Caleb Kporha

Featuring in Channel 4's Football Dreams: The Academy, Caleb Kporha's progression at the club has been well documented.

Kporha had trials at Tottenham Hotspur and Palace, before ultimately joining the club at Under-16s level back in 2021.

He earned his scholarship in July 2022 and went from strength to strength, playing in a number of positions including full-back, central midfield and on the wing for Rob Quinn's Under-18s.

He scored his first goal for the U18s in a 2-2 draw against Fulham in October 2022. His strong start to the campaign in 22/23 saw him play up in the Under-21s squad in January 2023, making his first start and keeping a clean sheet against Liverpool.

The youngster made 22 appearances in total for the U18s and U21s in 22/23, scoring three times.

After a successful year as a scholar, Kporha earned his first professional contract in July 2023 to commit his future to the club. He later featured for the Under-21s in their pre-season tour of the United States ahead of the 2023/24 season.

Kporha only made a single appearance for the U18s in 23/24, unfortunately due to injury. The youngster would overcome his injury and returned in the pre-season ahead of 2024/25.

In his first five appearances for Darren Powell's Under-21s side in 24/25, Kporha registered a goal and three assists to his name. His performances earned him a place on the first-team bench, for the very first time in his career, against Liverpool in October 2024.

Kporha made his debut for the first-team in November 2024, coming on against Fulham at Selhurst Park.

A first start would follow just over a month later with Kporha named in Oliver Glasner's team to face Arsenal in the Carabao Cup quarter-final at the Emirates Stadium.

He was a part of the first-team side which travelled to Marbella for a mid-season friendly against HamKam in March 2025.

In the same month, he earned a call-up to England Under-19s for the first time ahead of their UEFA European U19 Championship Qualifiers against Wales, Türkiye and Portugal.

The defender kept a clean sheet in his first appearance for England U19s against Türkiye, helping on their way to secure qualification to the finals.

He finished the domestic campaign with 16 U21 appearances, scoring three goals and providing six assists, while also making four appearances for the first team and ending a memorable season with an FA Cup winners’ medal.

Kporha’s 2025/26 campaign was frustratingly disrupted by injury, limiting his involvement across the season. He returned to action around the turn of the year, making his first start in a 2-1 Premier League 2 defeat at Ipswich Town before later appearing from the bench against Middlesbrough as he continued to build up his fitness.

Now fully back in the fold, Kporha has made the right wing-back position his own for the U21s in 2026/27. He has already found the net this term, producing an eye-catching finish against Swindon in the EFL Trophy after wriggling through a crowd of red shirts before finding the far corner.