%20rotate(-8.06)%22%2F%3E%0A%20%20%3Cpolygon%20class%3D%22cls-1%22%20points%3D%22336.19%20136.81%20330.16%2094.25%20326.06%2071.19%20326.44%2071.13%20335.22%2093.54%20352.29%20134.52%20373.95%20131.46%20362.7%2052.01%20350.02%2053.8%20356.05%2096.36%20360.15%20119.42%20359.77%20119.48%20350.99%2097.08%20333.91%2056.09%20312.25%2059.15%20323.51%20138.6%20336.19%20136.81%22%2F%3E%0A%20%20%3Cpolygon%20class%3D%22cls-1%22%20points%3D%22402.91%2059.3%20412.36%20126.02%20427.17%20123.92%20417.72%2057.21%20431.59%2055.24%20429.79%2042.51%20387.23%2048.53%20389.04%2061.27%20402.91%2059.3%22%2F%3E%0A%20%20%3Cpolygon%20class%3D%22cls-1%22%20points%3D%22463.51%20118.77%20458.69%2084.71%20474.68%2082.44%20479.51%20116.5%20494.36%20114.4%20483.11%2034.95%20468.26%2037.06%20472.96%2070.25%20456.96%2072.52%20452.26%2039.32%20437.4%2041.43%20448.65%20120.88%20463.51%20118.77%22%2F%3E%0A%20%20%3Cpolygon%20class%3D%22cls-1%22%20points%3D%22540.5%20107.87%20538.77%2095.68%20518.91%2098.49%20515.77%2076.29%20535.63%2073.47%20533.93%2061.5%20514.07%2064.32%20511.11%2043.42%20530.98%2040.61%20529.25%2028.42%20494.53%2033.34%20505.78%20112.78%20540.5%20107.87%22%2F%3E%0A%20%20%3Cpolygon%20class%3D%22cls-1%22%20points%3D%22299.03%20155.17%20301.29%20171.58%20542.78%20138.39%20540.5%20121.97%20299.03%20155.17%22%2F%3E%0A%3C%2Fsvg%3E)
Arsenal Letting Chuba Akpom Decide His Own Future
By Josh Sippie
Arsenal was not supposed to be sending Chuba Akpom out on loan, but the kid wanted to play, so they did. As such, Akpom will dictate his own future.
When Chuba Akpom was sent out on loan to start the year, it was a bit of a shock. The young Englishman had impressed in the preseason and Arsene Wenger himself had indicated that he wanted to keep Akpom around. While Wenger has proven that he always gets what he wants, it was not the case this time around. The reason? Because Wenger let Akpom decide where he was going to spend the season.
Related Story: Arsenal's Top 10 Prospects
In an interview with Arsenal magazine, Akpom revealed why he was shipped off to Hull City when it looked to be his year to make an impact at the club he has been at for 13 years.
“After the Emirates Cup the boss spoke to me in his office and he told me he wanted to keep me this season. If I had stayed I would have been involved and made a few cameo appearances but he also wanted me to get as much game time as possible, so he gave me the option. I’m 20 this season and I need to be playing as much as I can, so he told me that Steve Bruce had been enquiring about me and that he wanted me in the squad, so I thought, ‘Why not?’”
More from Pain in the Arsenal
- 3 observations from Arsenal’s victory at Goodison Park
- 3 standout players from 1-0 victory over Everton
- 3 positives & negatives from Goodison Park victory
- Arsenal vs PSV preview: Prediction, team news & lineups
- 3 talking points from Arsenal’s victory at Goodison Park
The loan has been rather lukewarm thus far, with Akpom not scoring consistently. He is continually duking it out for playing time as starter as well. It is all good experience and he is getting much more time than he would be at Arsenal. That much is certain.
The Hull Daily Mail points out that Akpom is at a crucial stage in his career because he is not playing as much as he wants. Therefore it is up to him to “knuckle down” and work his way back into the starting XI.
Don’t worry though, it’s not like the Serge Gnabry loan. Gnabry was given 12 minutes before he was sent to the West Brom reserves. Akpom has been given a right chance by Steve Bruce and he has to prove that he belongs in the side. After all, if he can’t hold down the starting role with the Tigers, what will he do when he comes back to Arsenal?
Akpom is in complete control of his own destiny. It is all there waiting for him on a plate, should he choose to take it. If he can push himself into the Hull City starters then he will have all the confidence in the world to make an impact at Arsenal come the end of the season when he returns home.
More from Arsenal News
- 3 observations from Arsenal’s victory at Goodison Park
- 3 standout players from 1-0 victory over Everton
- 3 positives & negatives from Goodison Park victory
- Arsenal vs PSV preview: Prediction, team news & lineups
- 3 talking points from Arsenal’s victory at Goodison Park
And by the looks of it, Wenger is laying out the red carpet for Akpom. With Le Prof signing no new strikers to accompany Olivier Giroud, that means that if Akpom wants to be a true striker for Arsenal, he can. No questions asked. All he has to do is prove he can do it.
Akpom fell down our top ten prospects list this year because he has been struggling to assert himself. He did make some decent enough cameos to close out last season and his preseason was solid. But at Hull he has been fairly average. Arsenal need to see a lot more out of Akpom.
With Welbeck and Walcott still a wildcard, Akpom faces no other competition until Donyell Malen is ready. That means he could have two, three, even four years to make a name for himself before he hits the prime of his career.
Next: Gedion Zelalem's Roller Coaster Loan Continues
Not many players will find themselves with opportunities like that. Arsenal stardom is waiting for Akpom. All he has to do is work hard enough to grab it. Wenger will give him all the chances he could ever want, so at the end of his career, whether he is looking back as a legend or a ‘what if’, he will have no one to credit/blame but himself.