Abdulmalik Justin Owolabi-Belewu

Owolabi-Belewu's route to Chesterfield began far from English football. Born in London, he moved to Canada at 13 and started out with Junior Red Spartans and Whitecaps London SC in London, Ontario, switching from striker to defender after joining the Toronto FC Academy. That academy spell brought trials at a string of European clubs, including Chelsea, Crystal Palace, Sunderland, AS Roma, Hertha Berlin, Anderlecht and OGC Nice, though the Chelsea trial fell through when pandemic travel restrictions ruled it out.

He signed with Serie B side SPAL in 2020, training with their under-19 side and making the bench for two cup matches without adding a senior appearance. The move that shaped his career came in 2022, when he joined Canadian Premier League club Forge FC. He was a key part of the Forge FC squad that won the Canadian Premier League titles in 2022 and 2023, interrupted only by a brief loan at Sigma FC in League1 Ontario in 2024, where he made a single appearance.

Chesterfield agreed a fee of around $200,000 CAD, plus a sell-on clause for Forge FC, to sign him in August 2025. The transfer took effect on 1 January 2026 once his Forge FC contract expired, and he has signed with Chesterfield until June 2028, taking the number 2 shirt.

Owolabi-Belewu holds Canadian citizenship and is also eligible for Nigeria through his parents. He has committed to representing Nigeria at international level, though he has not yet won a senior cap for any country.