Chuba Akpom
Chuba Akpom will spend the season with recently relegated Hull City to gain first team experience Getty Images

Arsenal youngster Chuba Akpom is hoping to catch the eye of manager Arsene Wenger during his season-long loan spell at Championship club Hull City.

Following appearances for Brentford, Coventry City and Nottingham Forest, the 19 year old embarks on his first year-long spell away from the Emirates Stadium with Steve Bruce's relegated Tigers.

Akpom has appeared fleetingly for Arsenal during 13 years at the club as a scholar and a professional, making nine appearances in all – three of which came in the Premier League last season against Southampton, Aston Villa and Tottenham Hotspur.

But seeking further first team recognition at Arsenal, Akpom – the 18th departure from the Emirates either permanently or on loan this summer – hopes a season with Hull can catapult him into contention in North London.

"I'm really happy to be here and it's great to be able to sign for a club like this with the aim of gaining more experience," Akpom told Hull's official website.

"The manager has been really welcoming and I'm really looking forward to helping this club to push for promotion.

"I feel as though this is a really massive opportunity for me because it's set to be my first full season out on loan. I've had loan spells before, but they have just been for a month with a few games played.

"It's going to be good to be here from the start. I went to watch the lads against Sheffield United on Sunday and everybody is raring to go for the season so hopefully we can all have a good one."

The departure of Akpom comes as a surprise after the player himself stated he wanted to stay at Arsenal and fight for a first time place amid the club's shortage of striker options, with Danny Welbeck starting the season injured.

Nevertheless, a campaign in the second tier will only add to Akpom's experience and the forward is confident he can adapt to the rigours of the division.

"When you play alongside world class players it just makes you want to be as good as them," he added. "I feel that this loan move will only help to make me stronger and better as a player and add to my experience.

"The Championship is a really hard league. It's physical, technical and a really fast division.

"It can be a hard league to get used to, but with the players that we have here and the experience that they have it should help me and make it easier to settle."