The Super Eagles winger has not started a Serie A match for AC Milan since joining the club this summer but might be named in Stefano Pioli’s first-eleven after the International break
Super Eagles winger Samuel Chukwueze might have a chance to get his first start for AC Milan in their derby match against Inter Milan that comes immediately after the International break, Soccernet.ng reports.
The Nigerian star made the move to the Stadio Giuseppe Meazza(San Siro) this summer for a fee worth around £28m after seven years with Villarreal in Spain.
Chukwueze was one of the standout players in Spain last campaign, notching 13 goals and 12 assists in all competitions to help Villarreal to a respectable 5th position on the La Liga table as well as the Round of 16 in the Uefa Europa Conference League.
However, the 24-year-old has found himself behind in Milan boss Stefano Pioli’s pecking order for the right-wing position, with the Italian selecting Christian Pulisic for the position in the Rossoneri’s first three opening games of the Serie A campaign.
Christian Pulisic has started all three games on the right wing so far because he joined earlier in the summer and has thus had more time to learn Stefano Pioli’s instructions and get to full fitness.
He has rewarded the head coach for his trust in him by scoring twice already, meaning that he is considered by many to be undroppable at the moment, while Chukwueze—who arrived in a deal worth £28m—has been coming off the bench.
However, Chukwueze could get his first start for Milan in the biggest game of all, the Derby della Madonnina against their biggest rival Inter Milan on September 17, according to a report by SempreMilan.it.
The former Villarreal winger has been called up to represent Nigeria in the AFCON qualifier but he would be the first to return to Milan, given that, unlike his teammate, he will only play one game on September 10 against Sao Tome and Principe.
Meanwhile, Pulisic might be involved in the two USA friendly matches against Uzbekistan and Oman, with the game against the latter coming up on September 13 just four days before the Milan’s clash against Inter.
If given the nod ahead of the former Chelsea winger, Chukwueze could show Pioli what he is capable of doing, and that might give the Italian boss a dilemma on who he should be starting in the position.
