Yunus Musah headed to Atalanta on loan for the season, but his time in Bergamo is not exactly going according to plan.
As Calciomercato.com recall, the deal agreed between Milan and Atalanta was a €4m loan with €25m option to buy. Yet, Musah is struggling to find playing time, after a positive first few games under Ivan Juric who has since been sacked.
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The managerial change has meant that the USA international has subsequently found fewer and fewer opportunities since Raffaele Palladino took over. He played 21 minutes in the Champions League match against Eintracht Frankfurt, but that’s all.
This lack of opportunity risks being a double-edged sword, both for Milan – who are hoping for the €25m – and for the player in a year that will lead up to the 2026 World Cup, with the USA as a host country.
Past, present and future
Musah has played six league games (145 minutes in total, 90 of which were for Milan against Lecce), four in the Champions League (148 minutes, one assist), and once in the Coppa Italia (24 minutes, for Milan). Excluding the 114 minutes he played under Allegri, he has only played 200 minutes this season.
The competition and versatility of players like De Roon, Pasalic, Ederson, De Ketelaere, Zappacosta, Zalewski, Sulemana, Lookman and Samardzic in his roles explain the reasons for his limited use in Bergamo.
Musah wants to do everything he can to get back into the squad under USA head coach Mauricio Pochettino, who hasn’t called him up since March. He last appeared for the stars and stripes in the third-place play-off lost to Canada in the CONCACAF Nations League.
Musah’s thoughts are firmly on earning a place in Palladino’s team . The presence of a new coach -following Juric’s departure – could be considered a positive factor. Clearly, if his playing time continues to be so low, the American midfielder will have to reflect.
As it stands, the idea of returning to Milan in January to stay can be ruled out. Could his loan be cut short to join another side, like Napoli? The Partenopei still looking for a midfielder, but the regulations state he cannot play for a third Italian club this season (after Milan and Atalanta).
So, the only potential option would be a move abroad, and despite previous links with Premier League clubs there seems to be nothing to suggest that teams are lining up to get Musah out of Bergamo.
shocker… no one expected this with the raw talent Musah has
That’s weird, I thought he was very talented and that Atalanta’s system will suit him very well and the great aspects of his game.
*Pretends to be shocked*
People were actually saying that he would thrive in Napoli under Conte, no one ever said anything about thriving in Atalanta and their system especially after Atalanta lost their system which was Gasperini. Atalanta is 12th on the table, on their 3rd coach in 6 months and are a mess. Literally no player is thriving in Atalanta this season.
No player is thriving and yet Musah is getting less and less playtime.
Atalanta uses a system which requires wingbacks and according to many here, Musah is a good right wingback.
I’m actually quite baffled by the amount of excuses Musah is getting. Players who have been way better and way more efficient than him are getting bashed while for him there is still this hope and patience that are demanded.
You don’t like Musah. Just say that. Its OK. You don’t have to make up stuff.
As I said, no one said that he would thrive in Atalanta’s system. That was about Napoli under Conte.
Some think that he can cover the wingback position, no one thinks that he is a good wingback as you said.
Atalanta has Zappacosta and Bellanova as their right wingbacks. Are they supposed to bench their real wingbacks to play Musah in that position?
These are not excuses but common sense.
Atalanta wanted him, but neither Jurić nor Palladino gave him more than few minutes per game. Jurić was the coach of Atalanta during the summer but didn’t find him to be useful for just more than few minutes at the end of each game. If that doesn’t look like a blunder, I don’t know what a blunder is.
Musah hasn’t scored a single goal for more than 3 years now, is a bench player for almost every coach now, hasn’t been called by the US team since March, was subbed TWICE during first halves due to poor performances. His passing is bad, his decision making is bad, but somehow I’m the one who “just doesn’t like him”.
But sure go ahead, make a case for him. Please enlighten me on the greatness of Yunus Musah and why he’s such an underappreciated player.
Again.
You are moving the goal post.
This is not a case about if Musah is a good player or not but about you saying things that are not true and no one has said.
But let’s address some of your new arguments.
