Villarreal teen sensation Samuel Chukwueze would have been playing for Arsenal if not for some issues which were not handled properly by his management team and that of the London based English Premier League outfit, Owngoalnigeria.com reports.
As reported by this portal in 2016, a year after the U17 World Youth Championship, Chukwueze and Kelechi Nwakali both agreed to join Arsenal when they turn 18 after their exploits at the FIFA Cadet championship.
However while Nwakali had a smooth transition from Diamond Academy to the Gunners, 16 year old Chukwueze couldn’t join the team officially as he wasn’t 18 back then.
Chukwueze was made to wait until he turns 18 but Arsenal pullled out of the deal when his representatives demanded an increase in the agreed transfer fee for the left footed ace a year before he is expected to join the team.
The Gunners agreed a deal reportedly worth £1.5m for Chukwueze with an extra £1m base on if he progress to the first team and the 16 year old also agreed personal terms after passing his medicals but Arsenal pulled out of the deal when they couldn’t reach an agreement on how to pay the agreed fee.
Arsenal wanted to pay 10% of the agreed sum but Diamond Academy requested for 40% upfront payment which infuriated Arsene Wenger as they have earlier agreed to collect the above mentioned percentage.
“We got a mail sometimes in April from Arsenal stating clearly their unwillingness to proceed with the deal due to reasons that we know had to do with poor conduct of those around the lad” a source told Owngoalnigeria.com in 2017.
Michael James
