“He’s very clever – Super Eagles star Adams explains how Arsenal legend is shaping his game

Super Eagles striker Akor Adams has described experienced teammate Alexis Sánchez as ‘very clever’ and a major influence on his development at Sevilla, Afrik-Foot reports.

The Nigerian forward, who joined Sevilla midway through the 2024-25 season, has settled into life in La Liga. A big part of that smooth transition, by his own admission, has been learning from Sánchez, a player widely regarded as one of Chile’s greatest ever footballers.

Adams and Sánchez have formed a strong understanding both on and off the pitch. Under head coach García Pimienta, their roles are clearly defined. Adams, standing at 1.90m, operates as a powerful target man, while Sánchez plays just behind him, linking play as a second striker or drifting wide to create space.

That tactical balance has helped Sevilla improve in attack. Adams has scored 8 goals and provided 3 assists in 26 league appearances so far, while Sánchez has added 3 goals and 1 assist in 22 matches. Their partnership proved crucial in March 2026 when both players scored in consecutive matches to end the club’s difficult 25-game winless run.

Adams has been especially keen to highlight what he is learning daily from the Chilean veteran.

“You can see that he is football. He thinks football, he speaks football,” Adams said as per Premium Times. “In training, I watch how he makes decisions and how he moves in the box. He’s very clever.”

Akor Adams: Learning from a legend while building his own path

Off the pitch, the relationship between Adams and Sánchez has grown just as strong. The pair reportedly sit next to each other in the dressing room, spending hours discussing football and sharing experiences from different stages of their careers.

For Adams, who arrived in Spain after playing in Ligue 1, adapting to the speed and tactical demands of La Liga was always going to be a challenge. Sánchez’s presence has helped ease that transition.

The Chilean brings with him over two decades of elite experience. Across spells at top clubs including Barcelona, Arsenal, and Inter Milan, Sánchez has made more than 900 professional appearances, contributing over 400 goals and assists. His peak years, particularly at Arsenal, where he scored 80 goals and provided 45 assists in 166 games, established him as one of the most complete forwards of his generation.

Internationally, his legacy is even stronger. As Chile’s all-time top scorer and most-capped player, he played a leading role in back-to-back Copa América triumphs in 2015 and 2016, including the famous Panenka penalty against Argentina in the 2015 final.

Learning from such a player is both an opportunity and a responsibility for Adams. His own performances this season show clear progress, but he remains grounded about his ambitions.

“I don’t rate my season until it is done,” he said. “I want to score more goals and create more assists to help the team.”

Sevilla face Levante on Thursday night, with the club still only two points above the relegation zone after matchday 31.