Super Eagles: What Milan’s new system means for Samuel Chukwueze

Super Eagles winger Samuel Chukwueze has spent the opening weeks of the 2026/27 season learning an unfamiliar role at AC Milan, Afrik-Foot reports.

The 27-year-old arrived at Milan after a difficult first spell and a loan season at Fulham, with Amorim immediately handing him a radically different responsibility.

Instead of using the Nigerian as a conventional winger, the Portuguese coach deployed him as the right wing-back in his preferred 3-4-2-1 formation.

Chukwueze admitted during pre-season that it was a position he had never played before, but said he was willing to adapt because he trusted Amorim, and that experiment continued when the season kicked off.

Chukwueze was more than a winger in Amorim’s first system

Against Torino on the opening day, Chukwueze started as the right wing-back in a 3-4-2-1 alongside Pervis Estupiñán on the opposite flank.

While also performing his defensive duties, Chukwueze still had freedom to attack, delivering the cross from which Adrien Rabiot scored Milan’s second goal, and nothing changed against Venezia.

The pattern continued against Juventus. Chukwueze started the game on the bench as Amorim opted for Diego Moreira on the left, but he entered in the 61st minute. His introduction gave Milan greater attacking impetus, and he supplied the cross for Alphadjo Cissé to put the Rossoneri ahead.

At Lazio, he returned to the starting XI at right wing-back and played the entire match. The role once again demanded that he contribute at both ends, and his defensive responsibility was evident when Lazio exploited the space behind him for their second goal after he had pressed higher up the pitch.

Even in the Europa League defeat to Benfica, there was no tactical retreat from the experiment.

Chukwueze started as one of Milan’s two wing-backs in the 3-4-2-1, alongside Davide Bartesaghi.

In other words, before the Lecce match, Chukwueze had played the same role through every competitive appearance for Milan: a right wing-back expected to provide width, attack and defend.

Lecce changed what Amorim asked Samuel Chukwueze to do

That is what makes the adjustment against Lecce so interesting. Milan officially lined up in a 3-4-2-1 again, with Chukwueze named as the right wing-back. On paper, therefore, little appeared to have changed.

But in possession, Amorim introduced a significant variation. Instead of leaving Chukwueze responsible for the entire right flank, Mario Gila shifted towards right-back, effectively giving Milan a back-four structure behind the ball while allowing the Nigerian to push further forward.

The move was a deliberate attempt to give Chukwueze more defensive cover and “freedom” to express his attacking qualities. Koni De Winter also confirmed the thinking behind the adjustment.

“We started with four at the back to make Chukwueze a little more offensive. It went well, we controlled the game, and we won,” he said.

That is significant for Chukwueze. For the first four league games, his starting position was deeper because Amorim needed him to perform the complete wing-back role.

Against Lecce, Milan effectively used the structure to protect that defensive responsibility and allow the Nigerian to spend more time in attacking areas.

The result was a more natural environment for a player whose greatest qualities remain his acceleration, dribbling and ability to attack defenders.

What the adjustment could mean for the Super Eagles star

Amorim’s decision is also consistent with what the Milan coach has said about his tactical evolution.

After the Lecce victory, Amorim explained that he did not want to repeat the rigidity that characterised his Manchester United spell, stressing that Milan must adapt when the players’ characteristics demand it.

That could be particularly important for Chukwueze. Rather than forcing the Super Eagles star to become a traditional wing-back, Amorim appears to be finding ways to build the structure around his strengths.

The 27-year-old has already shown he can contribute from the deeper position. He has two assists in five Serie A appearances this season, while Milan remain unbeaten in the league this season.

The Lecce experiment now raises an intriguing possibility. Chukwueze may not need to abandon the wing-back role to become more effective.

Instead, Milan may have found a way to keep the tactical advantages of using him on the flank while giving him enough protection to behave more like the attacking winger who made his name at Villarreal.