Chuba Akpom will not be loaned out for the 2014-15 season, Arsenal manager, Arsene Wenger, has revealed.
The 19-year-old scored a hat-trick as Arsenal beat a Singapore Select XI 4-0 to reach the final of the Barclays Asia Trophy on Wednesday, his first senior goals for the club.
Akpom has spent time on loan at Brentford, Coventry City and Nottingham Forest in recent seasons, but will be given his chance to break into the first team this term.
“How much will he play? I don’t know but I just believe that it’s an encouragement to do well and to work even harder,” said Wenger following Akpom’s star turn in Singapore.
“He’s a young player and it can lift his confidence. The confidence in the dressing room that you sense from the other players is important as well and that can help him.
“Let’s not forget it’s a friendly. He’s a good talent but he has to work and show that in (the big) games.
“I sent him out on loan last year because I thought he needed that. This pre-season, during the season, I plan to keep him with us.”
New signing Petr Cech was among the players not involved in Arsenal’s pre-season curtain-raiser but looks set to play some part when Wenger’s men take on Everton in Saturday’s final.
“Today I left nine players out, they will be involved on Saturday,” added Wenger. “I will rotate a bit because the week after we play two games again.
“For me at the moment, the objective is to give competition to the players without overloading them and for them to be capable to work hard in training and to work on their fitness.
“If they play too many games, you cannot work in training.”
