Samuel Chukwueze has spoken about his adaptation to a wing-back role under Ruben Amorim, describing it as a chance he cannot afford to waste after the friendly win over Manchester United in Wroclaw.
The Nigerian was among Milan's best performers on the night, capping his display with a late run into the box to get on the scoresheet. The position itself is new territory for a player who has spent his career operating higher and wider, and Amorim's system is asking him to start from deeper.
Speaking to La Gazzetta dello Sport after the game, Chukwueze framed his current form as one of his happiest spells since arriving. "Of course, I'm very happy. It was a good test for the team, to prepare for the season. We did everything perfectly," he said, before turning attention to the Serie A opener against Torino.
Asked about his relationship with the coach, Chukwueze pointed to the trust that has come with the new brief. "Yes, he's a good coach. He trusts me, so he gave me an opportunity. Now it's up to me to seize it. He simply gave me faith, and I think I have to take advantage of it. I can't waste this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity, returning to Milan after my loan."
He was candid about the difficulty of the switch. "It's a position I have to adapt to because I've never played in this position in my career," he said. "As a footballer, if a coach wants you to play in this position, you have to do it by believing in yourself and in the coach, because he knows what he wants. I know it's a difficult task, but I believe in myself. I know I can do it, that I can do anything."
The daily coaching is part of that process, with Chukwueze describing the corrections that come during sessions. "Every time I make a mistake, he tells me, 'Oh, Chukwueze, this is what you have to do.' So I think I'll improve before the season starts."
On the man leading the line, he had warm words for Gonçalo Ramos. "I think he's a fantastic striker, someone you want to play with. He knows when to come forward, he's good in the air, and he attacks deep behind defenders." On what Ramos said to him after the assist, he kept it short: "It's between me and him."
The wing-back experiment has been one of the more intriguing threads of Amorim's summer, and Chukwueze's willingness to reinvent himself there gives the coach a genuine attacking option down the flank. Whether it holds up over a Serie A season is the question Torino will start to answer.