*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 19 October 2024 (UTC) ‡ National team caps and goals, correct as of 6 September 2020
Ayotomiwa Sherif "Tom" Dele-Bashiru (born 17 September 1999) is a professional footballer who plays as a midfielder for EFL Championship club Watford.[4] Born in England, Dele-Bashiru represents Nigeria internationally.
Club career
Dele-Bashiru made his professional debut on 19 December 2017 in the EFL Cup against Leicester City, replacing Phil Foden in the 91st minute and playing in extra time.[5]
On 24 July 2019, Dele-Bashiru joined Watford on a six-year deal after his contract with Manchester City expired.[6] He made his Watford debut and scored the opening goal in a 3–3 draw against Tranmere Rovers in the FA Cup third round.[7]
On his first league start, Dele-Bashiru came off injured in the first-half against Reading on 3 October 2020. It was confirmed that he would undergo surgery for an anterior cruciate ligament injury and would be out for around six months.[8]
After returning to training and representing the Hornets during the pre-season in Summer 2021, Dele-Bashiru joined Reading on a season-long loan, in order to get more playing time and fully restore his fitness.[4] He scored his first goals for Reading when he scored twice against Peterborough United on 14 September 2021 in a 3-1 win.[9]