Nigerian winger Samuel Chukwueze could be handed a fresh opportunity at AC Milan under new head coach Ruben Amorim after signalling his intention to remain at the club and compete for a place in the squad.
Although linked with a permanent exit, Chukwueze turned down interest from Turkish side Trabzonspor, while Milan also rejected the club’s €15m offer for the Nigeria international.
The 26-year-old has returned to the Rossoneri following a loan spell at Fulham, who decided against triggering the €26m buy option in his deal.
During his time in the Premier League, Chukwueze scored three goals and registered four assists in 23 league appearances, combining effectively with fellow Nigerians Alex Iwobi and Calvin Bassey.
Reports in Italy suggest Amorim will shape Milan’s transfer plans after the club spent more than €100m on two early summer signings.
According to Football Italia, Milan are still targeting a defender and a replacement for Rafael Leao, but Chukwueze was not listed among the players expected to leave.
The report stated, “Milan want at least three more signings after committing over €100m on Gila and Ramos. Milan have a full agreement in place to sign centre-back Mario Gila from Lazio in a package worth €30m, including bonuses.
“It is expected that Milan will part company with some of their current first-team stars this window, Rafael Leao among them, but according to Wednesday’s reports from La Gazzetta dello Sport, the Rossoneri are already thinking about potential new attacking midfielders to bring in.”
The report added that Genk youngster Konstantinos Karetsas is currently the preferred option to bolster the attack, while Milan are also considering reinforcements at left-back and centre-back.
Although Amorim has yet to make a decision on Chukwueze’s future, an impressive pre-season could help the Nigerian revive his career at San Siro, even as the possibility of a move elsewhere remains open ahead of his international commitments.