When a key player joins Ajax for $30.5 million from Middlesbrough, Neil Warnock predicts that player will return to England “next year” if the team uses him as a striker.

Huddersfield manager Neil Warnock has claimed Chuba Akpom will return to England ‘next year’ if Ajax play him as a striker.

Akpom joined the Dutch giants this week in a £30.5million move from Middlesbrough after entering the final year of his contract with the Championship side.

The 27-year-old forward was the Championship’s top-scorer last season with 28 goals to help Michael Carrick’s side finish fourth, reaching the play-offs where they were beaten by Coventry.

Former Boro boss Warnock praised Carrick for playing Akpom in the No 10 role and getting the best out of him. But the 74-year-old says he will only succeed at Ajax if he plays the same role.

Warnock said: ‘Good luck to him. I like Michael, I think he’s done a good job. To get £12.2million for Chuba [Akpom] is a bloody miracle. So well done to him.

‘I think the people at the top will be happy anyhow to get that sort of money in. I think we played quite well against them last year but you can see they’re trying.

‘They’ve signed two players this week for decent money and Michael is a good bloke. There’s only Michael who would’ve got that out of Chuba Akpom.

‘I never thought about playing him in the hole. He can’t play up front. I hope Ajax haven’t bought him to play up front because he’ll be back in England or somewhere else next year.’

A former Arsenal youth player, Akpom joined Greek side PAOK in 2018, before moving back to the UK to join Middlesbrough in 2020.

He signed for Boro on a £2.75m deal, going on to score 34 goals in 82 appearances across all competitions for the club.

French side Lens and Premier League club Sheffield United were among those thought to be interested in Akpom’s services before he joined Ajax.

He could make his debut for the Eredivisie side against Ludogorets in the Europa League play-off on Thursday night