Zak Sturge

Zak Sturge
Personal information
Full name	Zak Norton Sturge
Date of birth	15 June 2004 (age 20)
Place of birth	London, England
Height	1.88 m (6 ft 2 in)
Position(s)	Left-back
Team information
Current team	Chelsea
Number	41
Youth career
	Cre8tive Football Academy
2019–2022	Brighton & Hove Albion
2022–2023	Chelsea
Senior career*
Years	Team
2023–	Chelsea
2023–2024	→ Peterborough United (loan)
International career‡
2021–2022	England U18
	*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 28 October 2023; ‡ National team caps and goals, correct as of 2 January 2023

Zak Norton Sturge (born 15 June 2004) is an English professional footballer who plays as a left-back for Premier League side Chelsea.

Club career

Born in London, Sturge started his career with the Cre8tive Football Academy, before joining Premier League side Brighton & Hove Albion in 2019.^[2] After three years in Brighton, he declined the offer of a contract extension, and announced his departure from the club in July 2022.^[3]^[4]

After being linked with a host of German Bundesliga sides, as well as English sides Leeds United and Chelsea, he signed with the latter as a free agent in August 2022.^[4]^[5]^[6] Since signing, he has gone on to train with the first team.^[7]

On 31 August 2023, Sturge joined League One club Peterborough United on loan until the end of the 2023–24 season.^[8] On 2 January 2024, he was recalled by Chelsea.^[9]

International career

Sturge is eligible to represent both England and Guyana at international level.^[1] He was called up to the England national under-18 football team in late 2021, and has gone on to make six appearances.^[10]

Career statistics

Club

As of match played 15 November 2023^[11]

Appearances and goals by club, season and competition
Club	Season	League			FA Cup		EFL Cup		Europe		Other		Total
Club	Season	Division	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals
Chelsea U21	2022–23	—			—		—		—		4^[a]	0	4	0
Peterborough United (loan)	2023–24	EFL League One	8	0	2	0	1	0	—		4^[a]	0	15	0
Career total			8	0	2	0	1	0	0	0	8	0	19	0

^ ^a ^b Appearances in EFL Trophy

References

^ ^a ^b ^c ^d Zak Sturge at WorldFootball.net
^ "Zak Sturge". chelseafc.com. Retrieved 2 January 2023.
^ Mills, Richard (30 June 2022). "How Brighton's late academy bloomer has become a target for Leeds United and Chelsea". sussexlive.co.uk. Retrieved 2 January 2023.
^ ^a ^b Pole, Matt (15 July 2022). "Chelsea set to beat Leeds United in transfer race for highly-rated Brighton talent". sussexexpress.co.uk. Retrieved 2 January 2023.
^ Young, Alex (20 July 2022). "Who is Zak Sturge? English wonderkid set to join Chelsea". standard.co.uk. Retrieved 2 January 2023.
^ "Chelsea sign teenage defender Sturge". chelseafc.com. 4 August 2022. Retrieved 2 January 2023.
^ Trotter, Scott (29 November 2022). "No James, Broja involved - Chelsea stars pictured in first team training as Under-21s feature". football.london. Retrieved 2 January 2023.
^ "Defender Arrives From Chelsea In Loan Deal". www.theposh.com. 31 August 2023. Retrieved 31 August 2023.
^ "Sturge Recalled By Chelsea". www.theposh.com. 2 January 2024. Retrieved 2 January 2024.
^ Owen, Brian (1 October 2021). "Zak Emmerson and Zak Sturge called in by England under-18s". theargus.co.uk. Retrieved 2 January 2023.
^ Zak Sturge at Soccerway

[FLT-12] Appearances in EFL Trophy

[wf-1] Zak Sturge at WorldFootball.net

[2] "Zak Sturge". chelseafc.com. Retrieved 2 January 2023.

[3] Mills, Richard (30 June 2022). "How Brighton's late academy bloomer has become a target for Leeds United and Chelsea". sussexlive.co.uk. Retrieved 2 January 2023.

[se-4] Pole, Matt (15 July 2022). "Chelsea set to beat Leeds United in transfer race for highly-rated Brighton talent". sussexexpress.co.uk. Retrieved 2 January 2023.

[5] Young, Alex (20 July 2022). "Who is Zak Sturge? English wonderkid set to join Chelsea". standard.co.uk. Retrieved 2 January 2023.

[6] "Chelsea sign teenage defender Sturge". chelseafc.com. 4 August 2022. Retrieved 2 January 2023.

[7] Trotter, Scott (29 November 2022). "No James, Broja involved - Chelsea stars pictured in first team training as Under-21s feature". football.london. Retrieved 2 January 2023.

[8] "Defender Arrives From Chelsea In Loan Deal". www.theposh.com. 31 August 2023. Retrieved 31 August 2023.

[9] "Sturge Recalled By Chelsea". www.theposh.com. 2 January 2024. Retrieved 2 January 2024.

[10] Owen, Brian (1 October 2021). "Zak Emmerson and Zak Sturge called in by England under-18s". theargus.co.uk. Retrieved 2 January 2023.

[11] Zak Sturge at Soccerway

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