Nigeria winger, Samuel Chukwueze has revealed that arriving late for pre-season training hindered his chances of establishing himself at AC Milan during his first season with the club, Nigeriasoccernet.com reports.
The 25 year-old joined the Rossoneri from Villarreal last summer but struggled to break into the starting lineup, making only 26 league appearances and scoring just once.
The winger admitted that his late arrival in July put him at a disadvantage, making it difficult to convince former manager Stefano Pioli to select him ahead of Rafael Leao and Christian Pulisic.
“I arrived late, at the end of July. It was a bit difficult to convince him (Pioli); the player in my position was scoring goals,” Chukwueze
Despite the challenges, Chukwueze praised Pioli, saying: "I had a good relationship with him; he's a fantastic guy and a great coach."
The former Villarreal forward has been impressive in preseason, scoring ones and pricing two assists for the Serie A giants.
By Olujimi Dare Ogun