Chuba Akpom will be spending the season out on loan at Hull City, and manager Steve Bruce is grateful that Arsène Wenger has allowed him to loan the teenager.

Akpom caught the eye during pre-season with a hat-trick against the Singapore Select XI and Arsène Wenger insisted he wouldn’t be loaning the forward out. For some reason he changed his mind.

Maybe it is the fitness of Danny Welbeck or maybe Wenger decided he was wrong initially after seeing more of Akpom in training, but the reason won’t bother Bruce one bit.

“Chuba is someone who I like because of his ability,” said the Hull City boss. “He can score a goal and has bags of potential.

“He is still a boy at 19 and we may have to nurse him a bit, but he has frightening ability.

“He got three for Arsenal first team last month. I know it was against a Singapore XI, but that still takes some doing,” Bruce added. “After that I didn’t think Akpom would be available. I’ve always got on well with Arsene (Wenger), he’s always done me a turn. That relationship helps now and again.”

When Bruce was in charge at Birmingham he was trusted with young Arsenal players Nicklas Bendtner, Sebastian Larsson and Fabrice Muamba.

Only Bendtner went on to have something of a career in north London but the other two both played regularly football in the Premier League. Seb Larsson, now at Sunderland, still is.

It remains to be seen whether or not Akpom makes it at Arsenal but, under Bruce, he will be given regular professional football and it will only aid his development.