Chuba Akpom’s future at Ajax is in doubt as Nottingham Forest renew their interest in the Nigerian forward, Soccernet.ng reports.
Despite Akpom’s determination to make his mark at Ajax, a return to England is on the cards as Forest are eager to explore the possibility of signing him. Nottingham Forest previously tried to acquire Akpom last winter but were unsuccessful.
In an interview with NOS, Akpom discussed his focus on football despite the ongoing speculation.
“What I’ve learned throughout my career is to stay focused on football,” he said. “If you start thinking about things off the pitch, you get distracted. I don’t know if I’ll still be here next week or by the end of the transfer window, but every day I come to the club, I train as if I’ll be staying here this season.”
At 28, Akpom is keen to secure more playing time next season and is not willing to spend another year on the bench.
He remarked, “I don’t think I can sit on the bench as a second striker for another year. If I’m more involved in games this year, I’d like to stay here. If not, it might be time to look elsewhere.”
According to Soccernews, Nottingham Forest remain interested in Akpom, having previously proposed a loan deal with an option to buy, which was not accepted by Ajax and Akpom.
The Reds initially offered over fifteen million euros for a permanent transfer, but Ajax’s counteroffer of 17 million euros with additional guarantees was rejected.
Akpom’s transfer value has decreased from 11.6 million euros in February to 8.3 million euros. With Ajax under pressure to sell players before making new signings, they are vulnerable to offers from other clubs.