Fulham coach Marco Silva has challenged Nigerian winger Samuel Chukwueze to turn his recent match-winning cameo into a consistent run in the club’s starting lineup.
Samuel Chukwueze earned the Royal Caribbean Legend of the Match award after setting up Fulham’s only goal in Saturday’s 1-0 win over Sunderland.
Chukwueze, 26, picked up 39.29 per cent of the fan votes, comfortably ahead of Raúl Jiménez, who came second with 15.60 per cent, and Harry Wilson with 9.77 per cent.
The Nigerian international entered the game in the 64th minute, replacing Brazilian forward Kevin, and made an immediate impact. Just 20 minutes later, Chukwueze delivered a teasing cross from the left that found Jiménez, who finished calmly to secure Fulham’s fourth league victory in 12 matches.
Earlier in the match, another of his crosses had set up a chance for Jiménez, but the striker’s header went wide.
Silva was full of praise for the summer signing and stressed his growing importance to the team. “He had a huge impact. It was a great assist from him, and we’re pleased for him. Now we need him to start games and keep the intensity throughout the 90 minutes,” Silva said in an interview on Fulham’s website.
Chukwueze joined Fulham on a season-long loan from AC Milan during the summer transfer window, linking up with fellow Nigerians Alex Iwobi and Calvin Bassey. The deal includes a non-mandatory option to buy, with Italian transfer expert Fabrizio Romano reporting the total package could rise above €25 million.
Since arriving in England, Chukwueze has had a slow start, featuring in only five matches, all as a substitute, and totalling 108 minutes of action. He has contributed two assists so far, but his performance against Sunderland has sparked calls for him to earn his first Premier League start, with Silva insisting the winger must continue to seize his chances.
Chukwueze is eager to prove himself after a challenging spell at AC Milan. He first came into the spotlight with Nigeria’s U-17 team in 2015 before moving to Spanish side Villarreal. In his debut season in La Liga, he scored five goals and provided two assists, going on to spend five successful years with the Yellow Submarine, including winning the 2020/21 UEFA Europa League.
His standout season came in 2022-2023 when he registered six goals and six assists, earning a €20 million transfer to Milan. Despite scoring one goal and providing three assists in his first season, and three goals with two assists in his second, Chukwueze struggled to secure a regular spot in the Italian squad.
