Ipswich Town have signed forward, Chuba Akpom from Ajax on a season-long loan with obligation to buy clause.
Akpom had been set to join Birmingham City on a season-long loan with obligation to buy for a £7m transfer fee if promoted at end of season, but Ipswich matched that offer amidst brief interest from Akpom’s former club – Middlesbrough which was quickly snubbed.
The 29 year-old subsequently decided to join Ipswich only for Birmingham to retaliate with a £6m permanent signing up front offer, which caused a split as Akpom was keen to join Ipswich but Ajax preferred Birmingham’s offer.
Ajax eventually respected Akpom’s wish to make a loan move to Ipswich and greenlit his season-long move, albeit with an £7m obligation to buy clause if the Tractor Boys claim promotion back up to the Premier League.
Birmingham meanwhile signed Werder Bremen’s Marvin Ducksh for an undisclosed fee following the collapse of their negotiations for Akpom.
“I was really excited when I heard of the interest and I’m delighted to have joined a club with such big ambitions,” explained Akpom to TownTV on his decision to choose Ipswich over Birmingham and a return to Middlesbrough.
“I watch a lot of football and have always thought Ipswich would suit my style, so this move makes perfect sense.
“I have had lots of good experiences over the last few years, at Ajax and playing in the Champions League with Lille, and I feel like all of these have improved me as a player and helped me be the person I am now.
“I’m here to do as much as I can do to help the team, in the changing room and on the pitch, and I’ll bring a winning mentality here.”
Akpom began his career at Arsenal where he graduated through their youth academy and made 12 senior appearances between 2013 – 18.
During his time in North London, Akpom was loaned out to Brentford, Coventry, Nottingham Forest, Hull, Brighton and Belgium’s Sint-Truiden, across which he managed 13 goals in 85 appearances combined across his six loans.
Akpom also helped Hull claim promotion to Premier League in 2015-16 season via Championship play-offs, before he replicated that promotion success with Brighton albeit via a runner-up finish rather than the post-season play-off format.
A two-year spell at Greece’s PAOK followed with 18 goals in 79 appearances plus Super League Greece and Greek Cup titles before he joined Boro, where he only managed five goals in 39 appearances during 2020-21 season then just one appearance in 2021-22 campaign.
Akpom subsequently spent the rest of 21-22 season loaned back to PAOK, where he managed 11 goals in 52 appearances for the Greek team.
That loan stint allowed Akpom to reach new heights on his return to Boro as he netted 29 goals in 42 appearances, as the Teessiders reached the Championship Play-Offs which they lost to Coventry at the semi-final stage by 1-0 aggregate result.
His performances though led Ajax to sign him in summer 2023 and he proceeded to enjoy a solid first season in Amsterdam with 15 goals in 39 appearances, before he only managed eight goals in 32 appearances last season which led to a loan move to Lille where he netted three goals in 16 appearances.
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