'Doesn't know names of all his teammates' - Fulham coach explains Chukwueze's omission v Leeds

Fulham manager Marco Silva has shed light on the absence of new signing Samuel Chukwueze from the matchday squad in Saturday's 1-0 victory over Leeds United in a Premier League match at Craven Cottage.

The winger, who joined the Cottagers on loan from AC Milan on deadline day, is set to spend the rest of the 2025-26 season in west London, with the deal including an option to make the move permanent.

He linked up with fellow Nigeria internationals Calvin Bassey and Alex Iwobi at the Cottagers.

Although Chukwueze had played only 37 minutes of competitive football this season - 25 for Milan in a Serie A defeat to Cremonese and 12 for Nigeria in a World Cup qualifier against South Africa - eyebrows were raised when he was left out of Fulham's squad entirely.

Silva insisted the decision was down to the player's need for time to adapt to his new surroundings.

Asked if there was a temptation to start another deadline day signing Kevin, given the positive things he had said about him, Marco Silva replied: "Of course, we all know when players are good, they are good, and that's it.

"But before they go in, to understand what they have to do in each moment of the game and all that, they need time.

"I will give you one example. It was almost impossible for Chukwueze to be involved in this game because he doesn't even know the names of all his teammates.

"He signed with us on the last day of the market, then went to the national team, and only arrived back on Thursday. He has had just two sessions with us.

"That's an example of why players need time to understand everything around them, to settle, even something simple like finding a house instead of living in a hotel for two or three months."

Fulham left it late to beat Noah Okafor's Leeds United, with Gabriel Gudmundsson's own goal in the fourth minute of stoppage time deciding the match.

Ifeanyi Emmanuel

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