Former AC Milan technical director Paolo Maldini has criticized the club’s summer transfer spending, labeling the €30m spent on Nigerian forward Samuel Chukwueze as a “waste of money.”
Chukwueze joined Milan from Villarreal in a five-year deal last summer, becoming the club’s most expensive signing. However, the 24-year-old has struggled to justify his price tag, scoring just one goal and providing one assist in 12 games for Milan.
In an interview with Italian daily La Repubblica, Maldini said: “There was no need to sign Chukwueze. You cannot compare the previous four transfer windows to the last one. Milan had different quality options unlike this summer.”
Maldini also criticized the signings of Ruben Loftus-Cheek and Christian Pulisic, saying: “There was no need to sign Loftus-Cheek or Pulisic. We had different options.”
Despite his criticism, Maldini defended his record as technical director, saying: “I would like to point out that all the players who arrived were approved by me. Nothing or no-one was ever imposed on me, also because I would’ve left the next day. The signing of Zlatan, in his time, required several meetings.”
Maldini’s comments come as Milan prepares to face Frosinone in Serie A on Saturday. Chukwueze is expected to start in the match, but his future at the club remains uncertain.
