Super Falcons-eligible midfielder promoted to Chelsea first team training pre-Barcelona

Chelsea Women head coach Emma Hayes put her players through their paces in the final training session on the eve of their UEFA Women's Champions League semifinal first leg meeting with Asisat Oshoala's Bacelona.

The highly respected English football tactician invited a few outstanding academy stars to train with the first team at Cobham on Friday afternoon.

Super Falcons-eligible midfielder Ashanti Akpan was spotted training with the first team players, and it may not be to make up the numbers considering the fact that she has registered for the knockout rounds of the Champions League. 

The 17-year-old has been registered on the player's list B of Chelsea having played for the Londoners for an uninterrupted period of two years since her fifteenth birthday. 

She has received one call-up for a Champions League match this season, against Real Madrid in a group stage game back in November but remained rooted to the bench for the entirety of the game. 

Akpan made her senior debut for the current WSL champions in a Women’s FA Cup quarterfinal tie against Reading at the Madejski Stadium on March 19, coming off the bench for the last 26 minutes. 

The Warsaw-born Akpan is not the youngest player of Nigerian descent in contention to feature on Saturday afternoon as Barcelona manager Jonatan Giráldez has included 16-year-old Vicky López in a 26-player provisional squad. 

If involved tomorrow, Akpan will wear the number 36 at the back of he Jersey and Lopez number 30.

Ifeanyi Emmanuel 

Photo Credit : chelseafc.com

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