Samuel Chukwueze admits he thought the Milan offer ‘was a joke’ and received advice from Napoli hitman and fellow Nigeria international Victor Osimhen. ‘He said don’t hesitate to sign for them.’
The 24-year-old completed the transfer from Villarreal for a reported €20m plus up to €8m in various add-ons and performance-related bonuses.
He spoke to Milan’s official website about his decision and reveals he almost didn’t believe it when the San Siro giants made their first approach.
“It was crazy, I was a little bit nervous. Milan fans sent me messages, they are amazing people and that was one of the reasons I came here.
“When they told me about the approach, I thought they were joking. I didn’t think about it twice.”
Chukwueze hopes to follow in the footsteps of his fellow Nigeria international Osimhen, who won the Scudetto and took the Capocannoniere crown at Napoli last season.
“Osimhen said: ‘Samuel, Milan is the best club, don’t hesitate to sign for them. They are fantastic, the fans are amazing, they are crazy about football.’
“He was a major role also in making me sign for AC Milan, as he said I should come to Italy.”
🗣️ Samuel Chukwueze on…
The fans 🥰
Why he joined ❤️🖤
His love for food 🍝
And more 🎙️ #ACMQuest #SempreMilan pic.twitter.com/1pMuLDECOI— AC Milan (@acmilan) July 27, 2023
They also joked about who will win when their teams come face-to-face, which they did last season in both Serie A and the Champions League quarter-finals.
Chukwueze was brought in to play on the right as a mirror to Rafael Leao, admitting he tries to learn from Arjen Robben as well as his Milan hero Ricky Kaka.
Coach Stefano Pioli might need to keep an eye on his weight, as the striker confessed he can’t wait to try the Italian restaurants.
