On Friday 26th July 2024, the Club announced the return of Ryan Sessegnon on a two year deal, with the option of a further 12 months.
Sessegnon’s relationship with Fulham Football Club runs deep. Born just down the road in Roehampton, he rapidly moved up the age groups after initially joining as an Under-9 alongside his twin brother Steven, making his debut for the First Team as a 16-year-old in a 3-2 League Cup win against Leyton Orient.
After dazzling at left-back on his league debut at Leeds United a week later, he became the youngest scorer in our history when he netted just three minutes after coming off the bench in a 2-2 draw with Cardiff City.
The youngster racked up 30 appearances in that maiden campaign, scoring seven times – including a famous brace in our 3-1 win away to eventual Championship winners Newcastle United. He was subsequently named in the PFA Team of the Year.
If that season was an impressive one for Sess, 2017/18 was in another stratosphere.
Primarily playing in a more attacking position on the left-wing, he was the Club’s top scorer with 16 goals as we won promotion. In fact, he was involved in all three of our Play-Off goals, scoring against Derby County before sending in the corner for Denis Odoi’s famous header in the same game, and also providing the perfect assist for Tom Cairney’s winner in the Final against Aston Villa.
The recognition for Sessegnon that year was endless. At the EFL awards, he won Championship Player of the Season, EFL Young Player of the Year, and the Championship Apprentice award, in addition to being named in the EFL Team of the Season.
There was a similar theme at the PFA Awards, where he was named Fans’ Championship Player of the Year, beating the likes of Diogo Jota and James Maddison to the accolade. He was also the first ever player outside of the Premier League to be nominated for PFA Young Player of the Year.
A top flight goal was the next achievement to tick off, with his strike against Cardiff making him the first person born in the year 2000 to score in the Premier League.
After 120 appearances for Fulham – which featured 25 goals and 18 assists – Sessegnon joined Spurs in the summer of 2019 for what was, at the time, a record fee received.
He sampled Champions League football in his first season, scoring against Bayern Munich in the Allianz Arena on his first start in the competition.
Sess was back in Germany the following year, registering five goal involvements in 29 appearances while on loan with TSG Hoffenheim.
Back in North London, Sessegnon got regular gametime the following two seasons, but was unfortunate with injury in his final campaign at the club, and departed with 57 appearances to his name.
Sessegnon has enjoyed success on an international scale, helping England win the Under-19 European Championship in 2017, claiming the Golden Boot and being named in the Team of the Tournament at the same time.
He has represented his country up to Under-21 level, for whom he won 20 caps.
source: Fulham FC