Transfer: Lens, Middlesbrough Reach Agreement For Nigerian Midfielder

By Daniel Ojukwu

Ligue 1 club, RC Lens have reached an agreement with Middlesbrough for the transfer of Chuba Akpom.

According to French news outlet, L’equipe, Lens will pay €11m plus €2m add-ons for the the Nigerian-born forward.

Akpom is expected to sign a four-year contract.

The 27-year-old has one-year remaining on his contract with Middlesbrough.

The striker was the top scorer in the Sky Bet Championship last season with 28 goals.

The former Arsenal star was also named Championship Player of the Season.

Akpom is yet to make an appearance for Boro this season due to injury.

Akpom was an unused substitutes as Boro lost 1-0 on the opening day of the English Championship season at the Riverside.

The former PAOK striker did not feature during Boro’s pre-season programme, with injuries restricting his ability to train last month.

 Recall that last month that number of Premier League clubs,  including Crystal Palace, Fulham and Everton, have shown interest in the 27-year-old striker.

Akpom began his career at Arsenal, making his senior debut in 2013. Whilst at Arsenal, he had loan periods with English clubs Brentfor, Coventry City, Nottingham Forest, Hull City, Brighton and Belgian club Sint-Truiden.

In 2018, he signed for Greek club PAOK for an undisclosed fee. After a successful spell at PAOK, he moved to Middlesbrough in 2020. In 2021, he returned to PAOK on loan. He is considered a club icon at PAOK, being a vital part in the double-winning squad of 2018–19, scoring crucial goals, including the only goal in the 2019 Greek Cup Final.

Born in London to Nigerian parents, Akpom is a dual citizen of the United Kingdom and Nigeria. He has represented England at youth and under-21 international levels and in 2019, he announced he switched his international allegiance to represent Nigeria for future games.

Akpom joined Arsenal at the age of six and made his debut for the Arsenal U18side at the age of 15. He signed his first professional contract with Arsenal on 10 October 2012, a day after turning 17. In December 2012, Akpom received his first call into the Arsenal senior squad, when he was an unused substitute for a 2–1 Champions League defeat to Olympiakos. He made 20 U21 Premier League appearances during the 2012–13 season and scored 13 goals, including 10 goals in 10 games in the Elite Group stage.

In the lead-up to the 2013–14 season, Akpom was selected for Arsenal’s pre-season tour of Asia and scored once in a 7–0 win against an Indonesia Dream Team, two more in a 7–1 win against Vietnam and another in Arsenal’s final game of the tour against Urawa Red Diamonds. Akpom made his competitive debut in a 3–1 Premier League win over Sunderland on 14 September 2013. 

He came on in the third minute of injury time as a substitute for the injured Olivier Giroud. Akpom’s second Arsenal appearance came in a League Cup third round tie away to West Bromwich Albion on 25 September. He replaced goal scorer Thomas Eisfeld after 82 minutes and with the scores at 1–1 at full-time, the game entered extra time. Akpom played the full scoreless extra time period and scored Arsenal’s third penalty in the ensuing shootout, helping Arsenal to a win.

 He scored three goals in four UEFA Youth League appearances towards the end of 2013. Akpom scored a hat trick in a 6–1 FA Youth Cup fourth round demolition of Peterborough United on 6 January 2014.