Mixed report on new Arsenal signing from former manager

Vill Powell has given a mixed report of Arsenal’s capture of Tim Akinola this week, claiming he was shocked at the move before tipping him to earn first-team minutes.

The 19 year-old spent last season on loan with non-league side Brighouse Town FC, and did nothing overly extra-ordinary according to his former manager, leaving him shocked that such an illustrious team has signed him to their books.

“It does come as a surprise,” Powell, 40, told SunSport.

“I’ve got to admit a move to Arsenal from Huddersfield certainly wasn’t expected from what I saw with his time with us.

“He joined us on loan when we had a few injuries. He was a quiet lad, but a really combative midfielder.

“He was box-to-to-box, won the ball back well and he had a positive impact while he was with us.

“Physically his frame isn’t imposing or big, but what he does do really well is he covers a lot of ground and gets the ball back quickly.

“I can see why a Premier League club might’ve picked Tim up, but it’s come as a surprise at our football club.”

The manager moves onto add that he expects Akinola to earn minutes in the first-team during the season however, claiming that the nature of this season will see our club play plenty of matches, and tipping him to flourish amongst better players.

“The way I see the deal, I’m looking at Tim getting some sort of first team football next season,” Powell said to The Sun.

“They’re going to have a lot of games in Europe, some in a short period of time.

“I can certainly see where he would get an opportunity at Arsenal, with some of the attributes he showed at us. From a defensive point of view he’s excellent in the tackle.

“And given his age and the length of the deal, it tells me that he will get an opportunity to play at some point.

“I also feel that he is the sort of player that will raise his game being around better players.”

Akinola may not be able to have the same kind of impact as Gabriel Martinelli, but it is worth noting that the Brazilian arrived from his country’s fourth tier, and our move could well prove to be another masterclass over the coming years.

Is seven divisions too big a jump in English football?

Patrick

Tags Tim Akinola

3 Comments

  1. Why do people want Aouar again when Caqueret has been better for seemingly the second game running now?

    1. Akinola, probably cost next to nothing, is young at 19 and based on manager Powell’s assessment has potential.
      DM is not a position the U21’s and U23’s are flush with, to feed into the Arsenal first team.

  2. I have no doubt about Akinola’s tackling abilities… I said it a few days ago, he goes to the ground well, he slides a lot to get the ball and most of the time he gets away with the ball cleanly, bit you have to be worried since this is the EPL, he has red cards written all over him.
    He’s the type of DM we need.
    Good luck to the kid, I hope he breaks into the team soon

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