Mansfield Town are looking to add firepower to their squad by drafting in versatile forward Lucas Akins from Burton Albion, as reported by Alan Nixon.
Akins was a key player for Nigel Clough during his time with the Brewers, and can not only play up front, but also elsewhere across the park. Clough’s revolution at Mansfield is likely to see him backed beyond the means that the Brewers allowed, making this an ambitious and yet realistic swoop for the Stags.
31-year-old Akins started out as a trainee with Huddersfield, before moving north of the border to Hamilton Academicals and Partick Thistle. He returned to England with spells at Tranmere and Stevenage but only came into his own when signing for the Brewers back in 2014.
He’s since appeared 299 times for Burton, including two seasons in the Championship, scoring 64 goals in the process. this season, he’s hit even goals in a troubled campaign which recently saw Clough’s predecessor, Jake Buxton, fired. Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink is back at the Pirelli Stadium and could use any funds he gets from Akins’ sale to stage an unlikely escape from relegation.
Mansfield are currently 19th in League Two, but have lost just one game in the last eight.
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This would be a huge capture for Mansfield, as Akins is still a potent goal threat. He bagged 11 goals in 45 outings last season for the Brewers, and 14 in 56 the season before. In League Two, he should improve on that total with relative ease.
Mansfield have been troubled this campaign, but Clough has steadied the ship. He’s a canny manager who has the potential to take the Stags up the table, maybe even towards that coveted promotion that owners John and Caroline Radford have worked hard to achieve.
Certainly, bringing in established League One players such as Akins is a great way to go about making significant progress.
