Lakyle Samuel blocks out death conspiracies to chase senior England call-up

Lakyle Samuel, the 20-year-old Manchester City academy product currently on loan at Exeter City, has opened up about the burden of online conspiracies surrounding his father’s death — and his determination not to let them derail a career that is already attracting attention at international level.

Jlloyd Samuel, the former Aston Villa left-back, died in May 2018 when his Range Rover collided with a van and caught fire. He had dropped his children, including Lakyle, at school just hours before the crash. In the years since, the circumstances of Jlloyd’s later life have attracted persistent speculation: after leaving Bolton Wanderers in 2011, he joined Iranian club Esteghal, reportedly married a second wife — fashion designer Helia Sahimi — and converted to Islam without his family’s knowledge. Sahimi has publicly claimed that Jlloyd is still alive, a view also held by his sister Leslie-Ann.

Lakyle, who represents England at under-20 level and has trained with the senior Three Lions squad, said he chooses to focus on his own memories rather than the noise online. “I just try and block it out,” he said. “It doesn’t have much to do with my life. I’ve had my experiences with him and if other people want to say other stuff, I’m not too bothered. He gave us a really good upbringing. He’s dad, innit?”

The right-back spoke warmly of the influence his father continues to have on him, recalling childhood sessions in the garden and hallway. “He’s influenced me a lot,” Lakyle said. “My mum tells me what he did in the past. I just want to be the best person I can be. They say he was the life of the party, and whenever I meet someone who knew him, they speak really highly of him. I take that on.”

On the pitch, Lakyle has been absorbing advice from those at the top of his position. He credited Kyle Walker with sharpening his defensive technique during his time around the England senior setup. “Kyle Walker was a really good role model,” he said. “He told me some key details on defensive body shape.”

Having already trained with both the Manchester City and England first teams, Lakyle is clear about where he wants his career to go — and equally clear that grief and conspiracy theories will not stand in the way. “I just hope he’s proud,” he said. “I’ve given a lot to get where I am, especially going through that. It’s tough to deal with.”