Spanish giants Barcelona are looking to sign Samuel Chukwueze from Villarreal as replacement for their underperforming Brazilian star Phillipe Coutinho, Completesports.com reports.
Chukwueze, 19, has enjoyed an impressive debut season with the Yellow Submarines since breaking into the club’s first team. He has scored eight goals in 38 appearances across all competitions.
He has earned recognition from all over Europe and is expected to go for a high price.
Nevertheless, Barcelona according to a report in Don Ballon will make a move for him provided that they sell Coutinho first.
Moreover, Chukwueze might consider signing for a club where he gets regular game time, with both Ousmane Dembele and Malcom bound to be ahead of him at Camp Nou.
The youngster rejected the chance to represent Nigeria at the FIFA U -20 World Cup this month instead opting to feature for the Super Eagles at the 2019 Africa Cup of Nations in Egypt.
Former African footballer of the year award winner Emmanuel Amuneke and Gbenga Okunowo are the Nigerians to have played for the Blaugrana.
Barcelona’s season came to a jolting stop when they were dumped out of the UEFA Champions League by Liverpool. As a result, the Blaugrana have decided to cut ties with several underperforming players, with one of them being Coutinho.
Philippe Coutinho joined Barcelona for Liverpool back in January 2018, for a club record €120 Million.
However, the Brazilian has so far failed to impress the Camp Nou crowd and is constantly in and out of the team.
By Adeboye Amosu
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COMMENTS
Not surprised. The chief tormentor. If Barca doesn’t, Real Madrid would.
Dembele and Maicon ahead of who ? Go there and fight for place you hav what it takes to play there you will be the first choice by God grace if you continue to work very hard. Barcelona chance doesn’t come to every player. It’s a very big club and it will be easy for you to win plenty titille pleaz don’t too focus on money. We as a Nigerian will be very happy to see you in such a great club an honor for us and support you too you will also play alongside Messi the best player in the world big honor bro when they com pleaz grab that chance
Whenever Barca come asking for player’s signature tells he has potential so Samuel go and prove your worth no relent
Getting playing time is what he needs now to improve the more, which i wouldn’t see him have that much in Barcelona.
Negative People stay away from this Forum @Goal your own opinion but please keep to yourself. THANKING YOU IN ADVANCE FOR YOUR COOPERATION!!!!
Nothing like negativity, I’m only stating the obvious!he needs where he will play not where they will useless him.let him prove himself first by getting a starting shirt in Super Eagles.
Goal…there’s no need responding to him. They’r the ones that claim to “know football” more than the rest of us. The same ones who told Nwakali to stay put and Mancity and FIGHT just because of his performance in the match against athletico last year in UYO. Now asked them where Chidi is today…???
In as much as I am pleased with the fact that Sam is being lined up by a club like barca, I will only be at peace with the move if it is inserted into his contract that he will be a “guaranteed” starter at the club. Anything other than that, I wont sanction that move at this time.
This idea of advising player to jump into a massive club (like a big ocean) to go and fight isnt ideal. A player, especially one still in his teens, is supposed to enter into a new club to go and enjoy his football, not to go and fight. When you have to go and fight, you put yourself under intense pressure in addition to all other odds that are already there waiting for you to work against you. You become static and your development stalls, because you loose your ability to express yourself on the pitch and become detrimentally rigid just to appear to be ‘playing to the coach’s instructions’.
The cases of Chidebere Nwakali (Man city) and Mikel Obi (chelsea) are still fresh in mind. At a time when we are praying for the revival of Iheanacho, I wouldn’t fancy another talent being swallowed up in a big ocean at such a very young age.
I watched Porto B against Braga B yesterday and was shocked to see our own “future Iniesta” Musa Yahaya playing as a right back. This was a player who could throw a through pass blind-folded during his U17 days and was only next to iheanacho in terms of his overall influence on the team back then.
Enough of us rushing our budding talents into big clubs…its better they mature first before taking such big leaps. The dynamics of featuring in such clubs goes beyond just being a talented player.
If Barca can ‘guarantee’ him a such place on the starting XI every weekend…then he should grab that opportunity with both hands…otherwise…
He should be able to break into super eagles first eleven first before Barcelona. Shoe get size!
