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EXCLUSIVE: Chuba Akpom's life in football has been nothing short of a rollercoaster, admitting he once 'didn't know where he would be playing or living'... but he is now reaping the rewards of his 'hard work' and faith of Boro boss Michael Carrick

There are a number of places you can start the story of Chuba Akpom’s rollercoaster life in football.

Perhaps it was when he joined the famed Hale End academy at Arsenal at the age of six, signed a professional contract at 17 and was name-checked by Arsene Wenger as one of the Gunners’ brightest young stars.

Or maybe the woe of six loans around the country in search of first-team football, four of those short-term moves ending with the striker returning to north London having not scored a single goal.

Or how he took a plunge to switch gritty Football League spells for the searing Greek heat of Thessaloniki with PAOK, going invincible on the way to a league and cup double.