Arsene Wenger has confirmed that Chuba Akpom has signed a new deal at Arsenal that is set to keep him at the club until 2020.
The England youth international, 19, is currently under contract until the summer and has been free to sign a pre-contract agreement with foreign suitors since the start of the year.
It’s believed that the likes of FC Twente, Feyenoord and Borussia Dortmund all showed interest, while Liverpool are also believed to have made tentative contact.
“I’m very happy with the business we did,” Wenger said of his January transfer action. “We met our targets and extended Akpom and Coquelin’s contracts.”
Akpom spent time on loan at both Brentford and Coventry City last year after making his Gunners debut against Sunderland in September 2013 and scoring a penalty in the Capital One Cup shootout victory over West Bromwich Albion.
Back in January the player outlined his ambitions for the rest of the season, stating: “Every game I’m hoping to get an opportunity. I just want to play. I’m hungry for it now. I want to show the boss what I’m made of and I think that I’m ready. I think I can have a good impact on the team. Hopefully I get a chance.”
In the absence of recently loaned trio Lukas Podolski, Yaya Sanogo and Joel Campbell, he’s since been handed game time against Brighton and Aston Villa taking his total tally of appearances this season to five.
It’s believed it took a fair bit of persuasion on the apart of Arsene Wenger to get Akpom to stay; let’s hope it’s worth it for both parties.
Good news is good.
He extended the Coquelin contract??? what did I miss???
http://news.arseblog.com/2015/02/wenger-confirms-coquelin-contract-extension/
thank you kind sir. would have typical of arsenal though to just throw it in casually in a conversation about Akpom’s contract.
sik.
I have a feeling he will make it. Great option to have. Good pace and dribbling ability. The calmness in front of goal will come with time. Celebrate this by giving a start against Boro in the cup.
agree with you on his talent but I’d rather him be subbed in against boro. we need to try to seal the deal against boro first before we start to give a run out to youth players and the likes.
Two bits of great news this morning. He’s too good for Liverpool!!!!
This is the Arsenal we’ve waited for for a very long time. Our financial power is finally showing. Now we just need to show our consistency on the pitch.
I think its more to do with him coming through the ranks rather than financial power.
a huge prospect for the future….considering his recent showings at the top level.
Great news. hope he stays fit till the end of the season. he’ll need it.
Akpom, akpom, chuba akpom
He’s better than van Persie and he’s got a better song
To the tune of sex bomb by Tom Jones. It would be a waste if this chant doesn’t take off
After hearing Blogs sing his name to the tune of the Flintstones theme, I definitely think that should be a thing.
This is great news. For all the talk of buying “world-class players”, there is special kind of joy in seeing someone brought up through the youth system at Arsenal stay with us and contribute for the long run.
Good, fair amount of potential and I hope he still gets some gametime even though we’ve persuaded him to sign an extension. If nothing else, it gets us some cash as he’ll be wanted by Championship/lower Prem teams if he does develop a little further.
This is fantastic news! Now Wenger doesn’t have to rush him in the next few months to get him to sign da ting. I was getting worried, but it would have been weird if he chose to leave after so many years now that he’s so close to the first team.
This is a decent, realistic compilation of him:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_DGyMNdYMXE
Fair to say he’s not what you might call a prodigious talent, but you can see from his movement and overall technique that he’s got everything you need at 19 to really kick on and develop into a good player. Fingers crossed he’s got what it takes.
The combination of red/white shirt, blue shorts and blue/yellow socks they wore against Villa(?) really hurt my eyes. Nice little video, though.
On and well done Arsene and Chuba, fully deserved!
Gonna be big!
Yes, Chuba, powerful, plenty of potential and an eye for goal. Congratulations on your new contract and I look forward to watching you as a first team regular.
After the good transfer business, it is uplifting to hear such very welcome contract extensions (Coquelin being the other one). Fantastic stuff!
He could turn into our Harry Kane!
*ducks under couch to shield myself from hatearrows*
Oh Arsene. He signed a very good defender, tied down our young stars, players are returning, has a well-balanced squad, defending properly, winning games, having cleaning sheets. And on top of that, i don’t have to keep refreshing my browser on transfer deadline day. I can’t remember when last I feel this good about my Arsenal. It’s becoming too much for me.
Now I don’t understand Wenger anymore and I think it’s time to bring out #Wengerout brigade.
Oh to be a gooner
Of course i knew he was going to sign when my mate ollie next to me at the emirates shouted at him four or five times to sign the thing. He turned round with a thumbs up. Haha.
Big Akpom fan, looks like a very sure footed striker
This is good but a loan and regular game time must surely be the next step for progress.
Fantastic news on the contract front today with both Akpom and Coquelin signing major extensions. We’ve really done well the past two years in bringing in major new talent while committing the talent we already had. The squad looks pretty much set now. Best of all, we’ve got balance, depth, and a great mixture of young and old. Bring on the trophies!
I believe this guy has real potential and I think he will soon overtake the headless runner that is Welbeck, Welbeck has been given his chance since leaving man u and apart from the amazing hat trick in in the CL, he hasn’t justified reasoning for staring ahead of giroud who have scored more goals in fewer games. I think akpoms intelligence will grow and his composure infornt of the goal will be much better once he’s immune to such high profile stage.
Great to see Chubs sign. He has a bright future