I will advise Chukwueze to stay where he is. Going to Barcelona won’t help him this time around because he needs playing time. Plus he’s an African player. They don’t care about us. Only few people can understand what I’m trying to say. Truth is bitter. Ire o. God bless Nigeria!!!
I should stay at his source for now. else..
I am not one to jump the gun but I totally understand those that are against Samuel Chukwueze move to any big club.
Yeah yeah.
He needs playing time,if not his development would stall!
He needs guarantee of such playing time.
He should remember,he is African,black!,they don’t like us.
And yes.his level is not up to Barcelona standard,neither man city,Liverpool or even the premiership.
And don’t forget,he is still young..
But forgive me asking;
When would be the right time for Chukwueze to move?
Who dictates the time?
What club is not too big for Chukwueze?
How can we know how good Chukwueze is if he didn’t test himself in bigger waters?
What is the yardstick for this measurement?
And has Mane,Salah,Aubameyang,Gueye,Pepe,stopped been African?
And how old is Sancho when he moved from England to Dortmund?
Or how old is Chiesa in fiorentina,De ligt ,De Jong,Gueondozi,Briam Diaz ?
So how do we know he won’t do well in any big club?
Or do we know why Barcelona wants him?
Do we even know tomorrow?
Don’t you have to work before you become guaranteed of food?
So many questions..
Well,
I don’t know much,but the only time you stall is by staying in the same place.
The man who doesn’t challenge himself for fear and worry ,doesn’t know his worth…
Let those of you answer some, if not all the questions posed by this philosophical minded individual like Hush.
Then, it will become very interesting to follow the line of your thoughts.
As always, thanks Hush.
@Edoman
I appreciate your compliment
@Mr Hush, thank you for asking those questions. See, Chukwueze is not too young playing for Barcelona. This is Spain, they don’t like black people. They don’t like our COLOUR. This young man will excel any where he goes but it will take some courage for him to do so Barcelona. Apart from that, age is just a number and how can he cope with pressure is the main issue.
As I said earlier, this gentleman won’t get more playing time. All in all, I wish him the best. God bless us. God bless Nigeria!!!
@Omo9ja
Nice response..
Let me follow your logic;They don’t like blacks in Spain; even if that is true,
But You do know Chukwueze plays for Villarreal and Villarreal is in Spain?and it seems he is loved there;not only him,Ekambi is black ,he plays there too.
Besides that, If Samuel moves to Barcelona (not saying that would happen),he won’t be the first Nigerian,not alone “black”,to play for Barcelona.
Amunike,Okunowo,Yaya,even the much loved Keita were Africans.Dont forget Umtiti,Semedo,Dembele are all blacks and they are much loved.
Not forgetting our sister,Azeezat Oshoala ,plays for the Barcelona female team;and she is really loved.
So yes there is racism in the world,Spain as well, but it doesn’t arise when you prove your worth.
Everyone appreciates success , even racist …
And yes,Chukwueze might be young,but as you pointed out,age is just numbers,and I strongly believe this boy has the mental strength to cope with pressure.you forget he plays in Villarreal,and no matter where they stand this season or compared to Barcelona,Villarreal is not a small club to say.
If Samuel doesn’t face challenges,then how do we know he can summount them.
This guy is a professional footballer;he knows what he signed into when he moved to Spain.
So why can’t he keep growing if the opportunity comes for him.
I don’t know.
Just saying..
In my own opinion, I would like him to sign for Barcelona, I believe it will help him to develop his skills to higher level training with Messi everyday. Good luck bro
barca very consistent, yes eze go. u can diplaced malcom and dembele together. train alongside messi will brought u up like neymar
Football is all about taking your chances when they come.
Apparently,Chukwueze like every other fresh player in a team would always get their chances at some point.
However,taking those chances with both hands is what he needs to cement his place in the team should he make a big move to Barcelona which to me is a sensational move and one to improve both player and the super eagles respectively.
All things considered, I would like Chuwkueze to accept this exciting opportunity and go play for Barca, if the offer is extended. Barca is one of those teams that guarantee players personal and professional development, even if they are not playing regularly. The exposure he will get just from the training ground alone will be immense. And I think he is good enough to make the bench, or perhaps even start some games. Word of caution though – Now is not the time to relax and celebrate. Now is the time to roll up sleeves and start working even harder! The world’s best players are at Barca, so week in, week out, Chukwueze must work to show everybody that he is a valid member of this exclusive club. Let’s not get ahead of ourselves though. The offer has not yet been extended.
