4. Chuba Akpom
Chuba Amechi Williams Akpom (born 9 October 1995) is an English professional footballer who plays as a striker for Arsenal FC, currently on loan at Hull City. Akpom was born in Canning Town, London to Nigerian parents.
Chuba plays as an attacking midfielder or as a winger.
Akpom joined Arsenal at the age of six. He made his debut for the Arsenal U18 side at the age of 15, and signed his first professional contract with Arsenal on 10 October 2012, a day after turning 17. Akpom made his competitive debut in a 3–1 Premier League win over Sunderland on 14 September 2013 as he came on in the third minute of injury time as a substitute for the injured Olivier Giroud.
In order to gain valuable match experience under his belt, he was loaned to Brentford and Coventry City. Down the years, he was loaned out again to Nottingham Forest and Hull City, helping the Tigers in the Championship in which they eventually secured top flight football via the Football League Championship play-offs 2015/16 for the Premier League 2016/17 season. In his season long loan move to Hull City, Chuba played 35 matches for the Tigers, scoring 3 times in the process.
Akpom has represented England at various youth international levels. He is still eligible to ply his trade internationally for Nigeria because of his parental roots.
Bearing in mind that this was Chuba’s first full season at the age of 20, his future can only get better. Nigeria had better grab him as soon as possible.
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