AC Milan on Thursday, July 27, announced the signing of Nigerian forward Samuel Chukwueze from La Liga side Villarreal on a five-year deal.
The 24-year-old has joined the Rossoneri for a contract worth about 20 million euros ($22.00 million) plus eight million euros in add-ons, according to Italian media.
Chukwueze is the Serie A club’s seventh signing of the summer after Ruben Loftus-Cheek, Christian Pulisic, Noah Okafor, Luka Romero, Tijjani Reijnders, and Marco Sportiello.
Born in Umuahia, Nigeria, on 22 May 1999, Chkuwueze came through the Diamond Football Academy Youth Sector before moving to Villarreal in 2017. With the Spanish club’s B team, he played 20 games and scored four goals before making his debut with the senior team in September 2018, going on to feature 207 times, scoring 37 goals, and winning 1 Europa League under current Aston Villa coach, Unai Emery.
Chukwueze also helped Villarreal reach the semi-finals of the 2021-22 Champions League, before enjoying another strong season in 2022-23 with 13 goals and 11 assists from 50 matches in all tournaments.
A 28-cap Nigeria international, Chukwueze has scored four goals for his nation and helped the Super Eagles finish third at the 2019 Africa Cup of Nations.
The attacker could make his Milan debut in a friendly against Monza on August 8, as he is not expected to link up with Stefano Pioli’s squad for their final USA tour matches against Juventus and Barcelona.
Having finished as the fourth-best team in Italy last time out, Milan have bolstered their squad significantly as they look to record a second title in three years and enjoy another deep run in the Champions League next season.
Milan kicked off pre-season duty with a 7-0 thrashing of fourth-tier side Lumezzane before suffering a narrow 3-2 defeat against Real Madrid on Monday.
The Rossoneri will face off against Juventus on Friday, July 28, in the first of four more warm-up fixtures before getting their 2023/24 Serie A campaign underway with a clash against Bologna on August 21.
