End of an Era: Super Falcons-eligible Ashanti Akpan ends 13-year-old relationship with Chelsea

​After 13 years of rising ​through the ranks at Cobham, Nigeria-eligible midfielder Ashanti Akpan has officially ended her stay at Chelsea to join Newcastle United on a permanent deal.

​The 20-year-old, who has been part of the Chelsea family since she was seven years old, makes the move north as part of Newcastle’s ambitious push for promotion to the Women’s Super League (WSL).

​Akpan’s departure marks the end of a significant chapter, according to the club website. Having joined the Blues as a child, she became one of the academy’s most decorated prospects in recent years.

Her trophy cabinet includes: ​FA Youth Cup (2021/22), ​FA WSL Academy Cup (2022/23).

​Her consistency at the youth level earned her a senior contract and debut in March 2023 at just 18 years old, where she came off the bench in a 3-1 Women’s FA Cup quarter-final victory against Reading.

Despite signing her first professional contract later that year, the depth of Chelsea’s star-studded midfield saw her gain senior experience elsewhere, including loan spells at Birmingham City and Southampton.

​While Akpan has represented England from the U15s up to the U23 level, even captaining the Young Lionesses' U19 side, she remains a subject of intense interest for Nigerian football fans.

​Born in Warsaw to a Nigerian father and a Polish mother, Akpan is eligible for three nations: England, Poland, and Nigeria.

Crucially, she has previously embraced her Nigerian roots, famously stating “I’m a Falcon” following her professional contract signing in 2023.

​But as she has yet to be capped at the senior level for England, the door remains wide open for the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) to secure the services of the dynamic central midfielder for the Super Falcons.

​Joining Newcastle United in WSL 2 (The Championship) offers Akpan a platform for consistent first-team football under manager Tanya Oxtoby.

​For Nigeria, the move to Newcastle provides a closer look at a player who could eventually follow in the footsteps of other dual-national stars like Michelle Alozie and Ashleigh Plumptre in choosing to represent the record African champions.