Serie A side Milan went home content with a 1-1 draw in Turin against Juventus. The biggest takeaway from the game came from young Alphadjo Cisse, who sparkled once again.
In a lot of ways, the talentโs incoming at the Rossoneri went rather under-the-radar. He had come through the Hellas Verona youth academy, having featured four times in the Serie A during the 2024/25 campaign.
His talent during his early years at the Gialloblu was clear to see. For the Primavera, he scored 22 times in 67 games, featuring regularly for two seasons.
Soon, the teenager sparkled at Catanzaro in a loan at Serie B last season, scoring five times in the first half of the campaign. He took defences apart with his burst of pace and acceleration and this convinced Milan enough to sign him at the end of the winter transfer window.
The deal went through on the 2nd of February and few paid attention, as he returned to the Serie B side for the second half of the season.
Some weeks down the line, Cisse became a key figure in Catanzaroโs promotion push under Alberto Aquilani. While they fell short, it was clear he was destined for bigger things.
Over the summer, he was part of the pre-season squad but there were doubts whether he will play a part in the Ruben Amorim project. Serie A sides โ like Torino, were interested. Considerations were being met until Cisse caught fire in pre-season games, scoring against Manchester United.
This perhaps became a key point, as it convinced Amorim into keeping him, especially as Rafael Leao was on his way out anyway.
Milan did sign Omari Hutchinson but before the Englishman plays, it is Cisse who has stolen the spotlight.ย
In a way, he does have big shows to fill, with Leao gone to Galatasaray. But the way things are going and Amorimโs trust, things will get better soon.
The 19-year-old has also done enough to possibly play for Italy. The Azzurri are undergoing a significant change and the UEFA Nations League allows them a chance to take a bet on the teenager.
Kaustubh Pandey โ GIFN
