Rafael Leao backs 'more confident' Samuel Chukwueze for big season at AC Milan

Chukwueze was signed by Milan at the beginning of last season in a transfer deal valued at 20 million euro, with an additional 8 million euro available in potential add-ons from Villareal, where he had made over 207 appearances - a lot of high-level experience for a 25-year-old.

It was his last season in Spain in which he scored 13 goals and made 11 assists that prompted Milan to bring him to Italy at the beginning of last season with high expectations but things did not go as planned for the Super Eagles attacker in Italy, who could not establish himself in the starting lineup and ended up with one goal from 24 starts.

He even received criticism from outspoken former manager Stefan Pioli.

However, that has not seemed to dampen his spirits if judged by his pre-season form in which he made two assists in Milan's 3-2 victory over Manchester City last Saturday and followed it up by scoring the decisive goal in the team's 1-0 win over Real Madrid on Wednesday.

There is plenty of competition in the attacking department at the Rossonerri with Luka Jovic, Noah Okafor, Leao and Christian Pulisic now joined by the newly-signed Alvaro Morata.

Leao, who is also 25, appears to be a keen admirer of Chukwueze and says that he sees a more confident 'Chuk' in pre-season and is happy to see him playing to his potential.

"When you don't play a lot, it becomes difficult to show what you can do but, from what I've seen, Chuk has more confidence, he wants to have the ball and make a difference," Leao said of Chukwueze.

"That's what I was waiting for. If he continues like this, he'll have a great season." 

READ MORE: Paris Saint-Germain loan Xavi Simons to RB Leipzig for another season