Coventry Metropolis striker Haji Wright was bagging objectives in Denmark and Turkey earlier than coming off the bench to attain a stoppage-time penalty in opposition to Manchester United within the FA Cup semifinals.
Wright gave us probably the greatest moments in current historical past of the FA Cup as his last-gasp penalty diminished United’s 3-0 aim benefit and gave loads of hope that the Sky Blues may truly pull off the shock upset. His cool composure from 12 yards out noticed an American rating at Wembley Stadium in a semifinal, as lots watching again dwelling within the States rejoiced for the 26-year-old.
Regardless that Coventry have been unable to get previous United within the shootout, his late heroics sparked the query: Who precisely is Wright, the Sky Blues’ striker that gave his facet an opportunity on the finish of regulation?
All of it started again in January 2016 when Wright joined the historic Schalke 04 academy. Wright rapidly proved himself within the U-19 setup, bagging 15 objectives in 30 appearances to earn a mortgage transfer out to Sandhausen, who now play within the third tier of German soccer.
After one aim scored in 15 appearances on mortgage, Wright returned to Schalke for the 2018/19 season — when Schalke have been nonetheless within the Bundesliga — to attain one aim in seven appearances. That season would find yourself being Wright’s final on the VELTINS-Enviornment, as he departed the membership on a free switch the next summer season.
Wright then opted to signal for Dutch facet VVV-Venlo on a free switch from Schalke, the place he struggled to seek out his footing within the Eredivisie.
In only one season within the Netherlands, Wright managed only one aim in 23 appearances earlier than departing for the Danish high flight.
Wright remained in Europe however selected to signal for Danish facet Sonderjyske in August 2020. That is when Wright’s profession actually began to select up, as he notched 13 objectives over the course of the 2020/21 season earlier than going out on mortgage to Antalyaspor within the Turkish Tremendous League. Wright continued to seek out the again of the web, amassing 15 objectives in 35 appearances for Antalyaspor within the 2021/22 season.
His stellar play in his first season in Turkey noticed Antalyaspor convey him again to the membership on a everlasting foundation in the summertime of 2022. Antalyaspor and Sonderjyske agreed to a price simply north of $2m, and Wright went on to to bag one other 16 objectives within the Turkish Tremendous League earlier than departing for the EFL Championship final August.
Wright’s wonderful generated loads of curiosity from golf equipment in Europe, however it was Coventry who have been capable of land the USMNT determine. The Sky Blues shelled out roughly $9.5m to signal Wright, and his switch simply could have gone below the radar as probably the greatest bits of enterprise executed by a Championship membership final summer season.
As Wright grew to become Coventy’s second-most costly participant in membership historical past, he was anticipated to be one of many league’s finest strikers — and he is executed precisely that. Wright has totaled 18 objectives — his most ever in a singel season — in 46 appearances since becoming a member of final summer season. His 15 league objectives are the seventh-most within the Championship, and he’ll look to copy that quantity subsequent time period to extend Coventry’s possibilities of promotion to the Premier League.
