With Middlesbrough officially announcing the signing of Chuba Akpom from PAOK on a three-year deal, Arsenal will have received a nice windfall owing to a sell-on clause.
According to Greek outlet Gazzetta, Middlesbrough have parted with a fee of €3m to sign the 24-year-old, with PAOK retaining a sell-on clause as part of the transfer.
Akpom left Arsenal for the Greek outfit in the summer of 2018, the forward saw little first-team action but was loaned out six times during his spell on the Gunners’ books.
The Associated Press reported last year that the north London outfit negotiated a clause that would see them net 40% of any future Akpom sale to a British club.
This clause proved to be controversial and dropped Arsenal into trouble with FIFA, who fined the Premier League side €42,300 for including a term that was seen to have violated transfer rules.
For whatever reason, FIFA were angry enough to impose a fine but not so much so that they voided the clause, which seems quite strange.
So Arsenal have cashed in €1.2m (40% of €3m) from Akpom’s return to England, which actually covers 60% of the amount they’re expected to pay for imminent arrival Alex Runar Runarsson.
Akpom ended his PAOK career on a positive note as he bagged the assist for the Greek outfit’s opener against Benfica last night.
Akpom had six loan spells away from the Gunners before leaving, the former England youth international has since scored 19 times and chipped in with nine assists in 79 appearances for PAOK.
Should Arsenal have been allowed to benefit from the sale like this?