Bright Adjei

Bright Adjei (born 27 April 1994) is a Ghanaian professional footballer who plays as a forward for Tanzanian Premier League side Singida Big Stars.^[1][2] He won the Ghana Premier League in his second season with Aduana Stars. He previously played for Tema Youth and Kuwaiti side Burgan.

Bright Adjei

Personal information
Full name	Bright Adjei
Date of birth	(1994-04-27) 27 April 1994 (age 29)
Place of birth	Ghana
Position(s)	Forward
Team information
Current team	Singida Big Stars
Number	9
Youth career
2010–2012	Elmina Sharks
Senior career*
Years	Team	Apps	(Gls)
2012–2015	Tema Youth
2015–2018	Aduana Stars	77	(22)
2018–2019	Burgan SC
2019–2022	Aduana Stars	70	(26)
2023–	Singida Big Stars	12	(05)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 19 September 2022

Club career

Elmina Sharks

Adjei started his career with Elmina Sharks in 2010. He played for the club in the lower-tiers until 2012 when he secured a move to Tema Youth.

Tema Youth

In 2012, Adjei secured a move to Tema Youth.^[3][4] He made his debut and featured for the club in the 2012–13 Ghanaian Premier League. Adjei scored his debut topflight goal in a 1–1 draw against Real Tamale United.^[5] That season, he scored several goals with notable ones against top sides, Medeama, Ashanti Gold and Real Tamale United.^[6][7] Adjei also scored a hat-trick in a 3–2 win against New Edubiase.^[8] However, his goals could not secure their safety in the Ghana Premier League. He played an instrumental role in Tema Youth's second-place finish in the second-tier league, Ghana Division One League in 2015, finishing as the club's top scorer. In October 2015, he was linked with a move to Ghana Premier League side Aduana Stars.^[9]

Aduana Stars

In December 2015, Aduana Stars announced that they had secured the services of Adjei and Zakaria Mumuni on a 3-year contract ahead of the 2016 Ghana Premier League campaign.^[10][11] In his debut season, he immediately established himself as a key player for the club playing 15 out of 30 matches and scoring a whopping 12 goals to help Aduana Stars to a second position with 49 points only missing out on the ultimate by 2 points to eventual winners Wa All Stars. In March 2016, his 85th minute acrobatic goal against Ashanti Gold in game week 4 of the league at Len Clay Stadium in Obuasi, was nominated for the CNN Goal of the Week award.^[12] He beat off competition from Barcelona's Luis Suarez, Celtic's Tom Rogic, and Pumas' Javier Cortés to poll 81 per cent of the total votes cast to win the award.^[13]

In August 2016, Adjei scored another overhead kick goal in Aduana's 1–1 draw at WAFA in Sogakope during the match day 27 Ghana Premier League match, which earned him another nomination for the CNN Goal of the Week award.^[14] He won for the second time beating the likes of Bayern Munich's Xabi Alonso, Anderlecht's Łukasz Teodorczyk and Elliot Durrell of Chester. He became the first ever two-time winner of the award.^[15][16][17]

The following season, 2017 season, he continued his impressive form by playing 17 league matches and scoring 7 goals to help Aduana secure the club's second league title in their history.^[18] During that period he formed a good attacking partnership with Yahaya Mohammed. In April 2017, it was reported that he had flown in to Sudan to sign a two-year contract with Sudanese giants, Al Hilal, the deal however fell through and he returned to Aduana Stars.^[19][20]

Burgan

In August 2019, Adjei joined Kuwaiti side Burgan SC on a free transfer after his contract with Aduana Stars ended.^[18] He signed a one-year deal with an option to extend the contract at the end.^[21][4]

 

Aduana FC supporters honouring Adjei after his record 42 goals.

Return to Aduana Stars

After 6 months into his contract with Kuwaiti side, Adjei returned to Ghana and joined his previous club Aduana Stars. There were rumours that he was in advantaged stage of signing for Accra Hearts of Oak. On 22 December 2020, he scored the equalizer to help Aduana salvage a draw in a 1–1 Bono derby match against rivals Berekum Chelsea.^[22][23] Since his return to Aduana Football Club, Bright went on to play 58 Matches scoring 24 goals making him the all time top scorer of Aduana FC with 42 goals, surpassing Yahaya Mohammed, who had 41.

