An Emerging Italian Powerhouse – The Lowdown On Caleb Okoli
A Vicenza native born in the north eastern city of Italy, Okoli became Leicester City’s latest summer recruit on Tuesday and joins Steve Cooper’s squad ahead of pre-season preparations beginning in Seagrave.
Signing from Serie A side Atalanta, where he played 17 times in 2022/23, Okoli spent the majority of last term on loan at Frosinone, making a total of 37 appearances across all competitions, 35 of those as a starter, as I Canarini reached the Coppa Italia Quarter-Finals.
Standing at 6ft 3ins, the defender adds an aerial threat and physical presence and, at the age of 22, is yet to hit his peak years, despite already developing a growing reputation in Italy, both for club and country.
A former Italy youth international, who has featured for the Azzurri at Under-19s, Under-20s and Under-21s level, Okoli is also eligible to represent Nigeria.
First called up to represent Italy in 2019, his Under-21s debut arrived two years later and he went on to play a further 13 times, starting each of their 2023 UEFA European U21 Championship matches.
Making his Serie A debut for Atalanta in August 2022, the club where Okoli honed his skills as a youth player from the age of 14, after beginning his career at boyhood club Vicenza, a series of loan stints across the region have further aided his development.
SPAL became Okoli’s home for 2020/21, breaking through during the second half of the campaign, followed by a season on loan with fellow Serie B outfit US Cremonese, where he became a consistent performer for I Grigiorossi.
Twice an Italian youth champion with Atalanta’s Under-19s, Okoli also lifted the Italian Supercoppa and is now aiming to make his next step of progress in the Premier League with the Foxes.