Nightmare start to bold transfer abroad for ambitious ex-Portsmouth, Spurs and England man
The goalkeeper made nine appearances for the Blues
He quit Pompey in January in search of regular football - but life as a first-teamer has got off to an awful start.
To his immense credit, Josh Oluwayemi was prepared to venture to Finland to develop his career after becoming frustrated with his lack of opportunities.
Following nine Blues outings and a successful loan spell at Chelmsford City, the 23-year-old goalkeeper moved to FC Lahti after a mutual agreement to cancel the remaining six months on his Fratton Park deal.
Promised the number one shirt, the Veikkausliiga club have been as good as their word, although things haven’t exactly gone to plan.
Currently 10 matches into the league campaign, Lahti are bottom of the table with just a single win following a dreadful start.
Ex-England youth international Oluwayemi has featured in eight of those matches, conceding 15 times, as they find themselves already rooted to the foot of the 12-team Finnish league.
Indeed, such has been the depth of problems, Lahti have scored just six goals all season and presently have a minus 12 goal difference - the worst in the entire Veikkausliiga.
Certainly it’s not the start Oluwayemi and his new team-mates would have been hoping for after last season surviving another relegation battle.
Still, the ex-Spurs youngster has the regular first-team involvement he craved, with nine appearances in all competitions after his initial introduction was delayed following a broken thumb.
That was sustained while on loan at Chelmsford, with rehabilitation continuing at Fratton Park even after January’s mutually-agreed exit and signing for Lahti.
Oluwayemi arrived at Pompey in the summer of 2022 under Danny Cowley and earned himself a 12-month deal following a successful trial.
He then produced a number of eye-catching displays during their 2022-23 Papa John’s Trophy campaign.
Following Josh Griffiths’ recall by West Brom in January 2023, Oluwayemi was handed a Football League debut under caretaker boss Simon Bassey.
He went on to total four League One appearances by the season’s end, although was forced off against Wycombe in the final match after sustaining concussion in the second half.
Following the arrival of Will Norris and Ryan Schofield in the summer of 2023, the keeper was sent on a six-month loan to National League South Chelmsford, making 24 appearances, before sustaining his thumb injury.
And despite Lahti’s ongoing struggles, at least Oluwayemi can be satisfied with regular first-team football.