An in-depth look into Sutton’s newest recruit: Brandon Njoku.

Hailing from London, Brandon Njoku is a versatile forward who can operate across the frontline, and learned his trade after emerging through the youth ranks over in the East of England, with his talent being recognised through a four-year stint Cambridge United.

A product of the Academy of Football, Njoku’s footballing journey actually began at West Ham United, playing predominantly in their Under-16 age group which allowed him to train within a professional Premier League academy environment, gaining exposure to elite coaching, structured youth competitions and advanced technical and tactical training.

However, West Ham primarily represented an early developmental phase in Njoku’s youth career, laying the groundwork for a career that ultimately found consistent playing time and growth through his pathway into the Cambridge Academy, where he would go on to spend much of his adolescence.

After making the switch to the Abbey Stadium, Njoku built his foundation on pace, direct play and a keen eye for goal, establishing his potential with an impressive string of form in the FA Youth Cup during 2022/23, which saw him score in multiple rounds in their run to the Quarter-Final including a late winner in their Fifth Round tie against Sheffield Wednesday.

Amidst his consistent run of games in the youth team though, the U’s also opted to facilitate loan spells in order to benefit his development, and saw him spend time at a number of clubs around non-league. A solid return of four goals in 11 appearances at St. Neots Town helped him adjust to the physical demands and pace of men’s football in what was his first ever senior experience in the Southern League Premier Division Central, including a brace and a Man of the Match display in a seven-game winless run-ending win over Corby Town, and led to Cambridge recalling him mid-season in order to send him to a higher division, making the move to relegation threatened National League South side Cheshunt in January 2023.

Although he featured just once for the Ambers, he scored in that sole appearance – a 3-1 defeat to Dartford – and later remained in the sixth tier with a move to promotion-chasing Braintree Town, where he added a further three National League South appearances at a slightly higher standard of football.

As a result of his rapid development and performances at both senior and academy level, Njoku put pen to paper on his first professional deal at Cambridge in June 2023, before kick-starting the new campaign by appearing for the club in pre-season, scoring in a friendly at St. Albans City.

However, he would once again find himself gaining experience away from the U’s, and led to perhaps the most defining period of his early career during the 2023/24 season with another loan spell in non-league.

A return to the Southern League Premier Division Central saw him move to St. Ives Town, and proved hugely fruitful as Njoku scored 13 goals in 19 appearances, as well as showcasing his ability to find space in behind and finish with composure, with his performances for the Saints earning many plaudits.

Crucially, Njoku gained serious confidence during this loan move and carried it into his return to his parent club, with his form leading to manager Neil Harris recalling him mid-season. He made his senior debut for the U’s on the same day, coming on as a substitute in a defeat to Leyton Orient in League One, before gradually earning more minutes in the first team with two more cameo appearances before the end of the season.

The 20-year old played 19 minutes in a 2-1 win over Fleetwood Town and three minutes in a 1-0 defeat to Peterborough United, before spending the final two months of the season on loan less than two miles away from the Posh, with a stint at Peterborough Sports seeing him score again on his debut – a 2-1 loss against Boston United – and proved to be his only goal in five appearances with the Turbines.

Nonetheless, Njoku had shown flashes of promise, notably his explosiveness, willingness to press and intelligent off-the-ball movement, and he finally made his breakthrough at the Abbey Stadium during the 2024/25 season.

He registered 35 appearances in all competitions last term, scoring his first Cambridge goal in his first one – a thrilling 4-4 draw with Blackpool – and otherwise enjoyed a role that primarily saw him become impactful off the bench, with just nine of his appearances being starts.

His performances largely reflected his role as an energetic, pace-driven forward brought on to influence games late on, and despite a limited goal return, his consistent involvement highlighted the trust instilled in him from the club’s coaching staff – a testament to his talent and attitude.

Njoku ultimately gained valuable experience at the highest level so far in his career, but Cambridge’s relegation at the end of the season led to his release upon the expiry of his contract, bringing an end to his four-year association with the U’s.

He is now set to embark on the next chapter of his career, with a permanent move to Sutton being confirmed ahead of the 2025/26 Enterprise National League season.

Photo Credit: Paul Loughlin