We aim to pick out players and cut through the noise to give analytical, objective insight with the latest focus on Villarreal's Samuel Chukwueze, a reported Arsenal target.
- Age: 23
- Position: Wide forward
- Club: Villareal
- Country: Nigeria
Villarreal's Samuel Chukwueze has become a different beast under the management of Quique Setien this season.
After previously struggling for game time under Unai Emery, he has become an established part of Setien's team.
Chukwueze started just two games under Emery in the early half of the season, but has only failed to start one league game since gameweek 11, which is when Setien took over.
In all competitions, the Nigeria international has 13 goals and 11 assists in total, and with numbers like that, he is doing well to quash any concerns about his final product as an attacker.
As a wide forward, Chukwueze nominally starts on the right, and attacks the opposition half-spaces with his direct style of play. He favours his left foot and uses his incredible 1v1 ability to get past defenders to get shots away or find his team-mates in the box with cutbacks.
In fact, with 37 passes into the penalty area this season, Chukwueze has picked out team-mates in the box more often than any Villarreal player this term.
Chukwueze's pace on the ball can be blinding quick for defenders at times, as evidenced by one of his most recent finishes against Real Madrid in a comeback 3-2 victory. He is adept at shuffling the ball one side and then quickly switching to the other to leave defenders behind.
To underline that skill of his even further, Chukwueze has accumulated 71 successful take-ons this seasons, which ranks him as high as sixth amongst players across the Top Five European leagues. He is exciting to watch and a true delight for the Villarreal faithful.
Setien has managed to give Chukwueze the space to show his best, within a possession-based system, and the effects have only been a huge positive so far.
Approaching the peak years of his career, Chukwueze's trajectory as a player seems to be on the up and it is therefore no surprise that other elite sides across Europe are taking note, amongst those are Arsenal and Liverpool.
Chukwueze would be a hugely valuable addition to the squads of both clubs, but at Arsenal, he could potentially be an excellent second-choice to the likes of Gabriel Martinelli and Bukayo Saka on the flanks.
With his contract expiring in 2024, Villarreal will need to decide quickly whether they wish to cash in on their prized asset or risk losing him on a free to bigger fish.
