Arsenal's Curious Handling of Chuba Akpom Threatening to Derail Promising Career

The last few days of Arsenal’s transfer window were notable for the departure of several players on loan. The likes of Calum Chambers and Jack Wilshere were afforded the opportunity to move to another club temporarily to seek invaluable game time.

However, there was one player who might have expected to move on but ended up remaining in north London. Somewhat surprisingly, young striker Chuba Akpom was retained at the Emirates Stadium.

With the 20-year-old unlikely to make a major impact on the first team, it’s a decidedly curious decision from manager Arsene Wenger.

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As far back as the start of August there were reports that Akpom would not be allowed to leave on loan. Jeremy Wilson of the Telegraph wrote:

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Chuba Akpom has been told that he will not be loaned out at the start of the new Premier League season and will get a further chance this weekend to stake his claim to lead Arsenal’s attack against Liverpool next Sunday.

Arsenal are still trying to add a striker but, with bids turned down already this summer for Jamie Vardy and Alexandre Lacazette, Arsene Wenger has told Akpom to stay for now and try to take his chance.

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At the time that made some sense. Arsenal were set to begin the Premier League campaign without Olivier Giroud, who was still recovering from his extended run with France in this summer’s European Championship. What’s more, they had yet to make a significant attacking signing.

However, by the time the transfer deadline came around, Giroud was once again fit and available for selection. What’s more, Wenger had completed the purchase of Spanish striker Lucas Perez. There was seemingly no great need for Akpom in the squad.

In fact, there are even more contenders for the central striking role to consider. Alexis Sanchez played Arsenal’s first three fixtures as a centre-forward, and by the time they faced Watford in their third game the Chilean had begun to acclimatise to the position.

There’s also Theo Walcott—although he has started the season on the right flank, Wenger insists he remains an option through the middle. Per Football 365, the Frenchman said: “It is an important season for Theo, because last year he had a difficult period … He can play as a striker and his numbers are excellent when he plays up front.”

Although Wenger’s definition of “excellent” is seemingly somewhat loose, what’s clear is that Arsenal now have a wide variety of attacking options to consider, all of whom have greater experience and quality than Akpom. If the window of opportunity appeared to be creeping open a month ago, it has now firmly slammed shut.

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Nevertheless, Wenger is a big believer in Akpom’s potential. For the last few years he has been significantly involved in Arsenal’s pre-season preparations.

In July 2015, after the young striker bagged a hat-trick in a 4-0 win over a Singapore XI, Wenger spoke in glowing terms about the player, per Sky Sports:

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I know he has potential, he has an aggressive desire in the box. He can brush people away, he has an intense desire to score. 

I believe this is an encouragement to him to work even harder and to show he can play in the first team.

I believe he can, and after that it is down to the players. I see in him something I found interesting last year. He went out on loan, he learnt what it is to play when you need to win games. 

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Wenger was referring to Akpom’s brief spell with Nottingham Forest at the back end of the 2014/15 season. He joined in March, playing in just seven Championship games before returning to Arsenal without a competitive goal.

In the end, the Arsenal manager decided that spell wasn’t sufficient to cement Akpom’s place in the first-team squad, so he was sent to spend the following campaign with Hull City.

Although the Tigers ultimately secured promotion to the Premier League, Akpom did not set the world alight at the KCOM Stadium. In January 2016 he scored his first senior hat-trick in an FA Cup match against Burnley, but for the most part he struggled to replicate his prolific form at youth level.

It must be frustrating for player and manager alike, as Akpom showcases impressive predatory skills every time he plays with the senior squad. That much was in evidence this summer, as he set about making his mark in a succession of first-team friendlies.

What’s interesting about Akpom is the type of goals he scores. Wenger has alluded to his “intense desire” to score, and that is reflected in the runs he makes. He’s a real penalty-box predator—the type of “fox-in-the-box” forward Arsenal have craved for years.

Take his winning goal against the MLS All-Stars in July—here, he made a sprint to the near post to tap home Nacho Monreal’s cross from just a couple of yards out. 

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Against Chivas Guadalajara, he made a similar run to meet a low centre from another full-back, Mathieu Debuchy.

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Then against Viking FK, Akpom raced onto a rebound to tuck home after Hector Bellerin had been denied from range. 

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These are classic "striker’s goals." Arsenal have been crying out for a forward with those ruthless instincts. If Akpom can fulfil his potential, he could fill a significant gap in the Gunners squad.

Akpom tapped home against Manchester City to make it four goals in four pre-season games—and yet he has not managed a single minute of competitive action this season.

Prior to the Gunners' match against Watford, Wenger insisted that Akpom was one of several young players who could be knocking on the door this season, per Arsenal.com: "We have a few who are had a very good pre-season like Chris Willock, Jeff Reine-Adelaide and Chuba Akpom. They are the three who have been outstanding—Krystian Bielik as well has done extremely well. They could play."

Realistically, it seems difficult to conceive of any of those players getting a chance of a Premier League start.

It would take about half a dozen more senior players to be injured before Wenger contemplated using Akpom as his No. 9. What’s more, as a specialist goalscorer, he does not have the versatility of some of the other players in the squad. It’s not possible for him to be repurposed to play in another position. He finds himself at the back of one long queue for a starting spot.

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Perhaps Arsenal were struggling to match Akpom with an appropriate loan club. He played in the Championship last year, so Wenger may have wanted to see him tested at a higher level. However, few Premier League sides would be willing to gamble on such an inexperienced option.

Without first-team football, though, how can Akpom be expected to improve? He’s shown himself to be too good for youth football, but his development threatens to stall as he’s not yet ready to be play regularly for Arsenal.

At present, the best Akpom can hope for is a run-out in the EFL Cup. Arsenal have been drawn against Nottingham Forest—the same club where he was briefly on loan in 2014/15.

Returning to the City Ground will leave Akpom feeling like little has changed—and in truth, it hasn’t. The exciting young striker is still waiting for his break. Having failed to secure a loan move before the transfer deadline, there is a real danger that 2016/17 may feel like another season wasted.

James McNicholas is Bleacher Report's lead Arsenal correspondent and will be following the club from a London base throughout 2016/17. Follow him on Twitter here.