AC Milan’s latest summer signing is perhaps the one that arouses the most intrigue, with Zachary Athekame arriving from Young Boys.
Going into the summer, the need for a new right-back became more and more pressing with Kyle Walker, Alessandro Florenzi and Emerson Royal all departing the club. Various names were linked, but Igli Tare and co. raised eyebrows by going for someone from the Swiss Super League.
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After reaching an agreement with Young Boys at around €10m for the 20-year-old, Milan announced the signing of Athekame on Friday morning. He was unveiled in front of the fans at San Siro on Sunday before the Bari game, but was an unused substitute.
So, what can fans expect from the latest Swiss recruit after Ardon Jashari? We have broken down Athekame’s profile.
Back story
Despite being only 20, Athekame has had quite an interesting career to date. The right-back has already played for six clubs, and there is a decent amount to get into.
It’s best to go back to the start, and it was quite early for the young Swiss defender. At just eight years old, he was picked up by Athlétique-Régina FC, then, a year later, he joined Olympique de Geneve FC, where he remained until the age of 12.
This is where he began to make a name for himself, and he moved to Servette, where he spent the next three years of his youth career. In 2019, he then moved to Meyrin, where he stayed until 2022.
It was here when Athekame got his break, really, when Neuchâtel Xamax took a punt on the young defender. So, he moved back to the Town where his mother is from, in the North West of Switzerland, near the French border.
In his first season with the club, his minutes were mixed between the senior team and the youth team, with him playing 26 times in the 2022/23 season, scoring twice and assisting another two goals. Though this showed how ready he was for the next step.
Following that, the Swiss club moved him permanently into the senior team, as he played 37 times in the following season, across the league and the Swiss Challenge Cup, scoring twice and assisting another goal.
It had not taken long for Athekame to leave an impression, something that has quickly become a theme of his career. So, on the 30th of December 2023, it was announced that Young Boys had secured a move for the youngster, which would take effect in the summer.
The statement from Xamax was a telling testament to his character and progression until that point, referencing his ‘excellent work’ in the academy. This was also partnered with comments from Christophe Moulin, the club’s director of football.
“Given Zachary Athekame’s progress and his enormous potential, his transfer to BSC Young Boys is a logical next step in his promising career. However, we were absolutely determined to keep Zachary during the second phase of this season because we want to maintain our objectives and prepare for his succession.”
Positivity like that is difficult to find, yet a move away being described as a logical step forward shows just how bright the young defender was viewed, and that is without even considering the praise which he left with.
The right-back continued to play most of the season in his favoured position, but Uli Forte, the Xamax coach at the time, entrusted him to play at left-back occasionally when required, showing that the defender was and is willing to sacrifice himself for the team when required. A sign of maturity above his age from a then 18-year-old Athekame.
After signing for Young Boys, Young Boys’ sporting director, Steve von Bergen, continued the praise, as Watson relayed in 2023.
“We see a lot of potential in him that can be developed. He’s still very young, but at 18, he already made five appearances for the Swiss U21 national team, which says a lot about his qualities. Zachary Athekame can play on both the right and left side of defence. It’s the right decision for everyone involved that he finishes the current season with Xamax and only then moves to YB.”
Last season, the only one in which he played for Young Boys, he played 43 times across all competitions, even appearing in the Champions League on eight occasions. Though the club opted to extend his deal in June of 2025, showing how highly they believed in his potential, as Nau relayed.
Within the announcement of the extension, which would have seen him stay at the club for an extra year until 2029, it was stated that the decision had been made due to him earning ‘an important role for himself with convincing performances’.
At 20 years old, it would not be a shock if the defender had not had any international call-ups, and this is the case with the new Milan right-back. However, he is in the space and has already made a few appearances for the youth team.
It is not a case of his talent being missed by head coach Murat Yakin, either. Instead, the Swiss manager is well aware of Athekame and spoke to Gazzetta dello Sport about him earlier this month.
“He’s a very interesting profile, especially considering his age: he’s not even 21 yet. I haven’t coached him with the senior national team yet, but I’ve obviously followed him closely both with his club and in our youth teams, where he’s had a very positive growth.
“Despite being still young, he’s already accumulated a fair amount of experience in the Champions League. And he has great energy and tactical intelligence, as well.”
It has never taken Athekame long to impress, and it can only be hoped that this continues with his move to Italy. Though he has the advantage of youth on his side, definitely. If history, as brief as it may be, shows, there is a lot to look forward to with him!
Strengths and weaknesses
Athekame showed impressive recovery pace. When a ricochet left him exposed, he tracked back quickly and won the ball back with ease.
