Wenger tells Akpom to stay at Arsenal!
Arsenal are in a desperate hunt to sign a new top quality striker this summer and currently Lyon’s Alexandre Lacazette heads the list after failing to sign Vardy, Morata, Icardi and Lukaku. However Arsenal boss Arsene Wenger may be preparing for the possibility that Arsenal do not get any of their targets this summer and are instead left short in the forward line department.
Currently Arsenal have two recognised strikers in Giroud and Welbeck. The likes of Alexis, Walcott and Campbell have all also played upfront in the past, whilst the likes of Sanogo, Asano and Akpom are young Gunners who will be hoping for a chance in the first team. The latter of the list, Chuba Akpom is a player who is much divided in opinion amongst Arsenal fans. Many believe that after many years of being in and around the Arsenal first team, that it has become clear Akpom will not succeed as a regular at Arsenal. Others will believe that he is still young and at 20 years old of course he still has plenty of time to develop, but does he really hold the potential we crave to succeed?
The main issue Arsenal have is that we don’t have time to give the likes of Akpom chance after chance up front in hope that he will eventually gain experience and quality to prove himself. Right now if we are to be challenging for the league, as well as domestic and European cups, Arsenal need a well experienced striker rather than someone who is still learning how to play the trade. Wenger however has supposedly told Akpom to not consider a loan move away this season, with Le Prof keen to keep the young English forward amongst the first team ranks as a backup to Giroud and Welbeck when fully fit.
Akpom has shown some promise during this summer’s pre-season fixtures, however in my opinion it’s not enough to show you’ll have an impressive and effective domestic campaign, just look at Oxlade Chamberlain as an example. Akpom has shown during his loan spells that his goal to game ratio is poor, even in the lower levels of the football league, so what makes Wenger think he’d be effective in Arsenal’s first team. If Arsenal don’t sign another striker then I expect Akpom to stay at the club as another option should Giroud and Welbeck not be fit or effective. However if Arsenal do sign the likes of Lacazette, then Akpom should surely be set for yet another loan move away in order to gain much needed experience.
By AH