{{short description|Ivorian footballer (born 1997)}} {{BLP sources|date=January 2019}} {{Use dmy dates|date=September 2023}} {{Infobox football biography | name = Vakoun Issouf Bayo | image = Vakoun Bayo (2020-09-14) 2 (cropped).jpg | caption = Bayo with Toulouse in 2020 | full_name = Vakoun Issouf Bayo | birth_date = {{Birth date and age|1997|1|10|df=y}} | birth_place = [[Daloa]], Ivory Coast | height = 1.84 m | position = [[Forward (association football)|Forward]] | currentclub = [[Udinese Calcio|Udinese]] | clubnumber = 15 | youthyears1 = | youthclubs1 = [[Stade d'Abidjan]] | years1 = 2015–2017 | clubs1 = [[Étoile Sportive du Sahel|Étoile du Sahel]] | caps1 = 11 | goals1 = 0 | years2 = 2018–2019 | clubs2 = [[FC DAC 1904 Dunajská Streda|Dunajská Streda]] | caps2 = 25 | goals2 = 14 | years3 = 2019–2021 | clubs3 = [[Celtic F.C.|Celtic]] | caps3 = 9 | goals3 = 0 | years4 = 2020–2021 | clubs4 = → [[Toulouse F.C.|Toulouse]] (loan) | caps4 = 31 | goals4 = 10 | years5 = 2021–2022 | clubs5 = [[K.A.A. Gent|Gent]] | caps5 = 3 | goals5 = 0 | years6 = 2022 | clubs6 = → [[R. Charleroi S.C.|Charleroi]] (loan) | caps6 = 16 | goals6 = 11 | years7 = 2022 | clubs7 = [[R. Charleroi S.C.|Charleroi]] | caps7 = 0 | goals7 = 0 | years8 = 2022–2024 | clubs8 = [[Watford F.C.|Watford]] | caps8 = 63 | goals8 = 10 | years9 = 2023 | clubs9 = → [[R. Charleroi S.C.|Charleroi]] (loan) | caps9 = 10 | goals9 = 3 | years10 = 2024– | clubs10 = [[Udinese Calcio|Udinese]] | caps10 = 15 | goals10 = 0 | years11 = 2024–2025 | clubs11 = → [[Watford F.C.|Watford]] (loan) | caps11 = 41 | goals11 = 10 | nationalyears1 = 2015 | nationalteam1 = [[Ivory Coast national under-23 football team|Ivory Coast U23]] | nationalcaps1 = 4 | nationalgoals1 = 1 | nationalyears2 = 2018– | nationalteam2 = [[Ivory Coast national football team|Ivory Coast]] | nationalcaps2 = 9 | nationalgoals2 = 3 | club-update = 25 May 2026 | nationalteam-update = 18:39, 23 November 2025 (UTC) }}
'''Vakoun Issouf Bayo''' (born 10 January 1997) is an Ivorian professional [[association football|footballer]] who plays as a [[forward (association football)|forward]] for Italian {{Italian football updater|Udinese}} club [[Udinese Calcio|Udinese]] and the [[Ivory Coast national football team|Ivory Coast national team]]. He is nicknamed ''The Crow''.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.espn.com/soccer/story/3941238/europe-w2w4-galatasarays-loss-of-dagne-to-be-club-brugges-gain|title=Europe W2W4: Galatasaray's loss of Dagne to be Club Brugge's gain?|publisher=ESPN|date=12 September 2019|access-date=14 August 2020}}</ref>
==Club career== ===Dunajská Streda=== Bayo joined Dunajská Streda in March 2018.<ref>[http://fcdac.sk/sk/spravy/2018/03/13/vakoun-issouf-bayo-posilou-dac-u Vakoun Issouf Bayo posilou DAC-u] 13 March 2018, fcdac.sk</ref> He made his Slovak league debut against [[ŠK Slovan Bratislava|Slovan Bratislava]] on 18 March 2018.<ref>[https://int.soccerway.com/matches/2018/03/18/slovakia/super-liga/k-slovan-bratislava/dac-1904-dunajska-streda/2749861/ SLOVAN BRATISLAVA VS. DAC 2 – 0] 18 March 2018, soccerway.com</ref>
===Celtic=== Bayo moved to [[Scottish Premiership]] club [[Celtic F.C.|Celtic]] in January 2019.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/46802769 |title=Celtic: club sign Ivory Coast striker Vakoun Issouf Bayo on four-year deal |publisher=BBC Sport |date=8 January 2019 |access-date=8 January 2019}}</ref> He was left out of the Celtic squad for the latter stages of the [[2018–19 UEFA Europa League]], with the club only able to register three of their four January window signings.