Oluwasemilogo Adesewo Ibidapo Ajayi

Semi Ajayi is a 32-year-old Nigerian centre back currently playing for Hull City in the EFL Championship. A physically imposing defender with considerable experience at this level, Ajayi has established himself as a regular presence in Hull's backline during the 2025/26 season, making 18 appearances and logging over 1,350 minutes of Championship football.

His season stats tell a measured story. Ajayi carries an average match rating of 6.85 across his appearances, contributing one goal and one assist, which reflects his occasional threat from set pieces as well as his primary defensive duties. His recent form has been inconsistent, however. A 5.87 rating in a 3-1 home defeat to Millwall was followed by a limited substitute appearance against Wrexham, and Hull then conceded three without reply at West Brom. The most recent outing, a 2-1 loss at Sheffield United on 11 April, saw him complete the full 90 minutes with a rating of 6.61, suggesting he remains in the starting XI despite Hull's difficult run of results.

Hull have struggled defensively across this recent sequence, conceding nine goals in four matches where Ajayi featured, which points to collective rather than individual issues in their shape and organisation. As a senior figure in the squad, Ajayi carries responsibility for marshalling those around him, and the current defensive record will be an area the coaching staff are working to address. His Championship experience, which includes a title win at this level, makes him a key voice in the dressing room even when results are going against the side. SportSignals' AI analysis engine has flagged Hull's recent matches as high-scoring affairs, with the defensive structure drawing particular scrutiny.

In Hull's next fixture, it will be worth monitoring whether Ajayi can help the side return to a more compact defensive shape, particularly in how he manages aerial duels and his positioning when Hull are pressed high up the pitch. His ability to recover his individual ratings after difficult spells has been a feature of his career, and how he responds in the coming weeks will be a useful indicator of Hull's defensive resilience as the season reaches its final stages.