Funso Ojo

Beerschot On 16 April 2012, Ojo rejoined Belgian Pro League club Beerschot AC (formerly called Germinal Beerschot) on a free transfer, signing a four-year contract. Manager Adrie Koster said that he had gained technical skill in the Netherlands but would need to develop physical attributes to succeed in the Belgian leagues. On 1 September, he scored his first career goal in a 2–0 win at KV Mechelen. However, he rarely featured in the second half of the 2012–13 season due to injury and a falling out with new manager Jacky Mathijssen. He became a free agent after the club entered bankruptcy in May 2013; he came close to joining Italian club Chievo, though the deal did not end up being completed. Ojo claimed that Mathijssen "did everything to break me down and blacken me and it worked".

Antwerp On 29 August 2013, Ojo signed a two-year contract with Belgian Second Division club Royal Antwerp after impressing manager Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink during a trial spell. He played eight games at the start of the 2013–14 season before being dropped to the reserves, and, in December Hasselbaink confirmed that Ojo was no longer welcome at the Bosuilstadion after being unwilling to play for the youth team.

Dordrecht Ojo returned to the Netherlands and joined Eerste Divisie side FC Dordrecht. Dordrecht qualified for the promotion play-offs at the end of the 2013–14 season and Ojo scored one of the goals in a 5–3 aggregate victory over Sparta Rotterdam to secure promotion into the top-flight. He signed a new one-year contract in June 2014. Ojo underwent ankle surgery in February 2015 to remove a piece of floating bone and was ruled out of action for the rest of the 2014–15 season. He had struggled with his ankle injury since the start of the campaign, which would prove to be a poor one for the club as Ernie Brandts's side would go on to be relegated out of the Eredivisie after finishing in last place.

Willem II Ojo remained in the Eredivisie after signing with Willem II. He became a key first-team player for Jurgen Streppel in the 2015–16 season, playing a total of 38 games. Willem II finished in the relegation play-off places, but would beat both Almere City and NAC Breda to retain their top-flight status successfully. He featured 29 times in the 2016–17 season, though he struggled for form during the latter campaign. He had been scouted by Lee Turnbull. Ojo quickly became a key player for Graham Alexander's "Iron", forming an excellent midfield partnership with Neal Bishop, and his absence due to injury was blamed for three consecutive defeats in December. He played 47 games across the course of the 2017–18 campaign, scoring two goals, helping United to qualify for the play-offs. He came close to a move to Wigan Athletic, though Wigan and Scunthorpe failed to come to a deal.

Aberdeen Ojo was linked with a transfer to Scottish club Hibernian in June 2019. Hibernian manager Paul Heckingbottom stated that Ojo could leave Scunthorpe on a free transfer after they were relegated to League Two, but the proposed transfer collapsed after Heckingbottom claimed Scunthorpe "changed their mind, backtracked and made it really difficult". Ojo moved to Aberdeen, signing a three-year contract with the club. Manager Derek McInnes said that the move was decided for footballing reasons rather than money as the financial aspect of the contracts were identical. Ojo said that "we talked about football and other things and he [McInnes] touched something in me", adding that the city, state-of-the-art training ground and prospect of European football had convinced him to go with Aberdeen. He played 16 Scottish Premiership games in the 2019–20 season and also featured four times in the early rounds of the UEFA Europa League. He made 23 appearances for Leam Richardson's "Latics", helping the club to finish one point above the relegation zone. On 20 November, Ojo was sent off for only the second time in his career after receiving a yellow card for reacting to a Dundee United supporter who pushed him as he went to retrieve the ball from the crowd at Tannadice. The supporter was arrested and later sentenced to community service after admitting assault. Ojo impressed manager Stephen Glass in the first half of the 2021–22 campaign, playing at full-back, attacking midfield, defensive midfield and out wide. However, he was not retained by new manager Jim Goodwin and left Pittodrie at the end of his contract in June 2022.

