Ayodele Thomas

Ayodele Thomas (born 23 July 2007) is a Dutch professional footballer who plays as a winger for club NEC.

Early life Thomas was born on 23 July 2007. Born in Almere, Netherlands, he is of Nigerian and Croatian descent through his parents.

Club career As a youth player, Thomas joined the youth academy of Dutch side Almere City FC. Ahead of the 2020–21 season, he joined the youth academy of Dutch side Feyenoord at the age of twelve.

Three years later, he joined the youth academy of Dutch side PSV Eindhoven and was promoted to the club's reserve team in 2024, where he made forty-one league appearances and scored five goals. Following his stint there, he signed for German Bundesliga side RB Leipzig in 2026.

On 1 September 2026, Thomas returned to the Netherlands and signed a four-season contract with NEC.

International career Thomas is a Netherlands youth international. During the autumn of 2025, he played for the Netherlands national under-19 football team for 2026 UEFA European Under-19 Championship qualification.

Style of play Thomas plays as a winger. Dutch newspaper Eindhovens Dagblad wrote in 2026 that he "is lightning fast, can create opportunities with the ball, and is definitely a talent. But he also has clear areas for development, especially in his off-the-ball play".