 Akpom withAjax in 2024 | |||
| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | Chuba Amechi Akpom[1] | ||
| Date of birth | (1995-10-09)9 October 1995 (age 30)[2] | ||
| Place of birth | Newham, England[3] | ||
| Height | 6 ft 0 in (1.83 m)[4] | ||
| Position | Forward | ||
| Team information | |||
Current team | Ipswich Town (on loan fromAjax) | ||
| Number | 29 | ||
| Youth career | |||
| 2002–2013 | Arsenal | ||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
| 2013–2018 | Arsenal | 4 | (0) |
| 2013–2014 | →Brentford (loan) | 4 | (0) |
| 2014 | →Coventry City (loan) | 6 | (0) |
| 2015 | →Nottingham Forest (loan) | 7 | (0) |
| 2015–2016 | →Hull City (loan) | 36 | (3) |
| 2017 | →Brighton & Hove Albion (loan) | 10 | (0) |
| 2018 | →Sint-Truiden (loan) | 16 | (6) |
| 2018–2020 | PAOK | 54 | (14) |
| 2020–2023 | Middlesbrough | 77 | (33) |
| 2021–2022 | →PAOK (loan) | 34 | (7) |
| 2023– | Ajax | 42 | (14) |
| 2025 | →Lille (loan) | 14 | (3) |
| 2025– | →Ipswich Town (loan) | 13 | (1) |
| International career | |||
| 2011 | England U16 | 2 | (0) |
| 2011–2012 | England U17 | 13 | (5) |
| 2012–2014 | England U19 | 13 | (6) |
| 2014–2015 | England U20 | 11 | (6) |
| 2015–2016 | England U21 | 5 | (3) |
| * Club domestic league appearances and goals as of 16:59, 26 November 2025 (UTC) | |||
Chuba Amechi Akpom (born 9 October 1995) is an English professionalfootballer who plays as aforward forEFL Championship clubIpswich Town, on loan fromEredivisie clubAjax.
A graduate of theArsenal academy, Akpom made his senior debut in 2013 and featured in several domestic and European matches for the club. During his time at Arsenal, he was loaned toBrentford,Coventry City,Nottingham Forest,Hull City,Brighton & Hove Albion and Belgian sideSint-Truiden. He joinedPAOK in 2018, scoring the winning goal in the 2019Greek Cup Final as the club completed a domestic double. After a transfer toMiddlesbrough in 2020 and a subsequent loan return to PAOK, he signed forAjax in 2023 and joinedLille on loan the following year.
Born inLondon toIgbo Nigerian parents, Akpom is a dual national and has representedEngland at various youth levels. In 2019, he announced his intention to represent theNigeria national team at senior level.[5]
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Akpom joinedArsenal at the age of six.[6][3] He made his debut for theArsenal U18 side at the age of 15, and signed his first professional contract with Arsenal on 10 October 2012, a day after turning 17.[3][7] In December 2012, Akpom received his first call into the Arsenal senior squad, when he was an unused substitute for a 2–1Champions League defeat toOlympiakos.[8] He made 20U21 Premier League appearances during the2012–13 season and scored 13 goals, including 10 goals in 10 games in theElite Group stage. In the lead-up to the2013–14 season, Akpom was selected for Arsenal's pre-season tour of Asia and scored once in a 7–0 win against anIndonesia Dream Team, two more in a 7–1 win againstVietnam[9][10][11] and another in Arsenal's final game of the tour againstUrawa Red Diamonds.[12] Akpom made his competitive debut in a 3–1Premier League win overSunderland on 14 September 2013.[13] He came on in the third minute ofinjury time as a substitute for the injuredOlivier Giroud.[14] Akpom's second Arsenal appearance came in aLeague Cup third round tie away to West Bromwich Albion on 25 September.[13] He replaced goalscorerThomas Eisfeld after 82 minutes and with the scores at 1–1 at full-time, the game enteredextra time.[13] Akpom played the full scoreless extra time period and scored Arsenal's third penalty in the ensuingshootout, helping Arsenal to a win.[13] He scored three goals in fourUEFA Youth League appearances towards the end of 2013. Akpom scored ahattrick in a 6–1FA Youth Cup fourth round demolition ofPeterborough United on 6 January 2014.[15]
On 30 December 2013, it was reported thatLeague One sidesBrentford, Peterborough United,Leyton Orient andMilton Keynes Dons were in a four-way battle to sign Akpom on loan.[16] Brentford emerged as the favourites to land Akpom, due to the club's head of recruitment, Shaun O'Connor, having originally signed Akpom while working for Arsenal.[16] The loan was thrown into doubt due to injuries suffered by Arsenal strikersTheo Walcott andNicklas Bendtner in early January 2014,[17] but was completed on 9 January, with Akpom signing for a month.[18] ManagerMark Warburton said "Chuba is strong and quick, with a very good first touch. He's greedy and enjoys scoring goals. It's his first loan spell and League One is tough, so he might take some time to adapt. It's a big jump from Under 21 football".[18]