Port Vale On 28 June 2022, Ojo joined English League One club Port Vale, with director of football David Flitcroft stating that: "we think that Funso is the type of player that can conduct and orchestrate them [his teammates] on the pitch". Ojo started nine of the club's first ten league games of the 2022–23 campaign, before being sidelined with what manager Darrell Clarke described as "quite a bad hamstring" injury at the end of September. Ojo returned to the substitutes bench on 26 December and scored his first goal at Vale Park on 24 January 2023, in a 2–1 defeat to Derby County. Four days later, he was voted as the club's player of the match in a 0–0 draw at Cheltenham Town. On 25 March, he scored a "wonderful" goal from to help secure a 2–2 draw with Portsmouth at Fratton Park. He was sent off for violent conduct on Good Friday in stoppage-time of a 3–0 defeat at Accrington Stanley. He was named as the club's PFA Community Player of the Year for the 2022–23 season for his efforts at becoming more environmentally friendly. Ojo signed a new contract the following month which would keep him at the club until June 2026. The club rejected a transfer offer for the player from an unnamed club. On 11 November, he played as a sweeper in a 1–1 draw at Lincoln City, showing composure as he adapted well to the change of role. He was injured the following month, however, as a hamstring injury saw him sidelined for several weeks. He returned to action and scored a penalty to rescue a 2–2 at home to Stevenage on 10 February, which he dedicated to outgoing manager Crosby. The club employed a more pragmatic approach under new manager Darren Moore, which did not suit Ojo's strengths at controlling possession with short passes. Ojo also lost the vice-captaincy at the end of the 2023–24 season.

On 30 August 2024, Ojo returned to League One on a season-long loan at Shrewsbury Town. He had briefly worked with Shrews manager Paul Hurst at Scunthorpe. He was dropped by new manager Gareth Ainsworth in January, who said he responded to the disappointment in "exemplary" fashion. Ojo said that he preferred the style of football played by the third manager of his loan spell, Michael Appleton, most of all.

Back with Vale, who had been promoted in his absence, he had a strong start to the 2025–26 season, with Moore remarking that he had "showcased his talent and ability and his all-round understanding". Supporters voted him as the Valiant Substack's player of the month for August. Moore dropped him from the squad, however, despite the team struggling for form and Ojo playing well when selected. He returned to the first XI under new manager Jon Brady, and was named player of the match in the win over Premier League side Sunderland in the fifth round of the FA Cup. He missed the end-of-season run-in after picking up a knock, with the club relegated in his absence. He was released upon the expiry of his contract.

International career Ojo was capped by Belgium from under-15 to under-21 level, winning his first and only under-21 cap as a late substitute in a Iceland on 1 September 2011.

Style of play Ojo is a versatile midfielder who links defence and attack by winning the ball and passing it on to more creative teammates. He has good intelligence, fitness and technical ability. Scunthorpe United manager Stuart McCall said that he was best utilised as a defensive midfielder, though can also play as a box-to-box midfielder. Ojo admitted he had "squared-up" to an opposition fan, and was fined £400 after being found guilty of pushing the man and knocking his glasses off, though the punch Ojo had thrown was ruled to have been in self-defence.

Speaking in February 2023 as part of the English Football League's Green Football Weekend, Ojo was reported to have saved more than 500 kg of emissions from about 260 green activities, following his choice to change his lifestyle and switch to a plant-based diet. His wife, Julie Herman, launched the fashion business Rose Ojo in August 2024, which upcycled football shirts into puffer jackets.

Career statistics + Appearances and goals by club, season and competition

Division!!Apps!!Goals Apps!!Goals Apps!!Goals Apps!!Goals Apps!!Goals

Beerschot 2012–13 League One

2018–19 League One

80!!3!!2!!0!!1!!0!!4!!0!!87!!3

2019–20 Scottish Premiership

Scottish Premiership

Scottish Premiership

57!!1!!5!!0!!3!!0!!11!!0!!76!!1 Wigan Athletic (loan) 2020–21 League One

2023–24 League One

League Two

2025–26 League One