Idris Kanu

Idris Kanu (born 5 December 1999) is an English-born Sierra Leonean professional footballer who plays as a forward for EFL Championship club Peterborough United and the Sierra Leone national team.

He began playing football with West Ham United at the age of 11 and spent six years with the club. He signed for Aldershot Town in October 2016 and at the age of 16 became the club's youngest ever player and goalscorer in league competitions. He joined Peterborough United for an undisclosed fee in August 2017, from where he was loaned out to Port Vale for the first half of the 2018–19 season and then Boreham Wood in the latter half of the season. He helped Peterborough to win promotion out of League One at the end of the 2020–21 season.

Club Career

Early career

Kanu was recruited into the West Ham United academy at the age of 11 after impressing in a trial game for Barking and Dagenham district. He appeared for the "Hammers" Under-21 team at the age of 15. In September 2016, following his release from West Ham, he underwent a trial with Manchester United's Under-18 side and scored twice in a match against Middlesbrough. A permanent move failed to materialize, however, and Kanu later revealed he rejected an offer from the Premier League club in order to play senior football regularly.

Aldershot Town

On 7 October 2016, National League side Aldershot Town completed the signing of Kanu on an amateur contract after he had impressed during training sessions with the club. Upon signing, he was reunited with James Rowe, the club's assistant manager who he had previously worked with at West Ham. He made his debut the following day, coming on as a late substitute for Bernard Mensah in a 2–0 win over Solihull Moors at the Recreation Ground. In doing so, at the age of 16 years and 308 days, Kanu became the youngest player ever to feature for the "Shots" in a league match. He scored his first professional goal in the following match, netting in a 2–1 FA Cup d