Money isn't everything for Akpom

CHUBA Akpom says he turned down a big-money move to Saudi Arabia in favour of joining Ajax when leaving Middlesbrough.

- By CRAIG JOHNS

The striker, who has recently been banished by Ajax and told to find a new club this summer, left Boro two years ago. This followed a career-best season at the Riverside in which Akpom managed 29 goals, becoming the first Boro player since Bernie Slaven in 1990 to score 20-plus goals in a league campaign.

Boro had hoped to convince Akpom to stay. But with just one year remaining on his deal at the time, his demands proved beyond Boro's capabilities and they instead resigned themselves to losing their star man.