Red-hot Middlesbrough striker attracting European interest

Akpom has been in red-hot form for Boro with his double against Reading, as Michael Carrick’s side hammered the Royals 5-0 at the Riverside, taking his tally to 21 goals in 28 Championship appearances this season.

The 27-year-old leads the league’s scoring charts ahead of Coventry City’s Viktor Gyökeres with the former Arsenal man helping to fire Carrick’s side into the automatic promotion race in the Championship.

That form reportedly alerted a number of Premier League clubs in the January transfer window with Everton, Southampton and Crystal Palace all credited with an interest.

And now that interest is making its way to the Bundesliga with reports from All Nigeria Soccer suggesting both Werder Bremen and Borussia Monchengladbach are keeping tabs on the striker ahead of a potential approach in the summer.

Akpom is into the final 18-months of his contract on Teesside, although talks are likely to open before the end of the season on extending his stay at the Riverside.

"Listen, Chuba is obviously doing great for us and it’s something we are looking at between now and the end of the season,” Carrick told The Northern Echo recently.

"Individually though, there is no update to give you on Chuba.

“He’s been fantastic and a massive part of what we’ve done. He’s been a huge threat for us and let’s hope it continues.”

Akpom scored nine times when on loan in Greece with PAOK last season but has been able to ignite his career under Carrick this campaign.

Akpom’s form sees him, once again, in the running for the PFA fans' player of the month award for February.

The Boro striker, who won the November and January awards and was also nominated in December, is going for a third accolade having scored five in five throughout February in wins over Blackpool, Queens Park Rangers and Sheffield United.

Akpom is up against Nathan Tella (Burnley), Gyokeres (Coventry City), Tom Bradshaw (Millwall), Tom Ince (Reading) and Joel Piroe (Swansea City) for the award.