Middlesbrough fear bids will be coming in for star man Chuba Akpom this summer and will demand £15m for his services, according to reporter Alan Nixon.
Middlesbrough man Akpom proved be a vital player in Michael Carrick’s turnaround at the Riverside but ultimately, Boro have fallen short in their promotion bid and will be playing Championship football again next season.
They were defeated by Coventry City in their play-off semi-final and the Sky Blues will now face Luton Town in the final.
It means Boro will be preparing for another season of second-tier football, but they might end up doing so without talisman Akpom. He’s already drawn interest from elsewhere amid his top form and after missing out on promotion, the fear of bids from elsewhere has only grown.
Reporter Alan Nixon has said on his Patreon that Middlesbrough will be demanding £15m for Akpom’s services as they prepare for interest from other clubs.
A fight to keep Akpom…
After such a strong season in the Championship, it seems bids for Akpom are inevitable. The 27-year-old enjoyed the best campaign of his career to date, managing 29 goals in 42 appearances while thriving in a new attacking midfield role.
Boro’s failure to win promotion could cast doubts over his long-term future at the Riverside. He has just 12 months remaining on his current deal so the summer could be the club’s last chance to get a big fee for his services.
We’ve seen how these situations have panned out for other clubs – Ben Brereton Diaz is leaving Blackburn Rovers for nothing and looks set to head for Spain after agreeing pre-contract terms. That’s a situation Middlesbrough should really be looking to avoid but they will still be hoping that they can retain the services of talisman Akpom.
