Gabriel Otegbayo

Gabriel Algirdas Babatunde Otegbayo is an Irish professional footballer who plays as a centre-back for Sheffield Wednesday.

Born in Cork, Otegbayo spent time in Burnley’s youth system before joining Wednesday on trial during the 2023/24 season. After impressing for the Owls’ Under-21 side, he signed his first professional contract with the club on 1 March 2024.

His consistent performances for the development squad earned him an extended contract at the end of that campaign, allowing him to continue his progression at Hillsborough.

Otegbayo made his senior debut on 14 August 2024, coming off the bench during Wednesday’s 2–1 EFL Cup victory over Hull City. His first senior start followed in the next round of the competition as the Owls defeated Blackpool 1–0.

The defender made his Championship debut against Norwich City on 5 November 2024, replacing Dominic Iorfa during a 2–0 victory at Hillsborough.

Otegbayo signed a further contract with Sheffield Wednesday in February 2025 and became increasingly involved with the first-team squad. His development was also recognised at international level when he received his first Republic of Ireland Under-21 call-up in November 2024.

He made his Ireland Under-21 debut against Hungary in March 2025 and remained part of the international squad throughout the following campaign.

During the 2025/26 season, Otegbayo established himself as a regular in Wednesday’s senior defence. He scored his first senior goal for the Owls against Charlton Athletic in April 2026, earning his side a 1–1 draw at Hillsborough.