Ajax coach John van’t Schip insists that he never wanted Chuba Akpom to leave with a deadline day switch to Premier League strugglers Nottingham Forest falling through.
As has become the way of things since their return to the Premier League in 2022, it was another hectic deadline day at the City Ground.
For every successful acquisition – Matz Sels, Gio Reyna and Rodrigo Ribeiro arriving – there was a whole host of failed approaches. According to The Athletic, Nottingham Forest made moves for Aaron Ramsdale, Coaimhin Kelleher, Sam Johnston, Jack Butland and even free-agent David de Gea before settling on Sels of Strasbourg.
At the other end of the pitch, meanwhile, Forest attempted to reinforce a talented but inconsistent frontline with Chuba Akpom, the one-time Arsenal youngster who earned himself a big move to Ajax last summer after winning the Championship’s Golden Boot with Middlesbrough.
Nottingham Forest could have had Ajax striker Chuba Akpom
Nuno Espirito Santo’s side reportedly could have signed Akpom on loan, with a £13 million purchase clause which would only be triggered if they avoided relegation. It was an arrangement that left Ajax feeling rather cold, De Telegraaf say.
“It was clear to me that I didn’t want to lose Chuba,” Van’t Schip tells Voetbal Primeur. “Because he is important to us.”
HITC Football understands that Ajax were not keen to negotiate a deadline day deal largely because, at that stage, there was very little time left to secure a replacement.
“(There is the risk) you let someone go without getting anyone in return. So, for me, it was a no-go . And it was also on loan deal, so we didn’t want to participate with it anyway,” the head coach adds.
“If an amount had been paid, it would have been a different story.”
Forest make three deadline day signings
After a sluggish start, the late-blooming Akpom now has nine goals in 20 appearances. The London-born forward is one of the very few players brought in during a disastrous summer of recruitment who could be considered anything close to a success.
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