This is the same coach who wants to drag Chukwueze to under 20 ans rubish him.
Guys, please click on that link CJ posted. I just did and was dumbfounded. I don’t think it is fake news.
Now I know why the Flying Eagles flopped at the AFCON.
Considering his style of play, and the free flowing nature of the Spanish game, I believe given a level playing field, Samuel Chukwueze has the skills, mental toughness and professional attitude to break into FC Barcelona first team. But it’s all too well known that for a young African player, a level playing field is almost wishful thinking in Euro. That’s why players like Iwobi is almost being hounded out of Arsenal despite his well above average performance. Also Wilfred Ndidi is hardly given the recognition he deserves even when it is obvious that he is the best defensive midfielder in EPL and probably among the best 3 in the world.
So even as I fully appreciate Sammy’s great talent and feel proud that a great club like FC Barcelona is considering him, I would urge caution. I align with the thought that Sammy should stay back in Villarreal and establish himself as one of their main players from game to game. That way he can move to any club as a well recognised player and can dictate the terms of his movement to any club – even demanding consistent first team action as part of the deal. I listen to Samuel Eto’s interview recently – he narrated how he was benched for a few weeks when he joined Inter Milan, and he walked up to Jose Mourinho and said to him “Samuel Eto doesn’t sit on the bench”, and Mourinho responded “that’s the player I want”, and that was Eto’s last day on the bench. Only a well established and recognised player will have the guts to approach the coach that way if he believes he’s wrongly benched. But for a young upcoming player like Chukwueze, such effrontery may even cause him his career.
So much as I believe that Sammy has all it takes to excel in Barca, the experience of young African players with these big teams suggest that it may be better for him to continue developing his career for now at Villarreal or some other middle range club-side in Spain. I don’t mind a top of the table team in France, Holland, Belgium or even Italy, but Barca, Real Madrid or EPL Club-sides don’t inspire my confidence in building this young mans career.
Excellent foresight there @ Alex. Excellent one. At least someone is seeing what I am seeing.
Rushing Sam into Barca now is like taking a Big fish in an aquarium and throwing it into the pacific. Dont be surprised if you end up seeing sam playing left back in 2 seasons to come.
Sam has not even completed one full season of pro football at Villareal, from preseason to end of season….Sam is even yet to stamp his feet on a first team place in the national team….and we are already touting him to displace everyone in a team where there actually is no vacancy for him. Even a more accomplished Emmanuel amuneke, who was a full fledged international, an AFCON and Olympic gold medalist and AFOTY winner couldnt survive the politics and dynamics of playing for a huge club like Barca…..19 la liga matches in 3 years, despite having been a top level player of over half a decade. What about gbenga Okunowo….just half a season at barcelona and he was farmed out on loan the next season for a la masia product. Let us look at other top africans that have also played at barca in the last decade….yaya toure (from a no 10 to a no 4 and then to a central defender), seydou keita (from a no 10 to a no 4 and then a left back), alex song, samuel etoo, we all know how these guyz where tactically relegated to nobodies immediately a la masia product or a ‘rondo’ styled south American emerges. Etoo who was even the biggest of them all was ‘exchanged’in addition with a whooping $40m with inter’s Zlatan.
Some people think Sam is bigger or more experience or has a larger heart and profile than all these guys right…?
Sam chukwueze should borrow a leaf from the career path Ndidi is towing at the moment. Ndidi has been a super talented player before he even left the shores of Nigeria. His 2 or 3 seasons with Genk in Belgium was no fluke. At a time when the likes of liverpool and Man u were after his signature, the boy humbly signed for a team where there was vacancy (Leicester city). He gently slotted into the space/void left behind by kante….no pressure…no competition….no hassles….and was just doing his stuff and enjoying his game. No pressures. 3 seasons after…the boy has become the best tackler in the best league in the world for the 2nd seasons running.