International career

Adjei was a member of the Ghana national under-23 football team, the Black Meteors in 2015.^[9] He was a member of the squad that featured during the 2015 All-African Games in Brazzaville, Republic of the Congo. He also earned call-ups to the local Black Stars in the past.^[24]

Honours

Aduana Stars

• Ghana Premier League: 2017^[2]
• Ghana Super Cup: 2018^[2]

Individual

• CNN Goal of the Week Award (2): (March 2016, August 2016)^[17]

• Ghana Premier League Player of the month: February 2022^[25]

References

1. Benaiah Elorm and Al-Smith Gary (13 November 2020). "The ultimate 18-team Ghana Premier League season guide 2020/21". My Joy Online. from the original on 28 January 2021. Retrieved 17 April 2021.
2. "B. Adjei - Profile". Soccerway. Retrieved 20 April 2021.
3. "Bright Adjei". worldfootball.net. Retrieved 30 April 2021.
4. "EXCLUSIVE: Former Aduana Stars striker Bright Adjei joins Kuwaiti side Burgan SC". Football Ghana. Retrieved 30 April 2021.
5. "Drama in Essipong as RTU draw with Tema Youth". Ghana Soccernet. 11 November 2012. Retrieved 17 August 2023.
6. "AshantiGold draw with ten-man Tema Youth". Ghana Football Association. 16 April 2012. Retrieved 17 August 2023.
7. "Medeama crushed by Tema Youth". Ghana Football Association. 25 February 2013. Retrieved 18 August 2023.
8. "Adjei's hat-trick downs Edubiase". Modern Ghana. 30 May 2013. Retrieved 17 August 2023 – via Ghana Football Association.
9. "Aduana to sign Bright Adjei of Tema Youth". GhanaWeb. 30 October 2015. Retrieved 30 April 2021.
10. Gyamera-Antwi, Evans (30 October 2015). "Zakaria, Adjei penned down deals with Aduana Stars". Goal. Retrieved 30 April 2021.
11. "Aduana Stars sign WAFA kid Zakaria Mumuni and striker Bright Adjei". GhanaSoccernet. 17 January 2016. Retrieved 30 April 2021.
12. "VIDEO: Watch Bright Adjei's goal nominated for CNN goal of the week". GhanaSoccernet. 21 March 2016. Retrieved 30 April 2021.
13. Gyamera-Antwi, Evans (26 March 2016). "Adjei wins CNN Goal of the Week award". Goal. Retrieved 30 April 2021.
14. "Aduana Stars Bright Adjei nominated again for CNN goal of the week". GhanaSoccernet. 29 August 2016. Retrieved 30 April 2021.
15. "Aduana Stars striker Bright Adjei becomes first player to win back-to-back CNN Goal of the Week award". Modern Ghana. 2 September 2016. Retrieved 30 April 2021.
16. Yeboah, Thomas Freeman (2 September 2016). "Bright Adjei wins CNN Goal of the week Award". Pulse Ghana. from the original on 30 April 2021. Retrieved 30 April 2021.
17. "Aduana Stars striker Bright Adjei becomes first player to win back-to-back CNN Goal of the Week award". The Ghana Guardian News. 2 September 2016. Retrieved 30 April 2021.
18. "EXCLUSIVE: Former Aduana Stars hitman Bright Adjei pens deal with Burgan SC of Kuwait". GhanaSoccernet. 1 August 2019. Retrieved 30 April 2021.
19. "Aduana Stars striker Bright Adjei offered two year deal at Sudanese side Al Hilal- Report". Modern Ghana. 5 May 2017. Retrieved 1 May 2021.
20. Harmse, JJ (28 April 2017). "Adjei in Sudan for Al Hilal medical". Super Sport. from the original on 1 May 2021. Retrieved 1 May 2021.
21. Whyte, Delrand Ansah Mensah (4 April 2019). "Aduana Stars bid Bright Adjei farewell". Daily Mail GH. from the original on 14 November 2019. Retrieved 30 April 2021.
22. "Aduana Stars shares points with host Chelsea in the Bono derby". Ghana Football Association. 22 December 2020. Retrieved 30 April 2021.
23. "Bright Adjei's header denies Berekum Chelsea victory". GhanaWeb. 22 December 2020. Retrieved 30 April 2021.
24. Kapoor, Daraja Jr (3 August 2020). "Aduana Stars forward Bright Adjei targets Black Stars call-up under Akonnor". Football Made In Ghana. Retrieved 12 May 2021.
25. "Bright Adjei wins NASCO Player of the Month award for February". Ghanafa. Ghana Football Association. 4 May 2022. Retrieved 4 May 2022.

External links

• Bright Adjei at Global Sports Archive
• Bright Adjei at WorldFootball.net
• Bright Adjei at FootballDatabase.eu
• Bright Adjei at Soccerway