Sone Aluko

Omatsone Folarin "Sone" Aluko (born 19 February 1989) is a professional footballer who plays as a forward or winger for Ipswich Town.

He was given a first-team squad number in the 2005–06 season, and was an unused substitute in a Premier League match against Arsenal at Highbury in October 2005.

Aluko began his career at Birmingham City, graduating from the club's academy to make his senior debut in 2007.

He joined Aberdeen on loan in the 2007–08 season and was loaned to Blackpool at the beginning of the 2008–09 season.

He made his first-team debut for Birmingham on 28 August 2007 as a late substitute in a League Cup tie against Hereford United.

In August 2007, Aluko joined Scottish Premier League club Aberdeen on loan until January 2008.

He made his debut for Aberdeen as a late substitute in the UEFA Cup group match against Panathinaikos on 25 October 2007.

He scored his first goal for the club the following week, opening the scoring in a 2–0 victory over Dundee United.

In January, the loan deal was extended to keep Aluko at Aberdeen for the rest of the season.

After just two appearances for Blackpool, he signed for Aberdeen permanently in August 2008.

On 14 February 2008, as part of a performance which earned him the man-of-the-match award, he scored Aberdeen's second goal in a 2–2 draw against Bayern Munich in the UEFA Cup Round of 32.

He scored 4 goals in 31 appearances during his loan at Aberdeen.

Aluko signed for Blackpool on a month's emergency loan on 8 August 2008, and made his debut the following day as a late substitute in the Seasiders' 0–1 home defeat to Bristol City.

He made 2 appearances for Blackpool before returning from loan at the end of August.

On transfer deadline day, 1 September 2008, Aluko returned to Aberdeen on a permanent basis, signing a three-year contract for a fee of £50,000.

He made his return in a 1–2 home defeat to Hamilton Academical on 13 September, and scored his first goal since rejoining the club to clinch Aberdeen's first home win of the season, a single-goal victory over Kilmarnock on 1 November.

Aluko went on to win the SPL Young Player of the Month award for November 2008.

Aluko featured regularly following his return to Aberdeen, playing 37 matches during the 2008–09 season, scoring 4 goals.

He won caps at under-20 and under-23 levels, before making his senior debut in 2009.

His sister Eniola Aluko was born in Nigeria and is a former professional footballer.

She formerly played for Juventus and England.

Aluko was born in Hounslow, London, and brought up from a young age in Birmingham.

He progressed through Birmingham City's youth system, which he joined at the age of eight.

He continued to be a key part of the Aberdeen first-team during the 2009–10 season.

He scored his first goal of the season in a 1–3 loss against Celtic on 15 August.

In total, Aluko scored 3 times in 26 appearances over the course of the season.

Aluko made his first appearance of the 2010–11 season in Aberdeen's opening match of the campaign, starting the match in a 4–0 home win against Hamilton Academical at the Pittodrie Stadium.

On 15 February, he scored his first goal of the season in a 1–2 home loss against Motherwell.

He also scored in Aberdeen's following match, a 5–0 home win against Kilmarnock on 19 February.

He did not score again for the rest of the season, scoring twice in 33 appearances in total during the season.

He left Aberdeen in July 2011 at the end of his contract.

Aluko signed for Rangers in November 2011 and scored 12 goals in 21 appearances during the 2011–12 season.

After one season at Rangers, he returned to England to join Hull City.

He left the club at the end of his contract in July 2011.

Following his release from Aberdeen, Aluko had a trial with Juventus prior to the 2011–12 season.

He made over 100 appearances for Hull during a four-year spell at the club, helping Hull win promotion to the Premier League in 2013 and reach the 2014 FA Cup Final.

He left Hull to join Fulham in 2016, before joining Reading in 2017.

He spent four seasons at Reading, making over 100 appearances for the club, while also spending time out on loan at Beijing Renhe in 2019.

In August 2021, he signed for Ipswich Town.

Born in England, Aluko was capped by England at all youth levels up to under-19 before accepting an offer to play for Nigeria.