⚡️ Athekame showed impressive recovery pace — when a ricochet left him exposed, he tracked back quickly and won the ball back with ease. pic.twitter.com/jj6OMZWN7f
— Rohit Rajeev (@keralista) August 20, 2025
Young Boys like to press high, and Athekame fits right in, often stepping out of his defensive line to close down opponents aggressively.
🔺 Young Boys like to press high, and Athekame fits right in — often stepping out of his defensive line to close down opponents aggressively. pic.twitter.com/p8pMBb1jkY
— Rohit Rajeev (@keralista) August 20, 2025
Body orientation is key for defenders. Here, Athekame positions himself perfectly, keeping both Stuttgart players within his arc of vision, ready to react either way.
Inside the box, proximity is everything. Athekame stays tight to his man, tracks the pass-and-move run, and positions himself perfectly to intercept.
🛡️ Inside the box, proximity is everything. Athekame stays tight to his man, tracks the pass-and-move run, and positions himself perfectly to intercept. pic.twitter.com/cr0lplocdm
— Rohit Rajeev (@keralista) August 20, 2025
Deep in the box, Athekame shows great awareness, tracking his opponent’s movement and making a crucial interception for Young Boys.
🚨 Deep in the box, Athekame shows great awareness — tracking his opponent’s movement and making a crucial interception for Young Boys. pic.twitter.com/u5zx70plzn
— Rohit Rajeev (@keralista) August 20, 2025
One recurring trait in Athekame’s game is his frequent use of slide tackles. While risky, his timing is often precise, allowing him to dispossess opponents effectively.
On the ball
Athekame plays a key role in Young Boys’ press resistance. In one sequence, he slips a clever pass around his marker into a teammate’s feet.
ON THE BALL
Athekame plays a key role in Young Boys’ press resistance. In one sequence, he slips a clever pass around his marker into a teammate’s feet. In another, he receives from the CB and finds his midfielder inside — simple but effective solutions under pressure. pic.twitter.com/q22Q7lySUr— Rohit Rajeev (@keralista) August 20, 2025
In another, he receives from the CB and finds his midfielder inside — simple but effective solutions under pressure.
ON THE BALL
Athekame plays a key role in Young Boys’ press resistance. In one sequence, he slips a clever pass around his marker into a teammate’s feet. In another, he receives from the CB and finds his midfielder inside — simple but effective solutions under pressure. pic.twitter.com/q22Q7lySUr— Rohit Rajeev (@keralista) August 20, 2025
In the defensive third of the opponents he would stay in the wide areas by hugging the touchline making it easy for his teammates to make inside runs through the half spaces.
Areas to improve
At just 20, Athekame is still in his developmental years. One clear area for refinement is his positional awareness in certain phases of play, an aspect that will sharpen with experience.
Another area of concern is Athekame’s tendency to use his hands too much on opponents. While it shows physicality, it risks conceding fouls, and inside the box, even a penalty.
AREAS TO IMPROVE
At just 20, Athekame is still in his developmental years. One clear area for refinement is his positional awareness in certain phases of play — an aspect that will sharpen with experience.
Another area of concern is Athekame’s tendency to use his hands too much… pic.twitter.com/OMJ8zq9Q19— Rohit Rajeev (@keralista) August 20, 2025
Statistical comparison
From the comparison, it’s clear that Athekame profiles more as a defensive full-back than an attacking one. This gives Milan balance, with Estupiñán pushing forward on the left, Athekame offers stability on the right.
While Calabria leads in most metrics, Athekame stands out with the highest Tackles + Interceptions. For a 20-year-old still in his developmental stage, these defensive numbers are highly promising and suggest a solid foundation to build on.
Zachary Athekame vs. Swiss Super League full-backs:
➤ 94th percentile for accurate crosses
➤ 87th perc. for possessions won
➤ 74th perc. for expected assists
🥇 Sliding tackles – 1st
🥇 Key passes – 1st
🥇 Chance creation ratio – 1st
🥈 Crosses to box – 2nd
One thing worth noting is that the same plethora of data is not available for the Swiss Super League as the ‘top five’ leagues, but it is at least positive that he excels among his peers, with time on his side to grow.
Conclusion
It would still be correct and responsible to put Athekame in the ‘wait and see’ category, because while the raw materials are there, developing into a top Serie A defender is something that few players from abroad actually do.
He has very big potential at the age of just 20 and if the trajectory continues, he could become the long-term solution on that side.
With some defensive stability on the right (in theory) and more of an attacking thrust on the left, is this the balance Milan need?
