UEFA regulations will prevent Villarreal, La Liga from re-signing Super Eagles striker Samuel Chukwueze on loan a few months after he left the club, prior to the January transfer window.
After lengthy negotiations between both teams, the Nigerian international joined Serie A powerhouse AC Milan from Villarreal last summer.
Villarreal requested €35 million, but the negotiations were drawn out, and in the end, they agreed to accept €20 million plus an additional €8 million in add-ons from the Italian powerhouses.
Read Also:UEL: Chukwueze’s AC Milan To Face Stade Rennes
Chukwueze was predicted to dominate the Italian league after his stellar 2022–2023 season, in which he helped Villarreal score 13 goals and record 11 assists.
The 24-year-old, who has only scored two goals in 17 games, has struggled to duplicate the form that got him the transfer to San Siro despite flashes of brilliance.
The Yellow Submarine have been having trouble in the Spanish top division since Chukwueze left the Estadi de la Ceràmica, and they are now ranked 13th on the log.
Marcelino, the manager, is eager to bolster the team in January, and although Chukwueze has surfaced as his top target, a UEFA rule keeps the Nigerian from rejoining the Spanish team.
“Villarreal needs to strengthen its team in this winter market, an option that currently focuses on signing a central defender and an unbalanced right winger.
” The club is working on market possibilities, with both positions being priorities for Marcelino.
“In the case of the right winger, one of the possibilities could have been the return of the Nigerian Samu Chukwueze, since he knows the house perfectly, adding that it would be an immediate performance reinforcement,” as.com wrote.
“But that possibility has been ruled out from the first moment since the player cannot return on loan to the team he left before his contract expired.
” It should be remembered that Villarreal transferred Chukwueze this summer to Milan for around €28m, leaving the player with one more year on his contract.
“For this reason, UEFA considers that the winger has two federative licenses this season: that of Milan and that of Villarreal.”