‘I would have preferred to have had Chukwueze earlier’ — Fulham boss opens up on only regret with Super Eagles star

Marco Silva has opened up on the one thing he wishes had gone differently with Samuel Chukwueze’s arrival at Fulham.

The Portuguese manager admits the Super Eagles winger would likely have been a key starter much earlier if he had joined before the end of pre-season.

Fulham manager Marco Silva has revealed his disappointment that Samuel Chukwueze was unable to join the club early enough in the summer, a delay he believes slowed the winger’s adaptation process.

Chukwueze arrived from AC Milan on transfer deadline day, meaning he missed the entire pre-season period and began his Fulham career playing catch-up.

For weeks, his appearances were restricted to late cameos from the bench, and Silva openly noted that the lack of early integration affected how quickly he settled into the team’s rhythm.

But once the Nigerian international found his feet, the transformation was clear. His standout moment came in Fulham’s 1–0 win over Sunderland two weeks ago, before another impressive display that included an assist in the 2–1 win at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.

Reflecting on the winger’s recent surge in form, Silva said, “Very happy with him [Chukwueze], it was a matter of time, we need him in his best level, performance-wise and physically. He had a very good impact in the game. I’m very pleased for him. I would have preferred to have had Chukwueze earlier, in pre-season.”

Chukwueze continued to prove Silva right with yet another electrifying display, this time in Fulham’s dramatic 5–4 loss to Manchester City.

The match will be remembered for Erling Haaland becoming the fastest player ever to reach 100 Premier League goals, but for Fulham fans, it also served as further evidence of Chukwueze’s growing importance.

Fulham found themselves 5–1 down after goals from Haaland, Tijjani Reijnders, Phil Foden, and a Sander Berge own goal left them staring at humiliation, but the introduction of Chukwueze transformed the momentum of the contest.

Alex Iwobi first pulled a goal back before Chukwueze sparked a near-comeback with two brilliant strikes. His first goal came in the 72nd minute after capitalising on a mistake from Bernardo Silva, rifling in his first-ever Fulham goal with a sensational finish.

Moments later, he added a second with a composed low drive to make it 5–4, dragging Fulham back into contention and sending the home crowd into a frenzy. Despite the late pressure, Manchester City held on, but the impact of Chukwueze, combined with Iwobi’s lively performance, was undeniable.