Yunus Musah has reflected on his first season as an AC Milan player, while also speaking about his preferred role and the aims for the future.
Musah joined Milan last summer from Valencia and though he found starts hard to come by, he has gradually been given more playing time as the season went on, clearly earning a bit more trust from head coach Stefano Pioli.
At the age of 21 there is no doubting that he has the potential to grow into a very promising player, and it must also be considered that he has played in various different roles this season already.
Pioli has used him as a mezzala, as a defensive midfielder, as a wing-back but also as a right-back and even as a right winger. It shows his versatility, but the feeling is a proper position must be nailed down.
Musah gave an interview to SportMediaset about a number of topics including how he is finding life in Italy and how the gap to Inter can be closed in view of next season.
How has your first season at Milan gone?
“I really enjoyed my first year. I was able to play in the Champions League, the Europa League. I felt important in the team and I want to continue to grow. I like many players who played at Milan. I am focused on growing and learning I want to play even more next year and help the team in attack and defence.”
How do you close the gap with Inter?
“We must improve in all departments and in everything we can if we want to be the best in Italy. We have the ambition to be better. We came second, but next year we will have to do better to be first.”
Have you thought about your first goal?
“I dream about it a lot, it would be incredible to do it in my first year here. I’m very determined. I would be very happy.”
You have played in a lot of different countries already…
“I was lucky to have traveled the world in a few years. In the end I liked it a lot and I hope I can continue. Now I’m happy here. I think in Italian. I speak Italian with Italian people.”
What is it like playing alongside Rafael Leao?
“Rafa is a very good player. We have fun in the locker room. He ‘s very important for us, he makes the difference when he plays. I have nothing else to say. As a rapper? I don’t listen to his music much (laughs).”
Where do you prefer playing?
“I play as an 8, I like doing box to box, but if I help the coach I also do other roles. I help the team.”
Olivier Giroud will say farewell…
“I was very lucky to have played together. I saw him at Arsenal. A great person, very humble, we will miss him a lot.”
What is it like being an American in Europe?
“It’s growing a lot. Many Americans play in European and important teams. MLS is also growing, it could become a very important league.”
Milan had a decline in the decisive point of the season. Why was this?
“It’s difficult to say. We played against tough teams. In the end we tried our hardest. We’ll have to reflect. We had to play better, there was the motivation and determination to do so.”
Kid gets too much criticism. Hard to find form when Pioli has used him in 4 different positions all season.
I believe in this kid. Let’s not forget that he is still a kid. He has quality. Good in the ball. Just needs to work out his passing and improve it. Hopefully he finds his spot and gets minutes playing it.
Give him time. He has the ability and skill to be great. I do think we need another midfielder. Khephren Thuram is the name that comes to made
I think he just needs reps in a defined system. He looked good this season when he was given a run of games in a clear role. I feel like the complexity of our tactics this season were a bit much for him at time. He just needs to be quicker going through his progressions of 1st option, 2nd option, 3rd option when he gets the ball.
I think he’s correct that his best role is an 8, but definitely more defensive than offensive. Offensively, his skills match well for being the shuttler between defense and attack. He’s a strong dribbler and difficult to dispossess 1v1, but his passing is pretty rough. Defensively, his 1v1 skills are excellent, as is his work rate, so he can destroy counterattacks early. I’d be happy to depend on him in the midfield rotation next year (and I want more rotation to keep our players fresher). I think our issue is that we’re all 8s and no 6s. RLC, Reijnders, Bennacer, Musah, and Adli are all solid. If I had to pick, I’d move Adli and replace with a better 6 and then leave the rest alone. But… Bennacer, Musah, and Reijnders all occupy a similar part of the field, just play the role differently. Honestly, a lot of this depends on the philosophy of the next coach, how each of them would be valued. If we’re going to press and be pressed, I want Musah on the field.
Not a DM, neither a box to box… Useless signing
He has energy and is good at running with the ball but lacks vision and anticipation. He’s young but having around 170 games under belt in two different leagues, one would expect more from him. Some things cannot be taught, they come natural.
Tons of potential. He can be our Caicedo with better help and willingness on his side. You don’t ask a young player to just go on the pitch and play ,you tell them what to do and surely the instructions to Musah can’t be to go and start running with the all the time. Not looking to sell him of course but he can easily be worth over 70 mil in a couple of seasons with his all rounder qualities and confidence. He should be played between attack and defense- central midfield
I have been upset with him several times.
That being said – Pioli puts him in all positions all the time – it can be confusing.
He has the next season to try to prove that he is worthy. He has a lot of raw physical talent (speed, strength and stamina which are about all you can ask for), and he seems to be able to hold well into the ball but in contrast doesn’t play in a smart way, dribbles into bad positions and can’t pass to save his life. This first season wasn’t entierly his mistake since he was fielded in like 4 different positions and even during his time in Valencia he was tested pretty much everywhere.
Can he become the next Kessie ? Who knows ?
I have every low faith that he’s going to become good even with him being young as of now. Unfortunately this season, while he’s been played out of position ironically we got to know exactly the vast many other positions he cannot play such as wing and right back. Further, he’s VERY shaky at DM the role you’d think he’d most likely excel at. Even as a mezzala he’s not effective, so where exactly can he play?
The big positive is that he’s young and not the finished product so there are many areas where he can improve such as reading the game. I don’t see it currently though