Samuel Chukwueze’s anticipated turnaround in the 2024/25 season has fallen short, with the winger managing only three goals and one assist in 20 outings for the Rossoneri.
Super Eagles legend Emmanuel Amunike has shared his thoughts on the struggles of Samuel Chukwueze at AC Milan.
Amunike, now head coach at Nigeria Premier Football League (NPFL) side Heartland FC, was among the early coaches to discover and harness Chukwueze’s talents during their time with Nigeria’s Golden Eaglets.
Chukwueze, to some extent, lived up to expectations, particularly at Villarreal, where he garnered about 68 goal contributions in over 200 appearances across all competitions. However, the Super Eagles winger has struggled to make an impact at Milan since joining the Serie A giants in 2023.
In the ongoing 2024/25 season that was initially projected as a redemption campaign following excellent preseason preparations, Chukwueze has only managed three goals and one assist in 20 appearances for the Rossoneri.
Reacting to the winger’s struggles, Amunike told SportsBoom, “I don’t know. I can’t really say exactly what transpired between him [Chukwueze] and the coaches. But I can also tell you that when you have a player that you are looking to achieve something with, you should also be able to look at what is best for them and how you can bring out the best in them.”
The Heartland coach suggested that perhaps Chukwueze’s strengths aren’t being fully maximized at Milan, “Looking at the national team, we have players with different abilities. You don’t expect Victor Osimhen to be like Chukwueze, nor Ekong to be like Osimhen. They all have different qualities; it’s just up to the coach to extract and build on those qualities for them to deliver what he wants.”
On the prospect of Chukwueze eventually establishing himself at Milan, Amunike added, “Of course, it’s possible. Football is a team sport, and a team prioritizes the quality each player brings to the game. Not everyone will start or play, but the most important thing in the team is to find that positioning and balance so the team can thrive.
“Players are the ones that decide. We as fans always want certain players to be in the squad or in the team, but we must realize that a journey to success is not a straight line; it’s lined with ups and downs.”
For the Super Eagles, the story isn’t much better for Chukwueze, who has only managed five goals in 38 caps.
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