Musah signed with Atalanta on the last day of the mercato. Even if it was juric that wanted him, he wasn’t with juric during the summer. So he was behind everyone when he signed because he missed the preseason and is already behind Ederson, de roon, pasalic, Samardzic, brescianini in the midfield pecking order. Also, behind Zappacosta and Bellanova in the wingback role, if we go by your narrative that someone, no one, said that he would fit in that position in Atalanta’s system.
If you don’t think musah is a good player why would you think that he would overtake all those players ahead of him without preseason with his new team?
Then juric gets fired.
Samardzic would walk into Milan starting 11 and he also barely plays for Atalanta.
Musah has actually played more minutes than Brescianini this season for Atalanta. Atalanta are a mess and Musah is a player on loan with option there.
No one is saying that he is some good player, but in the situation Milan is in and them not wanting to spend money in January, Musah can be useful at Milan.
“but in the situation Milan is in and them not wanting to spend money in January, Musah can be useful at Milan.”
We also have Athekame who will probably recover by January and we purchased this new kid Juan Arizala, who according to reports, can play in either flank (but don’t quote me on this, I know nothing about him). That’s 3 right wingbacks for a team who just plays in serie A.
I think a useful player is a player who can pass accurately, shoot accurately and doesn’t attempt stup!d dribbles. None of this describes Musah.
Arizala is a player signed for Futuro. Be realistic. Maybe if he shows something he might see the first team training until the end of season, maybe.
That’s because you are clueless about football and talent. Most coaches with the exception of Fonseca primarily used Musah as a CM and not as a RWB.
He’s ONLY 23 years old with a lot of room for growth but without consistency in a role that is best suited for him he will not develop as a player.
Pocchettino sucks and if the US wasn’t a host nation for the WC they wouldn’t have qualified.
He showed his talent against Real Madrid playing as RWB and against Juventus in the Super Coppa Italia. He needs consistency and someone to show faith in him but they must play him as a RWB.
You keep insisting how good of a RWB he is, but somehow every coach, including Fonseca didn’t keep using him as such.
In order to be a good RWB a player has to be a good passer in general and a good crosser in particular. Musah is neither.
He has one (1) good game with us, and it was against Real Madrid. Against Juve in supercoppa he was brought in as a sub and the whole game wasn’t good anyways.
So far, aside from a promise of a “potential”, this kid has shown nothing aside from being an athlete. Having room to growth doesn’t mean this growth is going to happen.
Milan needs a backup for Saelemaekers. Bring Musah back.
Nah we good.
Yeah, ok.
Lets hope Saelemaekers doesn’t suffer any injuries which will force him to sit out out games and find out how good actually we are
Bring Jimenez back!
Agreed
Cut the loan short and then loan him to either Parma or Pisa or some other team where he should be able to get some minutes, Then sell him in the summer for whatever we can attain.
And a BIG no, he should not be a backup for Saelemaekers or any other player in the team.
You should try reading the articles before going straight to the comments section.
I do on a regular basis so how about you cram it but I’m just suggesting that those level type of clubs are of his level and he should be guaranteed some minutes there but sure he cant play for 3 Italian clubs in one season so fine loan him to Mainz 05 smartass.
Martin, this “person” is a joke. I wouldn’t be too bothered with what it says.
I’m not too bothered either even though my response probably was a bit to rude in its essence.
I think it wasn’t rude enough. Don’t go soft on him. 😀
😀
You should remind people how Nkunku is better than Leao and Pulisic. 🙂 I think some of them forgot.
“When Pulisic can have a 35 goals and 20 assists season let me know.
When Pulisic can win player of the year in a league come and let me know.
When Pulisic can be a too scorer in the league come and let me know.
I didn’t say that he is the best player in history, just that he is better than Pulisic.
You are criticizing Nkunku for being a flop at Chelsea while you glorify Pulisic who was also a flop at Chelsea.
Outside of Chelsea Nkunku career much better than Pulisic.
It ain’t even close.”
What?
😂😂😂
Pulisic has never had a 35 goals and 20 assists season. Fact.
Pulisic has never won player of the year in a league award. Fact.
Pulisic has never been a top scorer in a league. Fact.
