Scouting Matai Akinmboni: The D.C. United prospect and Bournemouth-bound center back has USMNT star potential to anchor defense for years to come

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.

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.

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 left-footed 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.

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.

The question is not who Akinmboni is now, but what he might be. He's a truly unique profile of player, with a high ceiling. And there area number of reference points to be found here. David Alaba, Real Madrid's excellent left center back, is a fine comparison - although the Austria national is perhaps a bit more versatile. There are also elements of former Liverpool defender Joel Matip in his lanky frame, or even Josko Gvardiol at Manchester City.

But perhaps a more apt comparison is another skilled left footer: City's Nathan Ake. The talented Dutch center back has a similar sort of presence, and a solid left foot. There is also the added point of comparison that he, too, played for Bournemouth for three seasons before joining Pep Guardiola's side in 2020.

Is he the most exciting name? Not exactly. But Ake is an immensely talented center back, with four Premier League titles under his belt. Anyone would be lucky to have that career.

Akinmboni's immediate future is sorted. The youngster will move to Bournemouth in a deal worth up to $2.5 million, with D.C United retaining a percentage of any sell on clause. It seems a sound piece of business from the club, who have cashed in on the right time - and might yet make more from the deal.

For the player, it's a solid spot to be in. Bournemouth are making an unlikely Champions League push this year. If he stays at the club, that energy could be contagious. Equally, he might go out on loan to another European club. Either way, this is a step up in football for a player who needs to be tested at a new level.

And on the international front, Akinmboni has impressed for the U.S. at multiple youth levels. Play everything right, get his minutes abroad and a senior call up could happen - and perhaps a sky-is-the-limit option for Mauricio Pochettino and the USMNT.