It's fair to say things haven't gone exactly to plan for Samuel Chukwueze following his move from Spanish side Villarreal to Serie A giants AC Milan last summer.
Hopes were high about Chukwueze's ability to take Italy by storm and light up the peninsula with his explosive blend of pace, flair and incisiveness upfront, but the Nigerian has found it difficult to even secure an extended run in the Milan starting XI.
Christian Pulisic's form has been a big reason, but it hasn't helped that Chukwueze has struggled to raise his game to a sufficiently high level that would force head coach Stefano Pioli to consider him in the same bracket as the impressive American forward.
He's only featured in 25 games in all competitions — as starter in just 11 of those — and, even accounting for the period earlier this year when he was away for the 2024 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON 2024), it's still a very poor return for a player of his potential; spread his total duration of playing time across the number of games they've come in and Chukwueze averages just under a full half of football per match.
Chukwueze key man in season finale?
But as Milan head into the home stretch of the season, with a best-of-the-rest spot to lock down in Serie A — rivals and leaders Inter Milan are so far clear of everyone else the title is almost certainly theirs at this point — and an UEFA Europa League pursuit of glory still unfolding, Pioli will need every member of his squad, even seemingly peripheral figures like Chukwueze, to step it up.
The 24-year-old, it appears, has received the memo.
Last Sunday against Fiorentina — in his first start for the Rossoneri since February 18, when he was hooked at half-time after an ineffectual shift away to fellow Lombardians Monza with his team 2-0 down — Chukwueze sent a reminder of just what he can contribute at this crucial stage of the season.
He wasn't on the scoresheet and didn't have an assist to his name, but Chukwueze was impactful in nearly every other sense. He won three of his four duels, completed all but one of the dribbles he attempted, made two key passes, created one big chance, and landed an effort on target.
Pioli was certainly pleased that his decision to pick Chukwueze — ahead of Pulisic, who returned late and exhausted from a busy and triumphant international window — was vindicated by a strong display.
Beyond this, though, Pioli knows there is still a lot to unlock as Chukwueze's appreciation of what it takes to play in those hallowed red-and-black stripes grows.
Pioli's vote of confidence
“He is a player who will give us satisfaction because he has quality,” Pioli said of the Super Eagles star.
“He needed more time to settle in, but he knows what we want from him and what he can give to the team.”
There was a nod, too, from Rafael Leao, Chukwueze's fellow winger over on the other flank, who himself had a hand in both goals — scoring one and setting up the other — that got Milan all three points at the Stadio Artemio Franchi.
“Today, I have to talk about Chukwueze because he played a great game,” the Portugal international beamed.
“I’m very happy for him.”
“Samuel played really well today, not only on the attacking side but also defensively because when Rafa would press the centre-back, we created space with Reijnders on the left, so his help at the back was vital.”
“He played a good game but we know his qualities and what he can contribute to the team. Obviously, there are players who need a day to adapt to their new surroundings while others may need months. So we hope his settling-in phase is over because this is the Sammy we want to see,” Alsessandro Florenzi also a teammate of the Nigeria international chimed in.
If this is a reward for staying over during the international break, in a bid to build on the high of his very first Serie A goal — scored in the last game before said break against Hellas Verona — Chukwueze and Milan will hope there is even more to come from the 24-year-old.
