There will be few players more motivated this week than Samu Chukwueze.
Because it is not just a Europa League final place on the line. Thursday’s last-four clash between Villarreal and Arsenal at the Estadio de la Ceramica has handed one of Europe’s most exciting young wingers the opportunity to show his long-time admirers just what they are missing.
La Razon reported a few days ago that Mikel Arteta’s misfiring Gunners are weighing up a summer bid for 21-year-old Chukwueze.
The Nigeria international will not come cheap these days. His brilliant individual goal against Barcelona last weekend certainly increased his already sizeable price-tag by a penny or two.
If only Arsenal made a different decision all those years ago, when the opportunity to sign a teenage Chukwueze for just £4 million slipped through their grasp.
“After the 2015 Under-17 World Cup in Chile, I took Samuel Chukwueze and Kelechi Nwakali to Arsenal for trial,” Kanu, the former Highbury favourite and Nigeria international, told Football Live NG.
“Arsenal picked Nwakali but dropped Chukwueze.
“Little did Arsenal know that the abandoned Chukwueze would light up the world this soon. Villarreal have now placed a price tag of over 60 million Euros (around £50 million) on him.”
During three seasons in North London, Nwakali failed to make a single Premier League appearance, joining Spanish outfit Huesca in 2019 after a series of inconsistent loan spells.
Did Arsenal pick the wrong Nigerian wonder-kid all those years ago?
Thursday night’s crunch clash could provide the answer to that particular question, as Chukwueze gears up to take on the club who turned him down.
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