2022 Nigeria U23 invitee left out of Arsenal U21s tour of Spain amid transfer interest

Allnigeriasoccer.com understands that Tim Akinola will not be traveling with Arsenal's development squad to Spain, where they are holding a training camp in preparation for the forthcoming season. 

It is looking likely that the defensive midfielder will be moved on before the close of the summer transfer window, with English Football League and European clubs battling for his signature. 

The 2022 Nigeria Olympic National Team invitee has stayed back in the English capital, London to mull over his options. 

As from the 2023-2024 campaign, he's not age age eligible for the Gunners development squad but can be fielded as an overage player for Premier League 2 games. 

The Nigerian-born player is not in the plans of first team boss Mikel Arteta, with the Spaniard omitting him from the training camps in Germany and United States. 

Akinola was loaned out to Scottish outfit Dundee United for the second half of the 2021-2022 season but an ankle injury limited him to only one appearance and he was at National League club Chesterfield for the entirety of last season.

He registered 30 appearances combined for the Spireites in the league and FA Cup, and came off the bench in the National League playoff final defeat to Notts County. 

Arsenal U21s pre-season schedule will see them play friendly matches against Villarreal U21s, Boreham Wood, Chelmsford City, Luton Town U21s and Bishop’s Stortford. 

Ifeanyi Emmanuel 

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