Chuba Akpom: hot Nigeria striker reveals plans amidst Crystal Palace and Everton links

Akpom has been linked with a transfer away from Middlesbrough after a stellar campaign, but he has made his stand known

Nigeria striker Chuba Akpom has revealed that he wants to remain at Championship side Middlesbrough despite links with the Premier League, Soccernet reports.

Akpom had a superb campaign with Middlesbrough last season, registering 29 goals in 42 games. He had his best career performance yet after failing to impress in previous years.

However, his brilliance was not enough to guide Boro to Premier League qualification, as they finished in the playoff spots and lost out in the first round.

Following his performance last season, there have been talks that the 27-year-old forward could leave the club. Everton and Crystal Palace have been mentioned as potential destinations, but nothing concrete has come up.

To further fuel the uncertainty about his future, Akpom missed Middlesbrough's pre-season camp. Albeit coach Michael Carrick stated that the Nigerian star was injured.

The former Arsenal star has now revealed his stance amidst the talks that he could leave. He says he wants to remain at the club this summer.

“Yeah, of course [I want to stay],” Akpom said, per The Northern Echo.

“I’ve made it clear that I feel at home here, so I think me saying that shows that I would love to stay.

“I’ve played my best football here, and I just feel very loved by the fans. I still get a lot of love from the fans, and I still feel at home at the club, in and around the training ground and stuff.

“We’ll just have to see how things go. A lot of things are not in my control or not in my hands, so I just have to focus on getting fit and being ready to play football again.”

Middlesbrough kick off their Championship season with a home fixture against Millwall this weekend. However, Akpom may not feature because he is yet to reach full fitness.