Akpom told he can leave

Low_Key said:
so who is to blame here. we hear warnock saying he scrapped some deals the club were putting together for defenders from europe who he said were no good. so who approved this one? was he signed under warnocks nose?
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i think he wanted other Strikers but money was tight so had to settle with Akpon who was relatively cheap in truth. He's proven over the season to be "OK" at best and he needs a physical character up there to deliver his style of play. If he'd have got his man we'd have the lad Cardiff signed or Femmy from BCFC
 
He is absolutely awful. I imagine with us 'only' paying 2.6mil we should get at least half back. Although I doubt they will pay him what we do so maybe not easy to get shot. I know we apparently didn't watch him but my god look at Wikipedia. I think his best season ever is 8-10 and he's been around a bit. He has never been a goal scorer and never will he a targetman.

The one thing in his defence is that I simply don't know why we signed him knowing how we were going to play?

Apparently the prime target was Kiefer Moore. I fully understand that when you have a keeper who launches it forward and a team that thrives on setplays. So why was Akpom plan B? He's not the same type of player (someone like Smith or Evens would be cheaper and better suited). They would both have cost peanuts.

I simply never understand why we tried to play the way we did without a targetman. The system often didn't work as Britt or Akpom are woeful in the air. So surely you tweak the style to suit what we have?

That said although the 'style' isn't to everyone's taste I think we will see it in a different light when (if) we sign a proper battering ram No9. They may only score 8-10 goals but its what they bring to the whole team. You get 30 yards up the pitch if a forward can hold it up or win a free kick backing into a CB.

I watched Coburn win 4-5 headers against Sheff wed and thought 'how refreshing' and he's a kid. So that's why I actually think Smith would be decent enough at 1mil from Rotherham.

So effectively we are entering a summer without a recognised Goal keeper or forward. So we need 3 forwards. That's some hardcore recruitment with little or no money coming in.
 
jonny_greenings_sock said:
Annoys me a bit that Warnock complained he'd played the whole season with no strikers after spending £3m on this guy. Oh, and the other three forwards in January. And Watmore.

Bit like Pulis insinuating that he was managing with one hand behind his back and that he wouldn't waste Steve Gibson's money, except for the £7m on Aiden Flint and the £8m on George Saville.
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Mendez-Laing - a gamble that didn’t pay off
Bolasie - flashes of a player
Akpom - we wanted Keiffer Moore
Watmore - 100% gold
 
Ironops said:
I disagree, theres a player in there, he has good movement and at this level he could do a job but leaving is probably his best option given NW is looking for big lumps to hold the ball up and win headers.

cant see many teams wanting to pay his salary though
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What is his salary?
 
So now we have no GK or CF, am I right to be slightly pessimistic about next season.

Surely this lets other clubs upvalue potential targets as they know we will be desperate.
 
Although I think he would do better for a better manager and better style of football, I don't think he will ever be good enough for where we want to be
 
HundredRoom said:
But will he leave ? He doesnt have to
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Guess it depends on his offers. I would be surprised to be honest if he sits here knowing he isn't going to play. At his age he needs to play, two years in our reserves would mean his next contract is in League Two on 2k/week. His best bet is to try and find another club and take a bit of a wage hit
 
He’d probably get the same kind of return as Michael smith playing the same games so neither are good enough for us .
I wonder what exactly we expect from the investment we’re prepared to pay .
 

He was the one import under Neil Warnock who didnt attain the required standard [Roofie1 edit]​

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www.teamtalk.com

EXCLUSIVE: Warnock tells £3m Middlesbrough man to find another club

Former Arsenal forward Chuba Akpom has been told he has no future at Middlesbrough by Neil Warnock, TEAMtalk understands.
www.teamtalk.com www.teamtalk.com
​

EXCLUSIVE: Warnock tells £3m Middlesbrough man to find another club​


Date published: Thursday 13th May 2021 9:36 - Graeme Bailey
Chuba Akpom TEAMtalk

Former Arsenal forward Chuba Akpom has been told he has no future at Middlesbrough, TEAMtalk understands.

The 25-year-old joined Boro last summer when they paid Greek club PAOK just under £3m for his signature. But Boro chief Neil Warnock has been left somewhat underwhelmed by the former Arsenal man. Five league goals in over 30 appearances followed this season, and now Warnock has made it clear to Akpom that he is not in his plans.

The writing may well have been on the wall for a while for Akpom as earlier this year Warnock admitted that the striker had been signed off by their recruitment team after watching videos, something he was not happy with.

“I can make anybody look good on a video. We really have to go into everything a bit more when we’re looking to sign players,” Warnock said.
“I don’t think we’ll be signing another player on the recruitment (team’s) say after just watching a video, we need to watch players live.”

We now understand that Akpom’s representatives have been charged with finding a new club for him. And already a number of teams are looking at a possible deal which is likely to be a loan as he is one of Boro’s highest earners at the club.

Millwall, QPR, Bristol City and Charlton are amongst the clubs who have been approached about the possibility of taking him. Akpom is still under contract until 2023, with the option of another 12 months.

With Akpom on his way, Warnock is looking at a total overhaul of his striking department with out-of-contract duo Ashley Fletcher and Britt Assombalonga already departed.

Warnock said at the start of April that £15m Assombalonga was unlikely to play for him again after admitting the player will leave this summer.

Assombalonga jettisoned​


Assombalonga became Boro’s record signing when he made the switch from Nottingham Forest to the Riverside Stadium on a four-year deal in July 2017 under then manager Garry Monk in the wake of relegation from the Premier League.

“It’s difficult because he’s been my captain. I’m not going to mess him about. It’s not his fault his contract is up and he’s on a good contract,” Warnock told the Northern Echo.

“I’ve had no problems with him, but I’m not going to take him [to matches] for the sake of taking him to put him on the team-sheet. We’ve got one or two other strikers on the team-sheet.”

In fact Assombalonga did play twice more for Boro, but only for a combined 28 minutes, but did not make the squad for the last four games.
It is understood Warnock is set to give a prominent role next season to teenager Josh Coburn, who he has promoted through the youth ranks and made an impact including a goal on his home debut for the club.
 
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