Arsenal boss Arsene Wenger is impressed by teenage striker Chuba Akpom.

Akpom has already scored three goals for Noel Blake’s England Under-19 side this season, and has forced himself into Terry Burton’s Arsenal Under-21 side.

“He has personality [and] he has quality,” Wenger told Arsenal Player.

“I wanted him to be with the first team, taste what it is [to be involved] in a Champions League game, and hopefully he will join us very quickly. It could happen very soon.

“He’s more a guy who likes to participate in the build up, a guy who is brave, a guy who makes good runs and is not a typical goal chaser.

“Where he must improve is to finish things off. But he creates for others, he creates for himself, and just needs to be a bit calmer for the finishing. That’s something he will get easily."

http://www.tribalfootball.com/articles/arsenal-boss-wenger-impressed-youngster-chuba-akpom-3684081

[size=15pt]Chuba Akpom, Zak Ansah & Jernade Meade: Everything You Need To Know About Tonight's Young Guns[/size]

With qualification already secured, Wenger may give some of the youngsters a chance to shine. Here are the best of the crop to look out for...



As has become something of a tradition in recent years, Arsenal travel to Olympiacos for their final Champions League group stage fixture tonight with a clutch of unfamiliar youngsters in tow, five of whom are yet to make a senior appearance for the club.

[size=15pt]Perhaps the biggest buzz is centring around 17 year old striker Chuba Akpom. The England youth international was expected to lead the line for the U18s this season having impressed during his final campaign as a schoolboy, but, instead, has seen his development accelerated to the extent that he is now on the cusp of the first-team squad.[/size]

Not the most clinical centre forward, but one who is extremely technically adept and tactically aware, Akpom has been the regular choice up front for Arsenal in the U21 League as well as the NextGen Series so far this season, and has impressed with his work-rate up front as well as his physicality against significantly older opponents.

Some similarities can be drawn between Akpom and fellow striker Zak Ansah, who has also made the squad for tonight’s game. Like Akpom, Ansah is very comfortable on the ball and also possesses an impressive passing range having enjoyed a stint as a central-midfielder early last season. He has only recently returned from a long-term injury, but has impressed in training in recent weeks and has been regarded by Arsene Wenger as an interesting prospect for some time. The Frenchman described Ansah as “technically perfect” when the striker was just 14 years old.

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Another player receiving their maiden call-up to the squad this evening is Swiss centre-back Elton Monteiro. The 18 year old has improved markedly since arriving in North London three years ago, with his first couple of seasons at the club being marred by avoidable errors and haphazard positioning. A good ball-playing defender, Monteiro still has much developing to do in his game, but has established himself as a regular at U21 level and has worked hard to improve his concentration, which was previously one of his major flaws.

Sead Hajrovic, another Swiss youngster, has also made the squad, and is capable of playing in a range of defensive and midfield positions, whilst full-back Martin Angha made his debut against Coventry City in the Capital One Cup earlier this season. Left-back Jernade Meade, meanwhile, is poised for his first start. The diminutive youngster, who began life at Arsenal as a winger, possesses electric speed and impressive positioning.

With little pressure on Arsenal to win given that qualification was ensured in the previous set of fixtures, tonight presents the perfect opportunity to give these budding youngsters the opportunity to impress on the biggest stage possible.


http://www.sabotagetimes.com/football-sport/chuba-akpom-zak-ansah-jernade-meade-everything-you-need-to-know-about-tonights-young-guns/

[size=15pt]NIGERIAN BORN AKPOM IMPRESSES WENGER[/size]

Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger has expressed his admiration for the Gunners' Nigerian born teenage forward, Chuba Akpom.

Wenger disclosed to the club's official website that Akpom, who has scored three goals for England's Under-19 team, could soon become a major contender for the first team, after naming the 17-year-old on the substitutes' bench in Arsenal's Champions League game against Olympiakos last week Tuesday.

“He has personality and he has quality,” Wenger said.

[size=15pt]“I wanted him to be with the first team, taste what it is (to be involved) in a Champions League game, and hopefully, he will join us very quickly. It could happen very soon.

“He’s more a guy who likes to participate in the buildup, a guy who is brave, a guy who makes good runs and is not a typical goal chaser.

“Where he must improve is to finish things off. But he creates for others, he creates for himself, and just needs to be a bit calmer for the finishing. That’s something he will get easily." Wenger said.[/size]

Akpom, who has been described as being capable of "playing anywhere across the frontline" turned 17 on October 9 and signed his first professional contract with the London club a day after.


http://www.completesportsnigeria.com/news/2012/12/nigerian-born-akpom-impresses-wenger#.UMkWw0GqJxI.facebook

[size=15pt]Arsenal starlet Chuba Akpom has signed professional terms at the Emirates[/size]
The Newham-born youngster, who celebrated his 17th birthday this week, opened his account for the Under-21 side when he scored his first goal in the 2-0 victory over Reading on Monday night.

Signed up: Arsenal's Chuba Akpom
Chuba has also caught in the NextGen Series this season, scoring twice in three appearances in Europe's elite youth competition.
A prodigious talent, he was selected for the under-18s at just 15 years of age in 2010/11, and went on to make 15 appearances at that level last year as a schoolboy.
Chuba has represented England at a number of youth levels and scored three goals in four games for the under-17s at the 2011 Nordic Tournament.


http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/football/article-2215622/Chuba-Akpom-signs-professional-terms-Arsenal.html