Pulisic was a flop at Chelsea. Fact.
Outside of Chelsea Nkunku career was better than Pulisic. Fact.
They both played in the same league and Nkunku was much better than Pulisic.
All facts.
You’re so delusional you can’t even admit when you’re wrong. That is a 100% fact. Enjoy accepting it.
“Try these 2+2.
If you put Leao’s best season of his career combined with Pulisic best season of his career, together they might have a season as good as Nkunku in 21/22 when he had 35 goals and 20 assists.
35 goals and 20 assists in a top 5 league in Europe plus the champions league. Not farmers league.
All that talk about Pulisic can score 30 vs these farmers is just hypothetical wishful thinking, while Nkunku has already done it.”
Nkunku has been amazing, just like you predicted. I was completely wrong that he is useless. His goals from 3 years ago all count, he has been our best player like you said. “Healthy, he is Milan’s best player.” ???
I mean it is funny how stupid you are, you should laugh as that is the only thing you have left. Oh sh*t, I was right again, and again and again. Who’d know? I gave him 3.5 months do show he is a big nothing.
“Pulisic was a flop at Chelsea. Fact.”
No. That would be your opinion. Pulisic not only won a Champions League trophy with Chelsea, but did the work to qualify them for it the season prior. He was a rotation player, but had his share of starts for that title run and scored in the semis. Then they stole the team from the owner, the new owner bought WAY too many players in… and then the dumpster fire. Not Pulisic’s fault he couldn’t get minutes on that team and now we know what he’s capable of with the switch to Serie A.
Joe, he is now talking how good Pulisic is and how much better than Leao he is. He didn’t write a word about Nkunku for months. He just won’t admit he was obviously wrong. So you don’t need to convince him, he knows it but is a coward to say so. That is it.
“Raw talent” is such an excellent excuse for mediocrity. The player is so talented but nobody has been able to figure him out yet. He does not deliver on the pitch but we are like “yo man he good he good just be patient with him.” What even is he? A classic unsolved math problem that challenges many generations of mathematicians?
If its takes coaches this much time and efforts to figure this one player out, I will expect him to win 15 balon d’ors once he has been “figured out”. My man, what even is this B.S.?
Nuno Mendes is of the same age (2002) and has already been established. Many other players who were born in 2002 are already a developed product. 2002 is not even a young age in 2025, soon 2026. Let us get real here people.
Maybe some alien club will come to Earth to pick him up, and he can develop somewhere out there in the solar system.
It always seemed like fantasy that we would get 4m+25m
I was also surprised he went to Atalanta who have a very large squad.
We should have accepted one of the 20m bids that were on the table which was a great price for him. They got greedy
He’s prob worth 10m and value declining
Tare didn’t get greedy, he is incompetent for a job at AC Milan. That is it, he shouldn’t have been hired at all.
Imagine taking a team that ended 8th last season with enormous identity crisis, lacking a cohesion and spirit. And rebuilding it, with a coach he personally brought back, to a competitive team which is now 1st is nothing but a success.
You have a personal vendetta against him and are all but rational about it. You are trying to throw a shade on him on every post.
That’s opposite of incompetent, get your dictionary straight.
How, by leaving the same central defenders and making the 4th one worse? Or by leaving Saelemakers in the team and getting a bad backup for him? Or by getting Rabiot that Allegri asked for MONTHS in the last days of the window? Or by not getting the center forward Allegri asked for and bringing in Nkunku for 40M€? Or by dragging the negotiations for Jashari for 2 months and in the end paying what they asked? He personally brought back Allegri that literally was the main candidate since April last year? Him or Conte if Conte left Napoli? He was a candidate before Tare, how was Tare the one that got him? Incredible lie.
Allegri is the main reason why this team is first. Tare was so bad he has to play 5-3-2, he knew he can’t get better defenders, in fact it got worse so he can only play ultra defensive and pray. This is the rebuild? Where is the center forward Allegri asked? Tare is a clown, only Allegri and LUCK (of no injuries) are keeping Milan at the top.
Musah is a talented young player despite what everyone is saying. The problem isn’t Musah. The problem is the coaches he had at Milan.
