Samuel Chukwueze Explains Why He Struggled Under Former AC Milan Coach

Samuel Chukwueze Explains Why He Struggled Under Former AC Milan Coach

  • Samuel Chukwueze completed a transfer from Villarreal to AC Milan in the summer of 2023.
  • The fleet-footed Nigerian forward largely failed to impress many through his debut campaign.
  • The 25-year-old has detailed a major reason why he struggled for form under his former manager.

Samuel Chukwueze experienced a far-from-impressive debut campaign with Italian Serie A powerhouse AC Milan.

The 25-year-old struggled to impress under then-manager Stefano Pioli and found himself largely relegated to the bench for much of the campaign.

Samuel Chukwueze on AC Milan's pre-season.
Samuel Chukwueze during the pre-season friendly between Manchester City and AC Milan at Yankee Stadium on July 27, 2024, in New York City. Image: Giuseppe Cottini.
Source: Getty Images

The Nigerian forward, who had recorded an impressive 29 goal involvements in his final season with La Liga club Villarreal, could only manage four goal involvements through his debut season in Italy, according to data from Fotmob.

However, ahead of the commencement of the new football season, the Super Eagles forward took time to explain a few factors that appeared to contribute to his underwhelming debut campaign with the Rossoneri.

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Chukwueze explains reason for underwhelming season

In an interview with La Gazzetta dello Sport, Chukwueze discussed the challenges he faced during his debut season, attributing his struggles to a lack of pre-season preparation before his signing.

"I arrived late, at the end of July, and it was difficult to make an impact; the player in my position was already scoring goals," he said.

Despite these challenges, Chukwueze praised his former manager, Stefano Pioli:

"I had a good relationship with Pioli; he's a fantastic guy and a great coach."

The pacy attacker also detailed that an injury further hampered his integration into the team.

Looking ahead, Chukwueze is expected to play a more integral role under new manager Paulo Fonseca. The Super Eagles forward has already been involved in three goals during Milan's pre-season games.

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Chukwueze and his Milan teammates will kick off their Serie A campaign with a home fixture against Torino.

Journalist explains reason for delayed Osimhen transfer

Legit.ng in another report detailed that an Italian journalist explained the reason behind Victor Osimhen's delayed Napoli exit.

The Nigerian forward has been linked with a transfer to several clubs across Europe; however, it appears none of the clubs have been able to meet Napoli's valuation of the forward.

Source: Legit.ng

Authors:
Ero Samson avatar

Ero Samson (Sports Editor) Samson Ero is a sports journalist with a track record of over six years in the Nigerian media industry. He has honed his skills at EPL Partners Nigeria Limited and Transsion Holdings, where he covered various sports stories and general news working as Content Operation Specialist and Content Coordinator. He graduated from the Nigerian Institute of Journalism in 2023. Reach him via email at ero.samson@sportsbrief.com.

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