2022 Nigeria U23 invitee promoted to Arsenal first team training after rejecting transfer

Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta promoted 2022 Nigeria's Olympic national team invitee Tim Akinola to first team training on Thursday, the squad's penultimate training session before they step out onto the Emirates Stadium turf for their Premier League clash against Fullham, allnigeriasoccer.com reports.

The future of the highly-rated defensive midfielder has yet to be resolved, around one week before the summer transfer window closes for business.

Nine-time Azerbaijani champions Neftchi Baku had reached a club-to-club agreement with Arsenal over the transfer of Akinola, only for the 22-year-old to reject the move. 

The proposed transfer to Neftchi Baku collapsed at the last minute because of complications surrounding personal terms. 

In today's workout, Akinola trained alongside Brazil international Gabriel Jesus who has not figured for the Gunners in the new season due to a knee injury he picked up during pre-season preparations. 

The Nigerian-born youngster joined Arsenal from Huddersfield Town in 2020 and has yet to make his competitive debut for the first team despite frequently training with the senior players.

Akinola spent the whole of last season on loan at National League club Chesterfield, where he made 31 appearances in total and helped them reach the playoffs final. 

His last outing for the Arsenal U21s was against Cambridge United in an EFL Trophy clash on August 30, 2022. 

Ifeanyi Emmanuel 

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