Samsunspor keen on ex-England and Arsenal youth star who wants to play for Nigeria

Turkish Süper Lig side Samsunspor are lining up a move for former England youth international Chuba Akpom, whonis currently on Ajax's payroll.

The 29-year-old forward finds himself on the fringes at Ajax after returning from a six-month loan spell at Lille, where he netted three goals and provided one assist in 14 Ligue 1 appearances.

Despite showing flashes of quality in France, Lille opted against activating a permanent clause for the striker, leaving his future hanging in the balance.

Akpom, who made a name for himself with a stellar 28-goal season at Middlesbrough in 2022–23, joined Ajax in the summer of 2023 for around €12 million. However, he has struggled to consistently break into the starting XI in Amsterdam, making just 14 Eredivisie starts and scoring 14 goals with four assists across 41 total appearances for the Dutch giants.

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To add to the uncertainty, reports indicate Akpom was informed, rather unceremoniously via WhatsApp, that he was not part of Ajax manager Francesco Farioli's plans for the upcoming season. The striker, who missed a chance to move to Saudi Arabia, has since been made available for transfer, with Ajax reportedly valuing him at €7 million.

Samsunspor, who finished third in the Turkish top flight last season and will compete in the Europa League qualifiers, are now exploring the possibility of bringing Akpom to the Black Sea region, according to Ajax1. The club is keen to bolster its attacking depth, and Akpom’s pedigree as a proven goalscorer in both England, Greece and the Netherlands makes him a compelling target.

Akpom, who scored 20 goals for England at youth level across U16 to U21 but never broke into the senior Three Lions squad, has publicly committed to playing for Nigeria. That international switch, coupled with a move to an ambitious European club, could help rejuvenate a career that has stalled since leaving Middlesbrough.

A switch to Samsunspor could offer Akpom the platform to rediscover his form, compete in European football, and finally launch his long-awaited Super Eagles journey.