Nigel Cello Lonwijk (born 27 October 2002) is a Dutch professional footballer who plays as a defender for League One side Wycombe Wanderers, on loan from Premier League club Wolverhampton Wanderers.
Personal information | |||
---|---|---|---|
Full name | Nigel Cello Lonwijk[1] | ||
Date of birth | 27 October 2002 | ||
Place of birth | Goirle, Netherlands | ||
Height | 1.95 m (6 ft 5 in)[2] | ||
Position(s) | Defender | ||
Team information | |||
Current team |
Wycombe Wanderers (on loan from Wolverhampton Wanderers) | ||
Number | 22 | ||
Youth career | |||
–2020 | PSV Eindhoven | ||
2020–2021 | Wolverhampton Wanderers | ||
Senior career* | |||
Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
2021– | Wolverhampton Wanderers | 0 | (0) |
2021–2022 | → Fortuna Sittard (loan) | 22 | (1) |
2022–2023 | → Plymouth Argyle (loan) | 35 | (0) |
2023 | → Grasshopper (loan) | 1 | (0) |
2024– | → Wycombe Wanderers (loan) | 6 | (1) |
International career‡ | |||
2018 | Netherlands U16 | 1 | (0) |
*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 19 December 2022 ‡ National team caps and goals, correct as of 22:38, 15 September 2021 (UTC) |
After playing youth football for PSV Eindhoven, Lonwijk signed for Premier League club Wolverhampton Wanderers in January 2020, initially joining their under-18 side.[3] Lonwijk joined the club's under-23 team for the 2020–21 season and appeared on the first-team bench four times, but failed to make his debut.[4][5] On 31 August 2021, Lonwijk signed a new contract with the club, lasting until summer 2023 with the option for an additional year, and also joined Eredivisie club Fortuna Sittard on loan.[6] He made his debut for the club on 12 September 2021 as a substitute in a 3–1 Eredivisie defeat to Sparta Rotterdam.[4]
On 29 July 2022, Lonwijk signed for EFL League One club Plymouth Argyle on loan for the 2022–23 season.[7]
Following a successful spell with Plymouth, which saw them become champions of League One, he went on another loan, this time to Grasshopper Club Zürich in Switzerland,[8] where he was joined by fellow Wolves loanee Theo Corbeanu in the Swiss Super League. However, he suffered a hamstring injury during pre-season preparation,[9] which sidelined him until October.[10] He finally made his debut on 28 October 2023 in a 1–3 away defeat to FC St. Gallen, playing the entire second half at right-back, during which he once again injured his hamstring.[11] This injury caused his loan to be cut short on 16 November 2023.[12] Nevertheless, on 1 February 2024 Lonwijk joined Wycombe Wanderers on loan for the remainder of the season.[13]
Lonwijk was born in the Netherlands to a Surinamese father and Dutch mother.[14] He has represented the Netherlands at under-16 level.[15]
Lonwijk is right-footed and plays as a centre-back.[3] In January 2020, Wolves' head of academy Scott Sellars stated Lonwijk is "very good physically, a good defender one-on-one, and has strong technical ability".[3]
Born in Goirle,[16] Lonwijk grew up in Tilburg.[17] He is the younger brother of Surinamese international Justin Lonwijk, who plays for Dutch club Fortuna Sittard, whilst his younger sister Jayden plays tennis.[18][17][19]
Plymouth Argyle
Wycombe Wanderers