Middlesbrough boss explains Chuba Akpom absence amid Sheffield United transfer interest

Akpom netted 28 times to lift Boro into the Championship play-offs last season, after being reinvigorated by a switch to a No.10 role. But he is out of contract at the end of the current campaign as things stand and United have been linked with a transfer move, as they plan for life without their star man Iliman Ndiaye.

Boro have opened contract talks with Akpom, currently on the comeback trail after a knee injury, who insisted recently that he “feels at home” at the Riverside and “would love to stay”. But the chance to return to the Premier League may appeal to the former Arsenal man, with United badly in need of further reinforcements ahead of the sale of Sander Berge to top-flight rivals Burnley.

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That move is set to bolster United’s war-chest further following Ndiaye’s move to Marseille, with Akpom’s absence from the Boro squad seen in some quarters as a potential sign that a deal was in the offing. But Boro boss Michael Carrick moved to explain his star striker’s absence, revealing he and forward Josh Coburn were left out with one eye on this weekend’s clash with Coventry City.

“No, there were no setbacks,” Carrick confirmed. “It was just they needed another training day, to be honest with it being midweek. The explanation is that on Saturday, they were on the bench because it was the weekend and they had a training week.

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“So it was more about getting them back in the group. Tonight we didn’t want to lose them any more days of training and maybe come on, maybe not come on. They’ve been training today, they’ll be training tomorrow as well and we’ll try to get them back fit as quick as possible.”

Carrick said it was still early days in Akpom’s comeback as he returns from a knee injury. “He hasn’t been training for that long,” he added. “Hopefully, he’ll be in and around the group but he’s still got a bit to do to be fully fit.”

Asked if anything had changed regarding Akpom’s future amid United’s interest, Carrick insisted: “From my point of view, not one bit, no.”