Nigerian-born midfielder returns to Arsenal as Dundee United loan looks over due to injury

Nigerian-born midfielder Tim Akinola has returned to parent club Arsenal for treatment on an undisclosed injury, two months before his loan deal with Scottish Premiership side Dundee United expires.

Dundee United boss Tam Courts has revealed that Akinola is unlikely to feature for the club again this season after he suffered a training ground injury.

Having trained with the Gunners first team countless times without making his senior debut for the north Londoners, he was loaned out to Dundee United in the January transfer window as he was in need of first team football.

But his loan with Dundee United has not gone as planned, with the central midfielder logging only 45 minutes against St Johnstone while making the bench against Motherwell, Rangers, Aberdeen and Heart of Midlothian.

"He had a training ground knock and went down to get that scanned with Arsenal. It looks like he has had to go down and do rehab there," Courts said to Scottish Daily Express.

"I don't actually think we'll see him playing for us again this season.

"It was a really challenging time for him. He played against St Johnstone at a time when we were searching for form and results.

"We changed the formation after that game and started to get a bit more consistency in performance. He found it tough to get back in the team."

Akinola's contract with Arsenal expires at the end of the season but the Premier League club hold the option to extend his stay for an additional two years.

Ifeanyi Emmanuel