Will Samuel Chukwueze Pave the Way for More Nigerians in La Liga?

There are currently five Nigerian footballers playing in La Liga, and a small total of only thirty-five having played there in the league’s history. The Spanish top flight hasn’t usually been a hotbed for players from the African country, but this could be changing thanks to the fact that La Liga and the Nigerian Professional Football League struck a partnership deal in 2016. One of the standout stars in La Liga right now is Samuel Chukwueze, and the young winger could act as a trailblazer to help other Nigerians follow in his footsteps.

Chukwueze is, without a doubt, one of the hottest young talents in Spain right now. The Umuahia-born winger joined Villarreal in 2017 and has made over 37 league appearances for the club since then. In that time, he has bagged seven goals from the flanks and was named the 2018 Young Player of the Year by the Nigeria Football Federation. He has also been called up for the national team in the same timeframe, and has made 11 appearances for the Super Eagles to date.

His electric speed and trickery from the edge of the attack has led Chukwueze to earn comparisons with Arjen Robben. The Bayern Munich star who was famous for his devastating left foot and long range shots was regarded as one of the best players in the world during his prime. He was sought after by the world’s top clubs and spent time at Chelsea and Real Madrid before moving to Germany. Being mentioned in the same breath as Robben will have given Chukwueze the confidence to aspire to greatness.

Since joining Villarreal, Chukwueze has made a big impact. The 20-year-old is a regular in Javier Calleja’s squad, who are looking to improve on their 14th-place finish in the 2018-19 campaign. The Yellow Submarine made a good start to the 2019-20 season, and after 12 games are in eighth-place on 18 points. As of 8th November, they can be found at 5/1 in the La Liga betting to finish in the top four. This would be a major step up from last term.

Chukwueze has impressed so much during his short time in Spain that top clubs across Europe have reportedly shown interest in the player. Liverpool were one of the biggest outfits to have expressed a desire to sign the Nigerian, and this led Villarreal to offer the player a more lucrative contract to stay at the club earlier in the year. There is now a whopping €100 million release clause should anyone want to snatch Chukwueze up.

The fact that Chukwueze began his career playing at the Diamond Football Academy in Nigeria should give hope to up-and-coming footballers in the country. The La Liga deal with the NPFL means that there will be continued scouting in the country as Spanish clubs search for hot prospects. The success of Chukwueze could lead to an influx of Nigerian players moving to the Spanish top flight and rising to the top of the game.