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/47127623 |title=Celtic: No place for Vakoun Issouf Bayo in Europa League squad |publisher=BBC Sport |date=5 February 2019 |access-date=5 February 2019}}</ref> He made his debut for Celtic against [[Kilmarnock F.C.|Kilmarnock]] on 17 February 2019, coming on as a late substitute shortly before [[Scott Brown (footballer, born June 1985)|Scott Brown]] scored a late winner.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/47187938|title=Kilmarnock 0–1 Celtic |publisher=BBC |date=17 February 2019 |access-date=18 July 2019}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/live/football/47202840|title=Scottish Premiership: Reaction after late Brown goal gives Celtic win at Kilmarnock |publisher=BBC |date=17 February 2019 |access-date=18 July 2019}}</ref>
====Toulouse (loan)==== On 12 August 2020, Bayo signed for French club [[Toulouse F.C.|Toulouse]], on a one-year loan, with an additional option to buy.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.heraldscotland.com/sport/18645653.celtics-vakoun-bayo-completes-toulouse-loan-deal-hoops-continue-striker-hunt/|title=Celtic's Vakoun Bayo completes Toulouse loan deal as Hoops continue striker hunt|website=HeraldScotland}}</ref>
===Gent=== On 9 July 2021, Bayo signed for [[Belgian First Division A]] club [[K.A.A. Gent|Gent]] on a four-year deal.<ref> {{cite web|url=https://www.kaagent.be/nl/nieuws/09-07-2021/welcome-vakoun-bayo|title=WELCOME VAKOUN BAYO!|language=Dutch|website=kaagent.be/nl|date=9 July 2021|accessdate=2 July 2022}}</ref>
===Charleroi=== On 22 December 2021, Bayo agreed to join [[R. Charleroi S.C.|Charleroi]] on loan until the end of the season, with an option to buy.<ref>{{cite press release|publisher=[[R. Charleroi S.C.|Charleroi]]|url=https://www.sporting-charleroi.be/news/bienvenue-vakoun/|title=BIENVENUE, VAKOUN !|date=22 December 2021|access-date=9 February 2022|language=fr}}</ref> On 16 May 2022, Charleroi confirmed that they had exercised the option to purchase and had signed Bayo on a contract until 2026 after a successful loan spell that saw him score eleven goals in sixteen matches.<ref> {{cite web|url=https://www.sporting-charleroi.be/news/vakoun-bayo-definitivement-zebre-jusquen-2026/|title=VAKOUN BAYO DÉFINITIVEMENT ZÈBRE JUSQU’EN 2026!|trans-title=VAKOUN BAYO DEFINITELY ZEBRA UNTIL 2026!|website=sporting-charleroi.be|language=French|date=16 May 2022|accessdate=2 July 2022}}</ref>
===Watford=== On 2 July 2022, Bayo joined [[EFL Championship]] club [[Watford F.C.|Watford]] on a five-year deal.<ref> {{cite web|url=https://www.watfordfc.com/news/official-watford-sign-bayo|title=Official: Watford Sign Bayo|website=watfordfc.com|date=2 July 2022|accessdate=2 July 2022}} Also referred to as 'Chippy Bayo' for his clinical chip shot finishes. </ref>
===Charleroi (loan)=== On 30 January 2023, Bayo rejoined [[R. Charleroi S.C.|Charleroi]] on loan until the end of the season.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.watfordfc.com/news/official-bayo-completes-loan-switch|title=Official: Bayo Completes Loan Switch|publisher=Watford FC|date=30 January 2023|access-date=30 January 2023}}</ref>
===Udinese=== On 29 August 2024, Bayo signed a four-season contract with [[Udinese Calcio|Udinese]] in Italy, and was loaned back to Watford for the rest of the 2024–25 season.<ref>{{cite web|publisher=Udinese|url=https://www.udinese.it/news/squadra/bayo-e-un-giocatore-dell-udinese|title=Bayo è un giocatore dell'Udinese|trans-title=Bayo is a player of Udinese|date=29 August 2024|access-date=29 August 2024|language=it}}</ref>
==Career statistics== {{updated|match played 9 February 2026}}<ref>{{soccerbase|id=118213}}</ref><ref name="Soccerway">{{Soccerway|youssouf-bayo/405082}}</ref>
