Former AC Milan technical director Paolo Maldini has called the Rossoneri’s €30 million spend on Samuel Chukwueze a waste of money.
Chukwueze joined Milan from Villarreal in a five-year agreement that made the Nigerian the club’s most expensive summer signing.
Maldini, who revealed his departure from Milan on June 5, reminisced on his time as a director at the club in an interview with Italian daily La Repubblica on Friday, saying the 24-year-old has failed to justify his massive transfer fee.
The Nigerian international scored 13 goals and assisted 11 times for Villarreal last season, but he has only one goal and an assist in 12 outings for AC Milan.
Theo Hernandez, Rafael Leao, Mike Maignan, and Fikayo Tomori were among the main players brought in by the Rossoneri legend during his tenure.
At the 2022 Globe Soccer Awards, he and his collaborator, Frederic Massara, were named Sporting Directors of the Year.
“There was no need to sign Loftus-Cheek, Pulisic, and Chukwueze,” Maldini said.
“You cannot compare the previous four transfer windows to the last one. Milan had different quality options, unlike this summer.
“I would like to point out that all the players who arrived were approved by me; nothing or no one was ever imposed on me, also because I would’ve left the next day.
“The signing of Zlatan, in his time, required several meetings.”
Chukwueze is poised to preserve his starting spot for Milan against Frosinone on Saturday.
