There are strong indications that Spanish Laliga giants, Villarreal are preparing for life next season without their Nigerian import after the club moved to raid NK Istra 1961 for Samuel Chukwueze’s heir.

Ramirasportainment.com reported that the young winger is no longer at ease with Unai Emery’s rotational system which saw him featured for 640 minutes this season.

His agent is also seeking an escape route for the player who returned from a long layoff in October.

Although Emery has continued to defend his decisions and maintains that the Nigerian is part of his plans for next season, he has finally ordered the club’s scouts to find a good replacement should Samu insist on packing his kitbag and head for the exit door.

Already, club director, Miguel Angel Tena has confirmed that he has strong candidates to replace the Super Eagles winger who is currently going through a blip in form, pointing out that the 23-year old Burkina Faso and NK Istra 1961 youngster, Hassane Bande have been pencilled down to fill the void next summer.

Chukwueze struggled to make any appreciable impact at the just concluded Africa Cup of Nations in Cameroon where he scored one goal in Super Eagles 3-1 win over Sudan.

The former junior international joined Villarreal from Diamond Football Academy in 2017 and spent a year with The Yellow Submarine youth side before breaking into the senior team in the 2018-19 season.

English Premier League sides top the long lists of suitors jostling for his signature before he was injured during the Europa Cup clash against Arsenal at the Emirates last year.