Chuba Akpom has been firing on all cylinders since the former Manchester United player, Michael Carrick, took over from Chris Wilder at Middlesbrough.
The 27-year-old has so far scored 16 goals and assisted 3 times in 23 domestic league games for Boro, including one against Wigan Athletic where he scored a hat-trick.
A number of Premier League teams, who are aiming to strengthen their attack for the remainder of the 2022–23 season as well as the next campaign, have shown interest in him as a result of his strong performance for the North Yorkshire side.
The international level will need Akpom's brilliance when the time for national competitions comes knocking, not only at the club level.
Akpom, whose parents are from Nigeria, was born in London and has participated in a few youth international matches for England, including one in 2015 with Gareth Southgate's under-21 squad.
But despite Akpom's commitment to play for Nigeria, the Super Eagles have yet to provide him a Super Eagles shirt to wear as a representative of the country's national team.
One may argue that among the pool of attackers available to the Super Eagles under Gernot Rohr, Akpom's performance with the Greek team P.A.O.K. FC could not have caught his notice.
However, the attacker, who now leads the championship team with 16 goals in 23 appearances for Boro, has recently raised answers, which should include Jose Peseiro's, who is searching for the ideal squad in his quest to get the Super Eagles team back to winning ways.
Nevertheless, given the amount of excellent Super Eagles talents who are competing at the top of their games in various leagues, the forward may have to fight his way into the squad.
Taiwo Awoniyi is now sidelined for his club's encounter, but Akpom will battle it out for a spot on Peseiro's lineup against Victor Osimhen, who has been outstanding in Serie A, and Lookman, who is following alongside him in goals.
But given that Akpom has been eager to represent Nigeria since 2019, it is perhaps appropriate to suggest that Peseiro should give him a call now that his performance is strong.
IF YOU WATCH THEIR LINE-UP IN MIDDLEBOROUGH, THIS AKPOM IS ALWAYS PLAY BEHIND THE MAIN STRIKER. YOU CAN IMAGINE A SUPPORTING STRIKER BECOMING HIGHEST GOAL SCORER IN A LEAGUE. THEN WHAT NIGERIA (PASEIRO) IS STILL WAITING FOR THAN TO INVITE HIM TO PARTNER WITH OSIMHEN. AND BOTH OF THEM BECOME HIGHEST GOAL SCORER IN A TEAM & COMPETITION.
LET:
** LOOKMAN-CHUKWUEZE and EJUKE-SIMON OPERATE FROM RIGHT & LEFT WING.
** OSIMHEN-DESSERS and AKPOM-MOFFI OPERATE AS 9 & 8
** EBUEHI-OSAYI and ZAIDU-AINA OPERATE AS 2 & 3
** NDIDI-ONYADIKE and IWOBI-EZE OPERATE AS 4 & 10.
THE LIKE OF MUSA, OMERUO, BALOGUN, AKPEI, SHEHU and other irrelevant players should CALL IT QUIT NOW.
Miss, Omeruo, Balogun, Akpei and Shehu are still relevant in the team. They still plays important roles regardless. They still gives the team confidence and many more things. You don’t discard them like that. Nobody should go there
Indeed most of these players are irrelevant, even in their respective club they are bench warmer. Which confident are they want to offer to the team when they are not playing.
** In 2005 UEFA C.L. final after 3-0 deficit Stephen Gerrard instill confident to his team mate while PLAYING (i.e. function on the field, NOT ON THE BENCH).
** Messi won world cup and instill confident to his inexperience team mate while PLAYING not on BENCH.
** In ATLANTA 96, the BIG BOYS in the team offer confident to their following teammates while PLAYING (by the do the talking on pitch) NOT ON THE BENCH.
## SO WE NEED AN EXPERIENCE, BIG MAN PLAYER THAT CAN DO THE TALKING ON THE FIELD NOT BY SITTING DOWN ON BENCH THROUGH THE COMPETITION LIKE: M. ADEPOJU in 2002 W/cup, KANU in 2010 W/C, MIKEL in 2019 AFCON.