On-loan AC Milan's forward Samuel Chukwueze has acknowledged that limited playing minutes and inconsistency affected his development in Serie A prior to joining Fulham, where he has now regained his performance level. PUNCH Sports Extra reports.
Chukwueze moved to Fulham for the entire season on loan from AC Milan during the summer, with the Premier League club having the right to purchase him. As reported by Italian transfer analyst Fabrizio Romano, the overall deal might exceed €25 million.
The decision came after a challenging two-year period with Milan following the Nigerian player's arrival at the club from the Spanish team Villarreal during the 2023 summer transfer window for a cost of €20 million. Chukwueze had an inconsistent performance in the 2024/25 season in Italy, appearing in 26 Serie A games but starting just nine times, playing a total of 918 minutes and scoring three goals along with providing two assists.
These figures stood in stark opposition to his tenure in Spain, where he consistently started games over five successful seasons at Villarreal. At Fulham, he scored two goals and provided four assists in nine appearances, with five of these scoring opportunities occurring in his final five matches prior to leaving for the Africa Cup of Nations.
A 26-year-old player is presently representing Nigeria in the AFCON taking place in Morocco. He has shared insights into his time at Milan, his revival in the Premier League, and the potential for a return to Italy someday.
"I don't believe I received the time or chances I required," Chukwueze stated.
But that's soccer. I just need to continue putting in the effort. Perhaps one day I'll go back to Serie A, or La Liga, or remain in the Premier League. English football might be more suited to my playing style compared to Italian strategies.
Although he currently plays for Fulham, Chukwueze emphasized that his connection with AC Milan has not changed.
"I long for Milan," he confessed.
It's like my second home. My family is still there, so naturally I miss the city. They're doing fine, and I hope everything goes well for them. I'm still a Milan player, after all, since I'm only on loan.
The Nigerian forward also expressed optimism regarding Milan's chances of winning the league this term, supporting his old team to stay as formidable competitors.
"You can observe what Milan is accomplishing; they're performing exceptionally," he mentioned.
If they continue with this effort, I believe they have a chance to succeed. I'm confident they will place within the top four as their performance has been exceptionally strong.
In the current AFCON tournament, Chukwueze stood out as one of Nigeria's key players during their initial success over Tanzania, featuring for 59 minutes in the match.
Supplied by SyndiGate Media Inc. ( Syndigate.info ).
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