He missed the first match of his loan through illness[19] and Warburton stressed that Akpom would have to "work hard and earn his place like everyone else".[20] Akpom made his debut in a 1–1 league draw atWalsall on 19 January.[13] He came on forWill Grigg after 68 minutes and provided a cross forClayton Donaldson in the dying moments, which went unconverted.[21] After making four substitute appearances, his loan spell ended and he returned to Arsenal.[22] Following the return to Arsenal, Akpom appeared on Arsenal Magazine about his time at Brentford for the March issue.[23]
On 14 February 2014, Akpom joinedLeague One sideCoventry City on loan until the end of the2013–14 season, with an agreement that he would rejoin the Arsenal squad for games in theFA Youth Cup andUEFA Youth League during the course of the loan.[24] He made six appearances.[13]
Akpom began the 2014–15 season by scoring a hat trick for Arsenal in anUnder-21 Premier League Division 2 game againstWest Bromwich Albion at the end of August.[25] On 23 September 2014, he made his first senior appearance of the season, replacingHéctor Bellerín for the last four minutes as Arsenal lost 1–2 at home againstSouthampton in theLeague Cup.[26] He made his first Premier League appearance of the season against Southampton on New Year's Day 2015.[26] Akpom made a telling contribution to Arsenal's 5–0 home win against Aston Villa, coming on as a second-half substitute and winning a penalty, converted bySanti Cazorla, his first assist for the club.[27] On 4 February 2015, Akpom spurned the interest of a number of other clubs from thePremier League and across Europe to sign a new4+1⁄2-year contract with Arsenal.[28][29]
On 26 March 2015, he joinedChampionship clubNottingham Forest on loan till 31 May 2015.[30] He made seven appearances.[26]
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On 4 August 2015, Akpom joinedChampionship sideHull City on a season-long loan.[31] Akpom made his debut for theYorkshire based club on the opening weekend of the 2015–16 season scoring the second goal in a 2–0 home win toHuddersfield Town on 8 August.[32]Akpom made his second appearance from the bench replacingNikica Jelavic in the 60th minute in the League Cup first round againstAccrington Stanley.[32] He scored in the 92nd minute in the first half of extra time and netted a penalty in a 4–3 shootout win for the Tigers.[32] On 30 January 2016 Akpom scored his first senior hat-trick in theFA Cup match away toBury that Hull won 3–1.[32] He was an unused substitute in the2016 Championship play-off final atWembley as Hull beatSheffield Wednesday to gain promotion to the Premier League.[33]
On 30 January 2017, Akpom joinedBrighton & Hove Albion on loan until the end of the season.[34] He made 10 appearances where he helped The Albion gain promotion to the Premier League.[35]
On 31 January 2018, Akpom joinedBelgian First Division A sideSint-Truiden on loan until the end of the season.[36] Akpom scored his first goal for the club in a 1–0 victory againstAnderlecht on 17 February 2018.[37]
On 2 August 2018, Akpom joined GreekSuper League Greece clubPAOK on a three-year deal,[38] for £900,000.[39] On 25 August, he made his debut with the club as a substitute in a 1–0 home win game againstAsteras Tripoli.[40] On 11 November, he scored his first goal in a 2–1 home league win game againstPanetolikos.[41] In March 2019 the BBC said that Akpom was a key player in PAOK's title push.[42] He was an unused substitute on 21 April 2019 when PAOK beat already relegatedLevadiakos to confirm their first Super League title in 34 years.[43]
He scored the only goal in PAOK's2019 Greek Cup Final win againstAEK Athens.[44]
On 6 August 2019, he scored againstAjax in the first leg of theirUEFA Champions League third qualifying round tie that ended as a 2–2 draw.[45] He scored his first goal of the2019–20 Superleague Greece in a 2–1 home win againstPanionios on 1 September.[46] On 1 March 2020, receiving a great pass fromOmar El Kaddouri inside the penalty area, Akpom cut to a shooting position, subsequently whipping an excellent effort beyond the opposing goalkeeper, to open the score in a frustrating 1–1 away draw againstXanthi F.C. It was his 7th goal forSuper League in the most productive year in his career so far.[47]
On 19 September 2020, Akpom signed for English clubMiddlesbrough for a fee of £2.75m. The former Arsenal youngster joined from PAOK, where he had made a huge impression in theGreek Super League. Akpom signed a three-year contract, with the option of a further year.[48] He scored on his Middlesbrough debut, a 1–1 draw withQPR on 26 September.
