Former England youth international Chuba Akpom hopes his loan move to French club Lille from Ajax can help fulfil his international ambitions with Nigeria.
The 29-year-old striker, who committed to Nigeria in 2019, is eligible to play for the Super Eagles as he holds dual-nationality and has not represented England at senior level.
“There are some top players for Nigeria across Europe and a good bit of recognition in the French league,” he told Oluwashina Okeleji.
“Hopefully I play well at this club and some recognition comes. Importantly, I need to perform with great consistency and maybe get rewarded for it.”
He joined the 2021 French champions on loan from Ajax until the end of the season, without an option of outright purchase.
London-born Akpom scored 18 goals in 41 youth caps for England from under-16 to under-21 level.
But in March 2017, the ex-Arsenal youth player trained with the Nigeria senior side at Barnet alongside Alex Iwobi, then Chelsea defender Ola Aina and former QPR midfielder Eberechi Eze.
And six years after signing the documents to change international allegiances to the country of his parents, Akpom is still hoping for a first senior call-up that would see him line up with his life-long friend Iwobi for the West African country.
Expressing frustration over not being called up earlier, he remains hopeful for the future, citing new coach Eric Chelle’s merit-based selection policy.
“With all sense of humility, I deserve to have been called up a long time ago,” said Akpom.
“I was just speaking to Victor Osimhen [after his last game for Ajax against Galatasaray] about it, but, you know, there’s a lot of good strikers, I guess, in the team, but I think, like moving forward, the national team should always be picked on merit.
“Victor just spoke to me about the new coach[Eric Chelle], and he said he had a conversation with him and he has that mentality that if you’re not performing in training, not playing good at your team then you’re not going to play.
“So, I’m always open to it in the future. You know, if I’m selected, it will be an honour.”
Loan man to main man
Akpom joined Arsenal at the age of six and spent time on loan with Brentford, Coventry, Nottingham Forest, Hull and Brighton, but failed to break into the Gunners’ first team.
A final loan spell at Belgian side Sint-Truiden resulted in six goals in 16 games and after six different clubs over five seasons.
The academy graduate managed just 12 appearances for his boyhood club before heading out to Greece on a permanent deal in August 2018.
He provided six goals and four assists as PAOK went unbeaten to seal the 2018/19 Greek title as well as the only goal in the FA Cup win against AEK Athens to complete a dream double.
In the summer of 2020, he joined Championship club Middlesbrough and after a tough start, he produced the most prolific season of his career in the 2022/2023 scoring 29 goals in 42 games, claiming the best player and top scorer awards in the Championship.
His outstanding season at Boro led to a move to Dutch giants and four-time European champions Ajax, where he had a convincing 2023/2024, scoring 15 goals in 36 games.
After struggling for regular football this season, scoring eight goals, including four in the Europa League, Akpom is refusing to give up hope of a place in the Nigerian team.
Akpom emphasises the significance of representing Nigeria, noting the support from his family and acknowledges the competition among Super Eagles strikers but remains confident in his abilities.
“I’m a Nigerian boy, an igbo boy and I’m proud to be Nigerian. If I was to put a Nigerian shirt on, I would give 110% so I look forward to it, maybe in the future. I’ll work hard and hopefully something can happen,” he explained.
“My uncles, my aunties, my mom, my dad, they would love it. It would be special for my family.
“I know there’s plenty of good strikers, but I know I’m more than capable of doing a job for the team.”
By Oluwashina Okeleji
