Chuba Akpom, the 2022/23 Championship Player of The Season, says he almost quit football after several setbacks during his early career days, PUNCH Sports Extra reports.
In an interview with Daily Mail, the 27-year-old added that six loans spells away from Arsenal in search of first-team football.
Four of those short-term moves ending with him returning to north London and having not scored a single goal built his mentality.
“I didn’t know where I was going to be playing or living,” Akpom said.
“I kept my head down with Uche (Ikpeazu) and worked hard so I was ready for whatever happened next. I had my bags packed.
There’s been many times when I’ve wanted to quit when things have been going wrong on loans or not getting in teams, I could have taken my foot off the gas.
But I continued to work hard and I could see light at the end of the tunnel and I knew things would work out well for me.
My biggest strength is my mentality. I never once doubted myself, work hard and it’ll work out.”
Akpom, who won the Championship Player of The Season award after scoring a division-high 28 goals, added that Middlesbrough manager Michael Carrick brought the best out of him when he arrived at the club.
Carrick spoke to me straight away, he says; “In his second session, he put me in that new role. I’m so grateful he did that — it’s got the best out of me.
Michael is a top man. The gaffer is so humble, he would say he’s had nothing to do with my form, but I want to tell people he has been key.
I can’t praise him enough for what he’s done for my career.”
