to Port Vale Academy. He left Burslem when he signed for Manchester City at the age of 10. Ndala has dual nationality with DR Congo.

## Club career
### Manchester City

Ndala played in the youth ranks at Port Vale, until he joined Manchester City in 2017, at the age of ten years-old, for a fee later reported to be £300,000. Ndala signed a professional contract with Manchester City in July 2022. He was named by English newspaper The Guardian as one of the best first-year scholars in the Premier League in September 2022. He progressed through the Citizens' youth ranks, impressing in the FA Youth Cup during the 2022–23 season. He had 25 goal involvements for Ben Wilkinson's U18 Premier League-winning side in the 2022–23 season and was called up to play under Brian Barry-Murphy in the UEFA Youth League. He was included in the senior squad that travelled to Saudi Arabia to play in the 2023 FIFA Club World Cup. He helped the under-18 team to win the FA Youth Cup at the end of the 2023–24 season and also scored against senior opposition for the under-21s in the EFL Trophy.
On 3 September 2024, Ndala joined Dutch Eredivisie club PSV Eindhoven on a season-long loan with an obligation to buy for an initial £5.4 million (with a 20% sell-on clause) that could rise to £8.4 million through add-ons. He was assigned to the reserve team Jong PSV and scored one goal in 12 Eerste Divisie games. On 3 February 2025, Ndala joined Premier League club Nottingham Forest on a season-long loan, with an option to purchase for £4 million. He was assigned to the Academy team, participating in Premier League 2 matches.

## International career

In August 2021 Ndala scored for the England under-16 team in a game against Scotland. He made his debut for the England under-18 side as a sixteen year-old in September 2022. He scored his first goal for England under-18s against Croatia under-18s in March 2023.
Ndala was selected to represent England at the 2023 FIFA U-17 World Cup and scored the winning goal in a 2-1 victory over Iran at Jakarta International Stadium in November 2023. Their next group game saw him score a consolation during a defeat against Brazil. His third and last goal of the tournament came in their round of sixteen elimination against Uzbekistan.
On 9 October 2024, Ndala made his U19 debut during a 2–1 defeat to Portugal in Marbella.

## Style of play

After his performances at the U17 World Cup in 2023, Ndala was identified by ESPN as one of the stars of the tournament with "phenomenal change of pace and highly developed off-the-ball movement". Comparisons were drawn in style with Jérémy Doku.

## Career statistics

    As of match played 26 September 2023
Appearances and goals by club, season and competition :
| Club | Season | League | League | League | National Cup | National Cup | League Cup | League Cup | Other | Other | Total | Total |
| Club | Season | Division | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals |
| Manchester City U21 | 2022–23 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| Manchester City U21 | 2023–24 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 2 | 1 | 2 | 1 |
| Manchester City U21 | Total | Total | — | — | — | — | — | — | 3 | 1 | 3 | 1 |
| Jong PSV (loan) | 2024–25 | Eerste Divisie | 12 | 1 | — | — | — | — | — | — | 12 | 1 |
| Nottingham Forest (loan) | 2024–25 | Premier League | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | — | — | — | 0 | 0 |
| Career total | Career total | Career total | 12 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 1 | 15 | 2 |
* 1 2 Appearances in EFL Trophy

## Honours

England U18s
* U18 Pinatar Super Cup: 2024
Manchester City Academy
* U18 Premier League: 2021–22, 2022–23
* Premier League 2: 2021–22, 2022–23
* FA Youth Cup: 2023–24
* U18 Premier League Cup: 2023–24