Villarreal of Spain winger, Samuel Chukwueze has received strong signals of a possible move to his club’s Spanish LaLiga rivals, Atletico Madrid, sequel to reported interest from the head coach at Los Rojiblancos, Diego Simeone is interested in hooking him this summer.
Although Chukwueze has not enjoyed the same kind of spark he displayed during his maiden campaign with The Yellow Submarine, megasportsarena.com gathered that he appears to have done just enough to convince Simeone to extend Atletico’s dragnet in his direction.
Consequently, information on offer out of Spain indicates that top shots at the Madrid-based side have targeted Chukwueze among the lads they believe can reinforce their squad in the summer transfer window.
Spanish transfer market website, Fichajes and Mundo Deportivo added that Simeone believes Chukwueze can fit into his plans for next season, but he will have to move very fast, as the Chile 2015 FIFA U-17 World Cup gold medalist is also on the radar of Liverpool, Chelsea and Arsenal of England, as well as Atletico’s local rivals, Real Madrid .
A major caveat in the race, though, is that any club that is serious about signing Chukwueze will have to pay up his release clause, which Villarreal have fixed at €100m in his current contract, as they try to hold onto the youngster, who has scored three goals and provided four assists this season.
Atletico could, however, make a spirited push to snatch the 21-year-old 2019 Africa Cup of Nations bronze medalist, as they are reportedly in the market for a winger in LaLiga, sequel to the inability of Thomas Lemar to live up to expectation after his highly-celebrated arrival from AS Monaco of France in the summer of 2018.
All attention is now focused on Chukwueze, who has 58 games under his boots in the Spanish top-flight, with eight goals and six assists to boot, even as Liverpool earlier had a €35m bid for him rejected by Villarreal in the January transfer window.
Mundo Deportivo adds that Simeone started expressing interest in Chukwueze after the product of Diamond Football Academy of Umuahia broke into Villarreal’s first team last season and was voted the club’s best young player of the year.
It is now left to be seen after the Argentine legend will be able to snatch the youngster from Villarreal, as the lad’s current deal with The Yellow Submarine runs until the summer of 2023, having signed a professional contract with the modest club in 2018.
Nonetheless, with speculation rolling round him in a multiple of dimensions, Chukwueze will for now put all transfer thoughts aside, as he concentrates on this weekend’s LaLiga fixture against Barcelona, and he would surely aim for a solid show at El Madrigal Stadium on Sunday; even as he equally tries to boost his team’s push for a UEFA Champions League spot.
Sowunmi kehinde@Sowunmikehinde1