Aaron William Cresswell (born 15 December 1989) is an English professional footballer who plays as a left-back for club Stoke City.
Cresswell made his first-team debut for Tranmere Rovers in 2008 and made 70 league appearances for the club before signing for Ipswich Town in 2011, following a tribunal to agree the value of the transfer. He made 138 appearances for Ipswich scoring six goals, before joining West Ham United in July 2014 staying until 2025 when he joined Stoke City.
He made his international debut for England in November 2016 in a friendly against Spain at Wembley Stadium.
Cresswell was born in Halewood, Liverpool and attended Halewood Academy.
Cresswell started his career with Liverpool, working his way through the academy before being released at the age of 15. Following his release from Liverpool he joined the Tranmere Rovers youth system before signing his first professional contract in July 2008. He made his first-team debut on 1 November 2008 in a League One match with Milton Keynes Dons which ended in a 1âÂÂ0 loss.
Although he was offered a new contract by the club at the end of the 2010âÂÂ11 season, Tranmere manager Les Parry expected Cresswell to turn down the contract offer saying "Aaron has got four or five Championship clubs trying to sign him; if I had to guess I would say Aaron might be leaving us this summer."
In June 2011, the media reported that Ipswich Town had won the race to sign the player beating the likes of West Brom and Doncaster Rovers for his signature, although the clubs had failed to agree a fee and resolution of this was expected to go to a transfer tribunal. A three-year contract was later announced to have been signed. He made his debut for the club on 6 August 2011, starting in a 0âÂÂ3 away win over Bristol City at Ashton Gate. He scored his first goal for the club on 17 March, netting a late winner in a 3âÂÂ2 home win over Peterborough United at Portman Road. He made 46 appearances in all competitions during his first season at Portman Road, scoring once. He won the club's Player of the Year award for the 2011âÂÂ12 season.
In the summer of 2012, fine performances for Ipswich Town, led to Cresswell being linked with Premier League clubs such as Aston Villa.
He continued to keep his place as a first team regular during the 2012âÂÂ13 season. He scored his first goal of the season in a 3âÂÂ1 win over Bristol Rovers in a League Cup first round tie. He made 49 appearances over the course of the season, scoring 4 goals. He also won the club's goal of the season award for his strike in a 3âÂÂ0 win over Crystal Palace on 16 April.
He scored his first goal of the 2013âÂÂ14 season on 17 September, scoring the winning goal in a 2âÂÂ1 win over Yeovil Town. He made 43 appearances during the season, scoring 2 goals and earning a place in the PFA Championship Team of the Year.
On 3 July 2014, Cresswell joined West Ham United on a five-year contract for an undisclosed fee believed to be in the region of ã3.75 million, plus add on clauses. He made his West Ham debut on 16 August 2014 in a 1âÂÂ0 home defeat to Tottenham Hotspur. On 29 November he scored his first goal for the club, in the 1âÂÂ0 victory over Newcastle United at the Boleyn Ground. In May 2015, Cresswell was named Hammer of the Year and Player's Player of the Year. Cresswell played all 38 league matches and all four FA Cup matches for West Ham in 2014âÂÂ15. In June 2015, Cresswell signed a new contract which would keep him with West Ham until 2020, with the option for a further two years.
Cresswell made the highest number of appearances of any West Ham player in 2015âÂÂ16, playing in 47 matches. He featured in 37 of the possible 38 Premier League matches scoring two goals, away to Aston Villa on 26 December, and at eventual champions Leicester City in a 2âÂÂ2 draw on 17 April.
In July 2016, Cresswell was injured in a 3âÂÂ0 pre-season victory over Karlsruher SC. Suffering a knee-ligament injury, Cresswell was initially expected to be out of action for four months. Cresswell recovered in time to make his return in West Ham's 1âÂÂ0 victory away at Crystal Palace on 15 October, assisting Manuel Lanzini for the winning goal, however his comeback was cut short after he was sent-off for two yellow cards within a minute.
In September 2019, Cresswell scored a 25-yard free kick against Manchester United to seal a 2âÂÂ0 victory. Less than a week later Cresswell scored the final goal in a 2âÂÂ2 draw against AFC Bournemouth. He scored in consecutive league appearances for the first time in his professional career. In October 2019 he signed a new contract until 2023 with West Ham. In November 2019, he scored a late winner against Chelsea, to seal West Ham a 1âÂÂ0 away victory.
On 11 December 2020, Cresswell made his 200th Premier League appearance for the club in a 2âÂÂ1 away win against Leeds United, during which he recorded an assist for Angelo Ogbonna's winning header. On 21 March 2021, in a 3âÂÂ3 draw with Arsenal, Cresswell recorded his 217th Premier League appearance, becoming West Ham's second highest Premier League appearance maker, behind club captain Mark Noble. Cresswell recorded a total of eight assists for West Ham during the 2020âÂÂ21 season, one more than right-back VladimÃÂr Coufal. The duo recorded the most assists for a full-back pairing during the 2020âÂÂ21 Premier League season.
On 8 April 2022, during West Ham's UEFA Europa League match against Lyon, Cresswell was sent off for his challenge on Moussa Dembélé just before half-time. Referee Felix Zwayer's decision to send Cresswell off was criticised online, with West Ham fans and manager David Moyes convinced that Dembélé had dived. Less than a month later, Cresswell was sent off once again in West Ham's semi-final match against Eintracht Frankfurt, after bringing down Jens Petter Hauge. He was originally given a yellow card which was upgraded to a red upon review. The team went on to lose 1âÂÂ0 (3âÂÂ1 on aggregate) to Frankfurt.
On 7 June 2023, Cresswell was part of the squad in the 2023 UEFA Europa Conference League final, against Fiorentina in Prague. West Ham won their first trophy in 43 years with a 2âÂÂ1 victory. With his contract due to finish at the end of the 2023âÂÂ24 season, in April 2024 Cresswell rejected the offer by West Ham of a oneâÂÂyear contract extension. However, on 5 June, he extended his contract for another year.
On 9 May 2025, after an 11-year stay with the club, it was announced that Cresswell would leave West Ham at the end of the 2024âÂÂ25 season.
In July 2025, Cresswell joined Championship team, Stoke City signing a oneâÂÂyear contract.
On 7 November 2016, Cresswell received his first international call-up to the England squad for the 2018 FIFA World Cup qualifier with Scotland and a friendly with Spain, following Danny Drinkwater's withdrawal from the squad due to injury. He made his debut on 15 November, replacing Danny Rose in a 2âÂÂ2 draw with Spain at Wembley Stadium.
Source:
West Ham United
Individual