Arsenal’s academy output saw his goalscoring talent rediscovered and he returned to the transfer plans of some of England’s elite clubs.
Ajax Amsterdam striker Kububa Akpom could be closing in on an immediate return to England this winter, Soccernet.ng reports.
Akpom left Middlesbrough in the summer and signed for Ajax for around €13 million.
However, the former PAOK Saloniki had difficulty settling in Amsterdam and was often left out of Ajax’s squad by former coach Maurice Stein.
And just when Akpom was about to fail, Ajax brought in John Van’t Schip as the club’s new head coach and since then Akpom has reached new heights.
The former Arsenal player has scored five goals in his last five games, with Ajax winning three of the four games in which the 28-year-old striker has scored.
Akpom’s resurgence has also attracted attention in England, where he remains popular after scoring a Championship-high 28 goals for Middlesbrough last season.
And, according to Teamtalk and Voetbal4u, six English Premier League clubs are interested in moving Akpom from Ajax when the January transfer window opens.
Fulham, Crystal Palace, Burnley, Luton Town, Sheffield United and Everton are all set to come to the negotiating table with Ajax for the former England youth international.
The report also states that many interested parties would like to sign Akpom on loan and that the Nigerian has the option of returning to the Premier League.
Akpom made four Premier League appearances for Arsenal without scoring before leaving the club permanently in 2018.
Akpom would like to return to England but will play for Nigeria at the 2023 African Cup of Nations in January.
Although Akpom plays for the England Under-21 team, he is still eligible to play for Nigeria and has already expressed his desire to join the Super Eagles.
However, Nigeria have some exciting options in attack, including Napoli’s Victor Osimhen and Nottingham Forest’s Taiwo Awoniyi.
However, Awoniyi has an injury that could keep him sidelined for another two months, so he may miss the tournament.
The absence of former Liverpool players could pave the way for players like Akpom to join Africa’s premier championship.