By Oluwadamilola Olaleye
Nigeria forward Samuel Chukwueze is yet to open his Premier League goal account, but his recent performances suggest a player steadily adapting to English football and growing in confidence.
His influence has not gone unnoticed at Craven Cottage, where Fulham fans have already crafted a chant in his honour. On social media, momentum is building for the club to turn his loan into a permanent transfer.
This period represents a defining phase in Chukwueze’s career as a failure to make a significant impact at Fulham could hinder his chances of a smooth return to AC Milan, leaving limited options and potentially forcing a move to a smaller club or outside Europe’s top-five leagues.
Consistency will be key as Chukwueze looks to take every opportunity and prove he belongs at the highest level.
Fulham’s current loan agreement includes a €23 million option to buy, and the winger’s assist for the match-winning goal on Saturday offered an encouraging first step in justifying that fee.
A permanent transfer would also represent a financial boost for AC Milan, allowing the Italian club to recoup a significant portion of their initial investment and free up funds for future transfers or squad restructuring.
While the assist showcased Chukwueze’s potential, he still faces work ahead to secure a long-term future in London and deliver a return for his parent club.
Samuel Ahmadu is a distinguished multimedia journalist and women's football expert with over 15 years of experience in the industry. On the back of domestic engagement since 2008, he began his international career journey at Goal.com in February 2014, where he served as an African women's football correspondent for nearly eight years. During his tenure at Goal.com, Samuel covered major events such as three Women's Africa Cup of Nations (2016, 2018, 2022) and the 2015 FIFA Women's World Cup in Canada plus 2018 FIFA World Cup in Russia. His work at Goal.com earned him widespread acclaim, particularly for his in-depth profiles of African football stars, notably Asisat Oshoala, whose rise he documented from her early years to her breakthrough at the FIFA U20 Women's World Cup in 2014. Prior to his role at Goal.com, Samuel freelanced for various print and broadcast media outlets in Nigeria, including Graphics Newspaper, Radio Nigeria, Grace FM, and Savid Newspaper. His extensive experience and expertise led to his appointment to the Nigeria Football Federation's Standing Committee on Women's Football Development from 2016 to 2018. Since February 2018, Samuel has been the Social Media Manager for Nigeria's women's national teams.In 2019, Samuel joined the Confederation of African Football (CAF) as a women's football content contributor and was promoted to Women's Football Editor in 2021. His contributions to women's football continued as he worked as a Media Consultant for Content Creation and Editorials at the 2022 CAF Women's Champions League. Currently, Samuel also serves as the spokesman for the Nigeria Women Football League, further solidifying his influence and dedication to the growth of women's football in Africa.