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" |+ Appearances and goals by club, season and competition |- !rowspan="2"|Club !rowspan="2"|Season !colspan="3"|League !colspan="2"|National cup{{efn|Includes appearances in [[Slovak Cup]], [[Scottish Cup]], [[Coupe de France]], [[Belgian Cup]], [[FA Cup]]}} !colspan="2"|League cup{{efn|Includes [[Scottish League Cup]], [[EFL Cup]]}} !colspan="2"|Other !colspan="2"|Total |- !Division!!Apps!!Goals!!Apps!!Goals!!Apps!!Goals!!Apps!!Goals!!Apps!!Goals |- |rowspan="3"|[[Étoile Sportive du Sahel|Étoile du Sahel]] |[[Tunisian Ligue Professionnelle 1|2015-16]] |[[Tunisian Ligue Professionnelle 1|CLP-1]] |2||0||0||0||colspan="2"|–||4{{efn|name=CAFCC|Appearance(s) in [[CAF Confederation Cup]]}}||0||6||0 |- |[[Tunisian Ligue Professionnelle 1|2016–17]] |CLP-1 |9||0||0||0||colspan="2"|–||colspan="2"|–||9||0 |- !colspan="2"|Total !11!!0!!0!!0!!0!!0!!4!!0!!15!!0 |- |rowspan="3"|[[FC DAC 1904 Dunajská Streda|Dunajská Streda]] |[[Slovak Super Liga|2017–18]] |[[Slovak Super Liga]] |9||4||0||0||colspan="2"|–||colspan="2"|–||9||4 |- |[[Slovak Super Liga|2018–19]] |Slovak Super Liga |16||10||3||5||colspan="2"|–||4{{efn|name=UEL|Appearance(s) in [[UEFA Europa League]]}}||3||23||18 |- !colspan="2"|Total !25!!14!!3!!5!!0!!0!!4!!3!!32!!22 |- |rowspan="3"|[[Celtic F.C.|Celtic]] |[[2018–19 Celtic F.C. season|2018–19]] |rowspan="2"|[[Scottish Premiership]] |1||0||0||0||0||0||0||0||1||0 |- |[[2019–20 Celtic F.C. season|2019–20]] |8||0||2||1||1||1||5{{efn|One appearance in [[UEFA Champions League]] and four appearances in [[UEFA Europa League]]}}||0||16||2 |- !colspan="2"|Total !9!!0!!2!!1!!1!!1!!5!!0!!17!!2 |- |[[Toulouse F.C.|Toulouse]] (loan) |[[2020–21 Toulouse FC season|2020–21]] |[[Ligue 2]] |31||10||3||2||0||0||2{{efn|name=L1PO|Appearance(s) in [[Ligue 1 relegation/promotion play-offs]]}}||1||36||13 |- |[[K.A.A. Gent|Gent]] |[[2021–22 K.A.A. Gent season|2021–22]] |[[Belgian First Division A]] |3||0||1||0||colspan="2"|—||3{{efn|name=UECL|Appearance(s) in [[UEFA Europa Conference League]]}}||0||7||0 |- |[[R. Charleroi S.C.|Charleroi]] (loan) |[[2021–22 R. Charleroi S.C. season|2021–22]] |Belgian First Division A |16||11||0||0||colspan="2"|—||colspan="2"|—||16||11 |- |rowspan="3"|[[Watford F.C.|Watford]] |[[2022–23 Watford F.C. season|2022–23]] |[[EFL Championship|Championship]] |24||4||0||0||1||0||colspan="2"|—||25||4 |- |[[2023–24 Watford F.C. season|2023–24]] |Championship |39||6||2||0||1||1||colspan="2"|—||42||7 |- !colspan="2"|Total !63!!10!!2!!0!!2!!1!!colspan="2"|—!!67!!11 |- |Charleroi (loan) |[[2022–23 R. Charleroi S.C. season|2022–23]] |Belgian First Division A |10||3||0||0||colspan="2"|—||colspan="2"|—||10||3 |- | rowspan="2" |[[Udinese Calcio|Udinese]] |[[2024–25 Udinese Calcio season|2024–25]] | rowspan="2" |[[Serie A]] |0||0||0||0||colspan="2"|—||colspan="2"|—||0||0 |- |[[2025–26 Udinese Calcio season|2025–26]] |14 |0 |1 |0 | colspan="2" |— |0 |0 |14 |0 |- |Watford (loan) |[[2024–25 Watford F.C. season|2024–25]] |Championship |41||10||0||0||1||0||colspan="2"|—||42||10 |- ! colspan="3" |Career total !219!!60!!12!!8!!4!!2!!18!!4!!256!!74 |} {{notelist}}
===International=== {{updated|match played 18 November 2025}}
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" |+ Appearances and goals by national team and year |- !National team!!Year!!Apps!!Goals |- |rowspan="4"|[[Ivory Coast national football team|Ivory Coast]] |- |2018||2||0 |- |2024||2||1 |- |2025||5||2 |- !colspan="2"|Total||9||3 |}
:''As of match played 18 November 2025. Ivory Coast score listed first, score column indicates score after each Capradossi goal.''
