Liverpool Opinion: Reds should beat Man City to sign Samuel Chukwueze
According to the Daily Mail, Liverpool and Man City have identified Villarreal’s Nigerian international winger Samuel Chukwueze as a potential transfer target in the summer after closely monitoring his development over the past year or so.
The same report claims that the 19-year-old, who has been likened to Arjen Robben due to his style of play, was the subject of interest from Atletico Madrid, as well as Premier League clubs Arsenal and Leicester City last summer. However, his scintillating run of form in his breakout season in the La Liga has put him on the radar of Liverpool and Man City.
The Daily Mail understands that Samuel Chukwueze has a release clause of
£54million in his current contract at Villarreal, though the Spanish outfit might entertain offers below that in the summer.
Chukwueze has accumulated 10 goals and 4 assists from 45 appearances for Villarreal in all competitions this season and has also scored in the Europa League. Those are incredible stats for a player who made his first-team debut only in September last year and his meteoric rise in the La Liga earned him his maiden international cap for Nigeria in November.
The 19-year-old has made a massive impact in his first season at the highest level and was named as Nigeria Football Federation’s 2018 Young Player of the Year earlier in April.
Essentially a right-winger by trade, Chukwueze has earned rave reviews for his lightning pace and mesmerizing dribbling skills in the La Liga.
A pacy and skilful player, who likes to cut inside from the flanks and shoot with his favourite left foot, the Nigerian is noted for his exceptional ball control and well-rounded passing and crossing attributes.
He has also been used in a multitude of positions in the attacking third, with Villarreal manager Javier Calleja often using him in a No.10 role or as a centre-forward to lead the line.
To put things into perspective, Samuel Chukwueze looks like a real talent, having shown plenty of promise so early in his career, and he would be an ideal long-term investment for both the title-contending Premier League clubs.
However, Liverpool would do themselves a world of good if they manage to have the final say in this transfer tug of war, though it remains to be seen whether Jurgen Klopp would be interested in splashing such a huge amount on a player who is not likely to fit into the first-team plans immediately next season.
In Mo Salah and Sadio Mane, Liverpool have two of the most feared wide attackers in Europe and a youngster like Chukwueze would find it extremely difficult to get regular minutes under his belt.
The Reds also have the luxury of calling upon the likes of Xherdan Shaqiri and Divock Origi, though the latter is likely to head for the exit door at the end of the season. However, Klopp knows exactly how to handle the young players and channelise their development in the right direction.
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Liverpool have enjoyed a brilliant run in the Premier League and the Champions League this season and they are well and truly on course to ending their long drought for silverware.
Few would argue that this Liverpool team has all the hallmarks of establishing themselves as the best in Europe and a promising youngster like Samuel Chukwueze would only increase competition for places and add to squad depth. That said, the Reds should not hesitate to spend big on the emerging Nigerian talent in the summer.
