AC Milan may well be in the market for a wing-back as Zachary Athekame closes in on a loan move away, and a Genoa star has been offered.
Rather surprisingly, the news broke on Sunday night that Athekame is expected to spend the season with Paulo Fonseca’s Lyon. The clubs have agreed on a dry loan deal – one with no option or obligation to make the move permanent – and now a replacement could be sought.
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It didn’t take long for names to be linked: Sky claimed later in the evening that Zakaria El Ouahdi is a target, a 24-year-old who is currently playing at Genk where he racked up eight goals in the 2025-26 league season.
Genoa defender offered
However, Nicolo Schira has also put forward a name. He reports that Brooke Norton-Cuffy wants to leave Genoa in the final few weeks of the window. Some Serie A and Premier League Clubs have shown interest in the right-back.
The English defender ‘has been offered to Milan by an intermediary in the last hours’, Schira adds. There are reflections underway among the management regarding whether he is the right profile, but he can certainly play the wing-back role.
Last season, the 22-year-old amassed 27 appearances in Serie A for the Rossoblu, with two goals and one assist to his name. He was linked with a move to the Rossoneri during the January mercato, so it is possible that he could be of interest again.
One thing is for sure, he wouldn’t occupy that (second) non-eu slot.
El Ouahdi is better I would rather see him.
He could be better than Salamaekers but not Brooke tho. My opinion also its easier to find eu players than non eu players so if it’s him it’s him (El Ouahdi)
Fair enough.