If he had rushed to Liverpool or Man u from Genk, would he have had that peace of mind to settle down and enjoy his own game while growing and developing with every game…? Today if Ndidi is to move even to real Madrid….he will arrive at the bernabeu with raised shoulders as the best in the EPL for 2 years. He arrives with a huge profile and will command respect even from cult figures like ramos et al in the Madrid dressing room. He arrives with the confidence and experience that will make him tower high above any competitor in that team. He comes in with an intimidating profile of a full fledged international, a world cup participant and the best in the EPL in the last 2 seasons. Believe me no one will throw shit at him…or try to teach him wat to do or where to stand on a football pitch.
Chukwueze should better not get carried away by this interest. He hasnt arrived yet. Infact he hasn’t even started yet. it is good his performance in his first season is this eye-catching, but he should thread with caution. All that glitters isnt gold. He should stay for at least 2 more full seasons at Villareal.
Stay in a place where he his under less pressure, less competition, less expectation….where he will get more gametime, more attention (as on of the key players), more respect (from the coaches, teammates and the fans), earn more international experience (AFCON, Olympics) and maintain such blistering performance and standards consistently over those 2 years. Even if he isnt going to stay at villareal…a team like Valencia, Dortmund or Schalke or even arsenal (with relatively lower expectations – apologies to arsenal fans in the forum) will suffice. After then, he can now take that big leap of swimming with the global giants.
But if he takes that barca plunge now…..i give him another 2 to 3 seasons and he’ll be worse off than where he is now.
I’ve seen this type of movie many times and the end is always the same. Iheanacho’s case is a nice case-study
I will argue no further on this issue…..even if anyone says 1 + 1 = 17…..na sidon look we go dey dey watch as things pan out…..but while not trying to be larger than life, i think most of what i predict on this forum usually always pans out as similarly as forseen.
Villarreal and Nigeria youngster Samuel Chukwueze is reportedly a prime target for Premier League clubs, including Manchester City and Liverpool.
Both clubs had a wonderful season but it was the Citizens who won the Premier League title following their 4-1 victory over Leon Balogun’s Brighton and Hove Albion on Sunday.
Though Pep Guardiola already has a strong team and a group of players with wonderful individual talents, the former Barcelona boss is said to be monitoring Chukwueze with the hope of launching a bid for his signature this summer.
Chukwueze will be happy with the rumors considering that City are one of the best clubs in Europe and he will also get the chance to play alongside top stars such as Raheem Sterling and Sergio Aguero.
However, the 19-year-old needs to consider some conditions before making any decision as regards to his future.
He must weigh his chances of featuring regularly for the Citizens as there are many established stars ahead of him.
He must learn from Riyad Mahrez’s present situation at the Etihad Stadium. The Algerian found game-time too hard to get throughout the season despite his obvious qualities.
The former Leicester City skillful winger only managed just 14 starts from 38 league games this season.
Raheem Sterling, Bernardo Silva, and Kevin De Bruyne were all rated above him due to their electrifying display all through the campaign.
Chukwueze is in the early stage of his career and regular first-team action is extremely important to his development. He shouldn’t trade that for anything as he might regret doing so in the future.
A move to City sounds good but it is not the best option for his development due to intense competition among the players.
.
I don’t know ,but there is always two sides to a story;
When did competition become a bad thing?
Life itself is about competition.
The best is born in competition.
Competition is always allowed .
I don’t see Riyad Mayrez complaining; he still had 19 starts (and this is a guy who came in January),in a star studded squad,and still manage to get some playing time; even started the last game of the season, one of the most important games ;and won the league title..that tells a lot..
That means;
1. his quality is respected and he improved in status.
2. He is definitely getting chances.
So I see same for Chukwueze..
He is going to one of the best teams in the world,coached by ;arguably one of the best coach in the world,and to train along side quality like him,(even better);
That can only improve his game.
And that is development.
I still understand everyone’s worry. I share the same.
But worrying,fear has helped no one..
And talking about the past fails of others,doesn’t mean tomorrow would be the same.
For every fail,there is a success.
It is just where your mind is and where you are looking from or at,that matters..
So if the chance for a big time comes for Samuel, I think he has enough quality to take the leap..
It is about time, a Nigerian take the risk and put a name to that horse…
But what do I know,
Just my opinion