On 26 August 2021, PAOK announced the return of Akpom on loan from Middlesbrough until the end of the 2021–22 season.[49]
Upon returning toMiddlesbrough, Akpom was informed by, then manager,Chris Wilder that he would train with the Under-21s squad.[50] He was assigned shirt number 29. On 14 August 2022, Akpom was brought back into the match-day squad and scored both goals in a 2–2 draw withSheffield United.[51]
Chuba continued his fine run of form on Boxing Day 2022 when he netted his first hat-trick for the club in a 4–1 win overWigan Athletic at theRiverside Stadium.[52] On 5 January 2023, head coachMichael Carrick announced that the club had exercised a twelve-month contract extension with Akpom having scored thirteen goals in twenty matches.[53]
On 4 March 2023, Akpom scored 2 goals in a 5–0 home win againstReading, in the process becoming the first Middlesbrough player to score 20 league goals in a season sinceBernie Slaven in 1990.[54] On 19 April 2023 he scored in a 3–1 home win overHull City, becoming the first player to score in nine successive home games in the second tier of English football.[55][56] In an interview following the game, Akpom described head coachMichael Carrick as "the manager I've been dreaming of my whole career".[57]
By the end of the season, Akpom was theEFL Championship's top scorer with 28 goals in 40 league appearances.[58] He also won Player of the Year and Players' Player of the Year awards.[59]
On 16 August 2023, Akpom signed for DutchEredivisie club Ajax on a five-year contract set to expire in June 2028. He was signed for a transfer fee of €12.3m, potentially rising to €14.3m with add-ons.[60] He made his debut on 3 September 2023 in a 0–0 draw away atFortuna Sittard.[61] He scored his first goal for the club in a 2–0 win overVolendam on 2 November 2023.[62]
On 2 February 2025, Akpom moved on loan toLille in France, with an option to buy. He scored his first goal for the club on Saturday 8 February at home toLe Havre after coming on as a substitute in the 45th minute.[63]
On 11 August 2025, Akpom joinedEFL Championship clubIpswich Town on a season-long loan.[64]
On 15 February 2011, Akpom made his debut forEngland U16s in a friendly match againstSlovenia, which ended in a 0–0 draw.[65] He second and final game for the U16s came in a 3–02010/11 Victory Shield win overNorthern Ireland on 23 March 2011.[66] On 2 August 2011, Akpom made hisU17 debut, scoring once in 4–0 win over theFaroe Islands.[67] He played in all six games and scored two goals during England's unsuccessful2012 European U17 Championshipqualifying campaign. He made 13 appearances in total for the U17s, and scored five goals.[66] On 6 September 2012, Akpom made hisEngland U19 debut in a 3–1 defeat toGermany.[68] He scored his first goal for the U19s on 26 September 2012, in a 3–02013 European U19 Championship qualifying win overEstonia.[69] Two days later, he scored two goals in a 6–0 win over theFaroe Islands. He played in five of England's six 2013 European U19 Championship qualifying andelite stage games and scored three goals, as England failed to qualify for thefinals.
