Hale End talent Arsenal sold for just £2m in 2018 now set for Premier League return

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Former Arsenal academy ace Chuba Akpom could be on the verge of a return to the Premier League.

Chuba Akpom joined the Arsenal Hale End academy system at the age of six. He made his senior debut for the club in 2013, in a Premier League clash against Sunderland.

However, despite having been utterly prolific at academy level, the striker was never able to establish himself in the first team squad at the Emirates Stadium. In total, the forward made 12 first team appearances for the Gunners, across all competitions, without ever finding the back of the net.

After loan stints with Brentford, Coventry City, Nottingham Forest, Hull City, Brighton and Hove Albion, and Belgian side Sint-Truiden, Akpom left Arsenal on a permanent basis in 2018, prior to Mikel Arteta taking charge and having the chance to assess the player himself. He joined Greek outfit PAOK in a deal worth a reported £2 million.

After three seasons in Greece, he returned to England in 2020, joining Middlesbrough in the second tier.

Throughout his career, Akpom had never been especially prolific. He had never hit double figures in terms of goals over the course of a league campaign before. That all changed last season. The 28-year-old suddenly flourished, scoring 28 times in 38 Championship appearances for Middlesbrough. 

His form was so sensational that he earned a move to Ajax. However, the former England under-21 international has struggled to settle in what has been an extremely disjointed Ajax team this season. He has, however, already netted 5 times in the Eredivisie. 

What next for former Arsenal gem Chuba Akpom?

Now, according to TeamTalk, Akpom could be about to be handed a second chance to prove his worth in the Premier League, as Everton and Luton Town are both keen to bring the striker in on loan before the January transfer deadline passes. 

This means that Akpom could be in line for a return to the Emirates Stadium, this time as an opposition player. If Akpom can rediscover the kind of form he showed in his last season at Middlesbrough, this time at Premier League level, Arsenal may find that they come to regret ever letting him go in the first place. 

Akpom may well feel that he has unfinished business, and a point to prove, at the highest level of English football. If he does make a move to the Premier League this month then he will be desperate to finally live up to the promise he showed whilst he was in the Arsenal academy system.