The MLS academy product has shown immense potential, and earned a high-profile Premier League move
It's hard to miss Matai Akinmboni. He's big, 6-3, 170 pounds. There are some young center backs out there that seem physically incomplete. They either haven't grown into their body or simply aren't physical enough yet. If there's one thing that Akinmboni doesn't lack, it's presence.
It is a good thing, then, that he has the kind of aura and composure to complement it. The D.C. United homegrown talent, now 18, has been linked with a move abroad for some time. Bournemouth were supposedly interested for months. And in early December, it materialized. Akinmboni is off to the Premier League, where he will link up with USMNT regular Tyler Adams for Andoni Iraloa's side – who are in the midst of an unlikely Champions League push.
A $2.5 million fee, plus a sell on clause, has been popped in place to ensure this all goes smoothly. But who is Matai Akinmboni? Is he worth the money? And why is there so much hype around the Annapolis, Maryland native? GOAL takes a look at the intriguing center back prospect.
IMAGNWhere it all began
Akinmboni was born in Annapolis, with soccer in his blood. He is a dual-national, also available to play for the Ghanaian national team. And that side of the family has some decent footballing chops, too. His uncle, Samuel Kuffour, was a powerful center back, and spent 12 years playing for Bayern Munich from 1993-2005. He enjoyed a successful international tenure, too, making 54 appearances for Ghana – including a handful at the 2006 World Cup.
To say that Akinmboni simply followed in his footsteps would be something of a fallacy. Akinmboni is his own footballer, and made an impact in his own way, in his own country. He joined the D.C. United youth ranks as a youngster, and made a handful of appearances for Loudon United, the USL team then linked with the MLS club.
AdvertisementIMAGNThe big break
In reality, this has been coming for a while. Wayne Rooney, then D.C. United manager, gave a handful of top youth talents opportunities to crack into the first team. And Akinmboni was no different. The center back made his MLS debut at 15 under the England and Manchester United legend in 2022. At the time, Akinmboni was the third-youngest player in MLS history.
The game was, admittedly, a dead rubber match against Real Salt Lake, but Akinmboni equipped himself well over 45 minutes in a 0-0 draw.
“I think I’m a man of my word,” Rooney said after the game. “What I said to the players when I came in was ‘If you perform well in training, you’ll get your chance to play.’ He [Matai] has been excellent in training and he deserved to come in.”
Things have only improved from there. The young center back has been rather protected by his side, but has impressed when given opportunities. He penned a homegrown contract in 2022, and D.C. United hold his rights until 2025. That, of course, is rendered redundant now, after Bournemouth came in.
IMAGNBiggest strengths
Akinmboni is a hard player to nail down, if only because he can do a lot of good things very well at such a young age. Perhaps what stands out, though, and will make him play at the top level for a long time, is that he is a center back.
It's a premium these days, with coaches increasingly reluctant to use right-footed players in modern tactical setups in which central defenders usually occupy wide areas in possession. In other words, Akinmboni is tactically versatile on the ball. That could be crucial.
The physical profile is here, too. He has the height to compete with most strikers, while Bournemouth will undoubtedly hope that he can be fleshed out into a stronger presence. Meanwhile, the requiste athleticism is here, too. Piece it all together, and Akinmboni has a fine mix of physical attributes and tactical nous to make for a very good European center back.
IMAGNRoom for improvement
There are some flaws, of course. Akinmboni, after all, is still just 18, and despite being more than two years removed from his pro debut, is still frighteningly raw. At times, for D.C., he overdribbled, or overplayed. The more physical strikers in MLS also gave him problems. But the club also did an admirable job of protecting him when needed. He has been given time to grow and develop.
As with any foreign prospect coming into Europe, the biggest adjustment will undoubtedly be the speed of the game. Whether he stays at Bournemouth or gets sent out on loan, Akinmboni will be playing in a quicker, more physical league. Teenage center backs often struggle in their early goings. There might be a steep learning curve.
