Ikechukwu Uche has told Villarreal forward and fellow Nigerian Samuel Chukwueze to treat growing transfer speculation as a compliment and continue to develop at his former club.
19-year-old Chukwueze is enjoying a breakthrough season, scoring in the Spanish La Liga, Europa League and Spanish Cup.
Chukwueze’s form has caught the attention of clubs across Europe, but Uche – who is highly revered at Villarreal – believes the teenager’s interest will be best served by staying.
“Chukwueze is doing well at Villarreal so it’s only normal to have growing speculation about his future in the media, but he is in a good place,” Uche told BBC Sport.
“He should treat all this attention as a compliment and continue to grow because his impressive rise from the reserves to the first team is still fresh.
“Villarreal is a good club, he is being taken care of and he’s surrounded by quality players that will help him grow.
“The people there are dedicated to protecting and improving him, so there is no pressure on him.”