'Was wanted by all the big clubs' -  Pietrella gives honest take on AC Milan winger Chukwueze

Francesco Pietrella, La Gazzetta dello Sport journalist and author of the book 'Gli Inzaghi. Brothers in football' has insisted that Samuel Chuwkueze is still a good player despite finding it tough in his first four months at AC Milan.

Pietrella noted that the Nigeria international was on the wishlist of several top European clubs before Milan won the race for his signature in the summer. 

Chukwueze's performances for the Rossoneri have come under scrutiny, so much so that he has been unable to nail down a starting berth.

In ten all-competition appearances for AC Milan, four of which he started, the Super Eagles winger has not been involved in any goal.

Chukwueze joined AC Milan on the back of an outstanding season at Villarreal, having registered a career-high 24 goal involvements in 50 matches, which piqued the interest of clubs like Real Madrid, Paris Saint-Germain and Aston Villa.

"Messias and Saelemaekers are not players who are worth more on paper than Chukwueze and Okafor. I've always liked Messias, he has a story that could easily become a film," Pietrella said in an interview with Milan News.

"In America they would make a film about it. Milan took Chukwueze, who was wanted by all the big clubs in the world. You got a player who isn't performing, but he's still strong."

Chukwueze was omitted from the Nigeria squad for the start of the 2026 World Cup qualifiers because the games against Lesotho and Zimbabwe came too soon for him after his recovery from a hamstring injury. 

Ifeanyi Emmanuel 

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