{| class="wikitable sortable" |+ List of international goals scored by Vakoun Issouf Bayo |- !scope=col|No. !scope=col|Date !scope=col|Venue !scope=col|Opponent !scope=col|Score !scope=col|Result !scope=col|Competition |- |align=center|1||19 November 2024||rowspan=2|[[Felix Houphouet Boigny Stadium]], [[Abidjan]], Ivory Coast||{{fb|CHA}}||rowspan=3 align=center|'''1'''–0||align=center|4–0||[[2025 Africa Cup of Nations qualification Group G|2025 Africa Cup of Nations qualification]] |- |align=center|2||5 September 2025||{{fb|BDI}}||align=center|1–0||[[2026 FIFA World Cup qualification – CAF Group F|2026 FIFA World Cup qualification]] |- |align=center|3||18 November 2025||[[Al-Seeb Stadium]], [[Seeb]], Oman ||{{fb|OMA}} ||align=center| 2–0||[[Exhibition game#International football|Friendly]] |}
==Honours== '''Celtic''' * [[Scottish Premiership]]: [[2019–20 Scottish Premiership|2018–19]], [[2019–20 Scottish Premiership|2019–20]]<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/52646282|title=Celtic champions & Hearts relegated after SPFL ends season|work=BBC Sport|date=18 May 2020|access-date=18 May 2020}}</ref>
==References== {{reflist}}
==External links== * [http://fcdac.sk/sk/hrac/3666/vakoun-issouf-bayo- FC DAC 1904 Dunajská Streda official club profile] * [http://futbalnet.sk/member/1402018/#player Futbalnet profile]
{{Udinese Calcio squad}} {{Ivory Coast squad 2025 Africa Cup of Nations}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Bayo, Vakoun Issouf}} [[Category:1997 births]] [[Category:Living people]] [[Category:People from Daloa]] [[Category:Sportspeople from Sassandra-Marahoué District]] [[Category:Ivorian men's footballers]] [[Category:Men's association football forwards]] [[Category:Ivory Coast men's international footballers]] [[Category:Stade d'Abidjan players]] [[Category:Étoile Sportive du Sahel players]] [[Category:FC DAC 1904 Dunajská Streda players]] [[Category:Celtic F.C. players]] [[Category:Toulouse FC players]] [[Category:KAA Gent players]] [[Category:Royal Charleroi SC players]] [[Category:Watford F.C. players]] [[Category:Udinese Calcio players]] [[Category:Ligue 1 (Ivory Coast) players]] [[Category:Tunisian Ligue Professionnelle 1 players]] [[Category:Slovak First Football League players]] [[Category:Scottish Professional Football League players]] [[Category:Ligue 2 players]] [[Category:Belgian Pro League players]] [[Category:English Football League players]] [[Category:Serie A players]] [[Category:2025 Africa Cup of Nations players]] [[Category:Ivorian expatriate men's footballers]] [[Category:Ivorian expatriate sportspeople in Tunisia]] [[Category:Expatriate men's footballers in Tunisia]] [[Category:Ivorian expatriate sportspeople in Slovakia]] [[Category:Expatriate men's footballers in Slovakia]] [[Category:Ivorian expatriate sportspeople in Scotland]] [[Category:Expatriate men's footballers in Scotland]] [[Category:Ivorian expatriate sportspeople in France]] [[Category:Expatriate men's footballers in France]] [[Category:Ivorian expatriate sportspeople in Belgium]] [[Category:Expatriate men's footballers in Belgium]] [[Category:Ivorian expatriate sportspeople in England]] [[Category:Expatriate men's footballers in England]] [[Category:Ivorian expatriate sportspeople in Italy]] [[Category:Expatriate men's footballers in Italy]] [[Category:21st-century Ivorian sportsmen]]