Former Chelsea midfielder Steve Sidwell has applauded Samuel Chukwueze for his blistering start at Fulham, describing the Nigerian winger as one of the team’s most dynamic attackers this season.
Chukwueze has hit the ground running since arriving in the Premier League, recording five goal involvements in just 229 minutes across seven appearances before Fulham’s weekend clash with Crystal Palace.
That remarkable return gives him the best minutes-per-goal contribution rate in Premier League history for any player who has featured for at least 200 minutes.
Speaking on Sky Sports, Sidwell highlighted the qualities that have made the 25-year-old an instant hit at Craven Cottage.
“Chukwueze has been brilliant,” he said.
“He brings intensity, creativity and that bit of guile Fulham sometimes lack. He’s clever with his movement, gets in behind defenders and always looks to make something happen instead of settling for the simple pass.”
Chukwueze, who has been included in Eric Chelle’s 54-man provisional squad for this month’s Africa Cup of Nations in Morocco, has quickly become a vital part of Fulham’s attacking structure.
His ability to arrive in dangerous positions and consistently influence games has stood out during his brief time in England.
Even in Fulham’s 2–1 defeat to Crystal Palace on Sunday, the former Villarreal forward remained heavily involved, once again proving why he has become one of the Premier League’s most exciting new arrivals.
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.
