AFTER Chuba Akpom was absent for Middlesbrough's goalless draw with Derby County, Neil Warnock says the striker won't be getting game time. 

Akpom has been linked with a move away from Boro all summer and with Panathinaikos credited with an interest alongside Turkish side Galatasaray, who have reportedly agreed a deal with the striker. 

The 25-year-old has scored five goals in 40 appearances for Boro since joining the club from PAOK Salonika last summer. 

Warnock clearly isn't a fan of the striker and even eluded to Boro's recruitment team making a mistake in signing him last season when he criticised making deals based solely on video clips.

After coming on as a substitue in the midweek defeat to QPR, Warnock explained his absence at Pride Park. “He wasn’t here today. I didn’t think he contributed enough much the other night so I give him the weekend off."

The Boro boss was then asked by the media if Akpom will be leaving the club in the summer to which he replied: "I don’t know. I would think he’d be wanting to do that really for his own sake."

Warnock then confirmed that he won't be a part of his plans with the squad going further. 

Boro have Uche Ikpeazu and Josh Coburn as first-team strikers while they are waiting to finalise a deal for Slovenian striker Andraz Sporar who has completed a medical ahead of a loan move from Sporting Lisbon.