On 11 October 2014, Akpom scored his first goals forEngland U20 coming on as an 87th-minute substitute to score a brace againstNetherlands U20 in a 3–2 victory.[70] On 13 October 2015, Akpom made his England U21 debut playing 90 minutes and scoring with the last kick of the match in a European qualifying win over Kazakhstan.[71] He scored again for theEngland U21 team in a UEFA Euro Under-21Qualifier againstSwitzerland. England U21 won the match 3–1, with Akpom scoring in the injury time of the second half.[72]
Akpom, who is of Nigerian descent, is still eligible to represent Nigeria. In May 2016, it was reported that he was one of three players formally approached by theNigeria Football Federation.[73]
Akpom was selected for the England under-21s for the UEFA European Championship qualifier against Norway on Tuesday 6 September 2016.[74]
On 28 March 2017, Akpom was reportedly close to switching toNigeria alongsideOla Aina ofChelsea after discussions withNigeria Football Federation president,Amaju Pinnick.[75][76]
In September 2019, he confirmed that he intended to represent Nigeria at international level. In an interview withBBC Sport, he stated: "It was a personal decision. I'mNigerian and my whole family feel very Nigerian and it will be nice to represent Nigeria."[5]
| Club | Season | League | National cup[a] | League cup[b] | Europe | Other | Total | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Division | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | ||
| Arsenal | 2012–13[78] | Premier League | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | 0 | 0 | |
| 2013–14[13] | Premier League | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | 2 | 0 | ||
| 2014–15[26] | Premier League | 3 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 7 | 0 | |
| 2016–17[35] | Premier League | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | 1 | 0 | ||
| 2017–18[37] | Premier League | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | |
| Total | 4 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 12 | 0 | ||
| Brentford (loan) | 2013–14[13] | League One | 4 | 0 | — | — | — | — | 4 | 0 | ||||
| Coventry City (loan) | 2013–14[13] | League One | 6 | 0 | — | — | — | — | 6 | 0 | ||||
| Nottingham Forest (loan) | 2014–15[26] | Championship | 7 | 0 | — | — | — | — | 7 | 0 | ||||
| Hull City (loan) | 2015–16[32] | Championship | 36 | 3 | 1 | 3 | 4 | 1 | — | 1[c] | 0 | 42 | 7 | |
| Brighton & Hove Albion (loan) | 2016–17[35] | Championship | 10 | 0 | — | — | — | — | 10 | 0 | ||||
| Sint-Truiden (loan) | 2017–18[37] | Belgian Pro League | 16 | 6 | — | — | — | — | 16 | 6 | ||||
| PAOK | 2018–19 | Super League Greece | 20 | 6 | 8 | 2 | — | 5[d] | 0 | — | 33 | 8 | ||
| 2019–20 | Super League Greece | 33 | 8 | 6 | 1 | — | 4[e] | 1 | — | 43 | 10 | |||
| 2020–21 | Super League Greece | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | 2[f] | 0 | — | 3 | 0 | |||
| Total | 54 | 14 | 14 | 3 | — | 11 | 1 | — | 79 | 18 | ||||
| Middlesbrough | 2020–21[79] | Championship | 38 | 5 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | — | 39 | 5 | ||
| 2021–22 | Championship | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | — | 1 | 0 | |||
| 2022–23 | Championship | 38 | 28 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 | — | 2[c] | 0 | 42 | 29 | ||
| Total | 77 | 33 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 0 | — | 2 | 0 | 82 | 34 | |||
| PAOK (loan) | 2021–22 | Super League Greece | 34 | 7 | 7 | 2 | — | 11[g] | 2 | — | 52 | 11 | ||
| Ajax | 2023–24 | Eredivisie | 26 | 11 | 1 | 1 | — | 12[h] | 3 | — | 39 | 15 | ||
| 2024–25 | Eredivisie | 16 | 3 | 2 | 1 | — | 14[i] | 4 | — | 32 | 8 | |||
| 2025–26 | Eredivisie | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | 0 | 0 | — | 0 | 0 | |||
| Total | 42 | 14 | 3 | 2 | — | 26 | 7 | — | 71 | 23 | ||||
| Lille (loan) | 2024–25 | Ligue 1 | 14 | 3 | 1 | 0 | — | 1[j] | 0 | — | 16 | 3 | ||
| Career total | 304 | 80 | 32 | 11 | 9 | 1 | 49 | 10 | 3 | 0 | 397 | 102 | ||
Hull City
Brighton & Hove Albion
PAOK
Individual
