Steve Bruce labelled Hull City signing “very good” and Middlesbrough spell proved him right | OneFootball

Chuba Akpom has gone on to have a steady career after his loan spell with the Tigers

Back in 2015, Steve Bruce was tasked with regaining Hull City's Premier League status at the first time of asking.

After suffering relegation from the top flight, it was no surprise that the Tigers, who managed to maintain a strong core of experienced players, were regarded as one of the favourites for promotion with Bruce at the helm.

However, the vastly-experienced boss still made a number of changes to his squad, with fresh and dynamic blood brought into the MKM Stadium across the summer window.

This included the likes of Sam Clucas and Moses Odubajo, who would have strong impacts throughout the eventual play-off winning campaign.

The aforementioned duo were also joined by two Arsenal loanees in the form of Isaac Hayden - who would go on to become an established Premier League midfielder with Newcastle United - and the unknown quantity of Chuba Akpom, who was signed to replace the departing Nikica Jelavic and Dame N'Doye.

And, whilst City supporters did see an array of glimpses which would prove the striker's eventual potential, a future stellar campaign at Championship level would go on to justify the verdict dished out by Bruce on the forward.

Chuba Akpom's loan spell at Hull City

Akpom would make an immediate impression on the supporters in HU3, which gave him all the confidence needed to feel at home in a side full of big Championship names.

This came in the form of a 71st-minute strike against Huddersfield Town on debut, before a well-composed finish against Accrington Stanley in the EFL Cup first round immediately followed.

His next goal would come in a comprehensive 3-0 success over Ipswich Town in October 2015, displaying a man-of-the-match performance in the process and earning rave reviews from Bruce.

"He's going to be a very, very good player. He's still got a lot to learn. He's still got to keep his feet on the ground and work hard at it but we're starting to see him," the City boss stated.

Akpom would then net his final league goal for the club in a 1-0 victory over Bolton Wanderers, before securing the match ball in a 3-1 FA Cup defeat of Bury at Gigg Lane at the turn of 2016.

In total, the London-born man made 41 appearances for the Tigers and netted seven goals, before going on to showcase his exploits elsewhere.

Chuba Akpom has fulfilled Steve Bruce verdict

After an underwhelming loan spell with Brighton and Hove Albion in 2017, despite the Seagulls' promotion to the Premier League and a low-key temporary move to Sint-Truiden of Belgium, Akpom's career started to hit an upward trajectory after signing for PAOK for a reported £900,000 fee back in 2018.

The striker scored on six occasions and registered four assists in just 20 Greek Super League outings as the Thessaloniki-based outfit secured their first title in 34 years, with Akpom also netting the winner in the Greek Cup Final against AEK Athens.

After the most productive season of his career with 10 goals in 43 games, Akpom returned to the Championship, this time with Middlesbrough in 2020, but failed to make an immediate impression at the Riverside Stadium.

Following a return of just five goals in his debut season with the Teesside outfit, Akpom returned to PAOK and netted 11 goals in 52 games, before Boro boss Chris Wilder decided that he would train with the Under-21's squad in pre-season.

However, that seemed to fuel the fire as far as the striker was concerned, netting both goals against Sheffield United in August 2022, before accumulating a total of five goals prior to Michael Carrick's first game in charge against Preston North End, with Middlesbrough just outside of the relegation zone.

Akpom would net in five of Carrick's first six matches in charge as Boro's fortunes transformed, before securing the match ball in a 4-1 rout over Wigan Athletic.

During the second half of the season, it became a certainty that the Teessiders would finish in the top six, largely down to a return of 16 goals between January and April from their star performer, who unsurprisingly won the Golden Boot with 28 strikes, as well as the Championship Player of the Season and PFA Championship Players' Player of the Year awards.

This earned Akpom a £12m move to Dutch giants Ajax, where he would net 15 goals in all competitions across his first season at the Johan Cruyff Arena - 11 of which came in the Eredivisie.