Musah best position is a RWB and only Fonseca had the courage to play him there and against Real Madrid Musah showed his true talent and worth.
I don’t understand why every coach wants to play him in midfield. Musah needs to play as a RWB. Bring him back in January to cover for Salaemakers.
Milan should build its team around him then ?
I think he should change sport and start playing Bocce instead. Either way hope we will never see him in red and black again as he probably only have had a handful of good games in roughly 80 matches for the club.
Being good in one game doesn’t make a player good.
During that game against Real Madrid, even Emerson Royal was great.
“Musah is a talented young player despite what everyone is saying.” Those everyone include Fonseca, Conceição, Jurić, Palladino & Pocchettino who hasn’t called him since march.
It’s clear you don’t know football and you don’t know talent. Everyone keeps playing Musah in midfield when he is better as a RWB. Gasperini would got the best out of Musah.
Pocchetino sucks and if the USA was hosting the WC they wouldn’t have qualified under him.
Playing well against Real Madrid means something because they are 15 times UCL winners and he shut down Vini Jr. the entire game. He was also good against Juventus in the Super Coppa Italia game where he provided the assist from the RWB position.
Musah needs a coach to play him in RWB so he can develop there. He is ONLY 23 yrs old and still has a lot of room for growth and improvement.
Danish club Odense Boldklup also beat Real Madrid in Madrid in the 1990ies and thereby threw them out of the tournament but that doesn’t mean each and every player was class either. It was a fantastic team effort though.
Sounds like there is all the excuses in the world Musah failing instead of himself being the culprit. Guy is a great athlete but I’ve seen and played with kids that had a better understanding of the sport and also were more technically gifted than he will ever become.
Odense Boldklub
What did I say when this happened? Igli Tare the mo*on couldn’t sell Musah when he had multiple clubs interested. Mid to lower table Premier League clubs, Napoli, Atalanta, probably more. We got a loan with option and Musah will return to Milan with a lesser valuation than he had. Whose fault is it? Of course, not Tare, why would he be? He is a genius!
It seems that I’d actually do his job better with 0 experience. He is that bad. Imagine if we had a real sporting director that knows the role and has experience in a big club? We’d be 3-5 points clear at the top already, with Allegri and any SD that really knows what he is doing.
To be fair, it was Furlani who ruined the chance to sell him to Napoli after he demanded at least 30M€ from him.
We’ve got “rumors” about Nottingham, Napoli again,… but in the end only Atalanta materialized.
No, he didn’t. Why do you keep writing this fake story? Not true. Tare was the one that rejected the bid. My favorite story is how Tare had nothing to do with Musah and of course Nkunku signing. Those were Furlani? What? Stop writing complete nonsense. And of course if the player did good it was Tare. Lie. Lie.
Allegri actually wanted to keep him for some reason. It would be better if he stayed at Milan, Allegri would at least improve him. Now we got a player that isn’t playing and will lose value. Top deal, Igli Tare at it again.
Title should be: “CM – Milan Experiencing Musah Nightmare”
Milan STILL Experiencing Musah Nightmare – Will It Never End?
It was always going to be tough with Atalanta changing coach, Gasperini was like their Ferguson
It would not have been tough for a player that plays well. A player that plays well would get more and more playing time. The coaching change is not the problem. Musah’s lack of talent is the problem.
Musah was used by three different coaches in different positions interchangeably. He never had consistent minutes in any one position to solidify himself in. There is a potential there, but unfortunately there’s no time or luxury at Milan to wait for it to show.
Tare either needs to loan him out to a club where he can play or offload him completely at this point. He won’t be breaking into Milan’s midfield at any point anymore.
Wait until all the other loanees come back… SO much deadwood out there waiting to come home.
In my view, Musah declined considerably since joining Milan. He was very solid for the USMNT in the last World Cup, a mainstay in the midfield 3 who helped the US draw England. Since joining Milan, he’s become scattered, hyperactive and unfocused on the pitch. I’m sad for him.
Musah has no game intelligence. He reminds me of Origi. He just blindly runs towards the goal when he has the ball.