Transfer rating: 6.5/10
His stats look really good. Lets hope it does convert into results here in the Serie A.
worst signing this mercato… a bit of a short-cut that in the past has bitten us in the a$$… but I think since Tare was pushing for him, the kid deserves some time to show his worth
Estupinan is also a 50-50 for me, whether he will be bang on average or worthy of being Theo’s replacement…
midfield (only Musah and RLC last chance; the US international can steal leave though) and goalkeepers seems most well rounded and complete, while attack with Boniface incoming is best in the league imo…
CB is only missing a quality signing Lucumi/Kiwior/Comuzzo (Tomori I think will make a comeback, Pavlovic will down settle even more)
Wow throwing him under the bus so soon without even seeing him play? That’s a great attitude. Keep it up. He has really good stats in his league. Whether or not that transfers over remains to be seen… but it’s all about giving him a chance.
What could you expect from somebody who uses the term “kid”.
he is a kid compared to my age… why is it a derogatory form?
Swiss league and Serie A are night and day… Shaqiri is Messi there, not so much in top 5 leagues…
I’m not throwing anyone under the bus, just saying how it is… compared to the rest of the players Athekame has to prove the most…
I swear to god people are too soft for no reason… nothing have against the kid, but it doesn’t change the fact that he is not yet at AC Milan level
For the humourous/tongue in cheek part….I noticed in the percentile radar comparing Emerson, Calabria and Athekame that Calabria was miles ahead of Emerson in almost all categories. Where was this when there was the whole debate on who was better ?.lol 😂
Anyways, not sure where this data was pulled but from Fbref, when compared to top 5 leagues, holy moly. This dude is a stat machine. He’s 95+ percentile in the core key defensive metrics: tackling (99), tackling won rate (99), interceptions (99), tackling/interceptions (99), clearances (96), errors (86), ..goodness gracious!!!!! 😮
Now if I’m being really critical, his passing is not great from a percentile pov but it’s still decent at 76%. And it’s something that’s easily improvable if that’s a word lol. Similarly, his aerials are not great but I hope he can work on it. But man, those were some surprising stats, in a good way! Cross fingers it works out
Absolutely one of the worst signings this summer!
If he starts in a league game?
It’d would be a “show” with comedy hahha. I will have the same feels as when Mussahhh started a game lol eyes wide openn woawwaoahh 😀
BTW, heard some people said Mussah defends better than Cala (captain),
BUT where is he now, not play RB???
shhhh, musaahhh went to play forward now. lol 🙂
And the captain is in the Greece at 28 years
Oh nice, but why it matters to you? lol
He won Serie A at prime time, Messi went to American football at 30+, so expectation is different (get it). But how many league titles you think your Mussahhh will get? 3, 5 or 10?? haha
You look care Greece RB more than Milan RB. So who is the best RB (replacement) in your team right now? going into new season. 😀
Messi went there for money. Calabria went to greece because no other team wanted him (as a free agent). Meanwhile miami went to clubs world cup, calabrias team wont even show in the conference league….
Dont know how some people thinks he is still milan first team material. Midtable greece rb is somehow better than top switzerland team rb….
And if you still dream about his prime, than hazard was great 5 seasons ago, why are not signing him? He is world class player, afordable, still better than leao and pulisic together, because he won something in his prime…
Well the actual stats say something else. He was replaced with a worse player and it seems it happened 3 times. Athekame played in Belgian league so his numbers should be much better to be considered a top talent, for now looks average at best. Hopefully Allegri can make a player out of him..
My reply below was to you
Who cares?
It’s just another example of the non-sensical transfer system that has destroyed countless careers.
That’s nothing to boast about. It should cause you to be f’ing outraged that the people running YOUR club and YOUR sport, are destroying players’ careers so they can make some dodgy backhanders.
You should be protesting NOT celebrating the demise of the club captain.
And because you and the rest just do not get it, the club is going nowhere.
It forced out 5 x RBs in just 1 year: Calabria, Emerson, Walker, Florenzi and Terraciano (who played against them on Saturday and dominated).
FIVE F’ING RBs. In ONE year.
And expect this farce to continue.
Now that they’ve finally forced out Calabria we can now expect at least one or more RB to be signed for the next 10 years. Just like every other position.
And each year you’re going to come on here randomly speculating that the latest victim is some great new signing. And when they struggle in the madness you’ll turn and you’ll say they’re not “Milan level” and so on and so f’ing forth.
The lack of ability to learn from even a few months ago in January let alone 20 years of failings is just mind-blowing.
Insanity is repeating the same thing over and over and expecting different results.
What is watching the same thing over and over and expecting different results.
Which another example of how modern football destroys so many careers….
Look at the stats above.
But lets use a failing market as a stick to beat the former captain with.
Stay classy.
Well the actual stats say something else. He was replaced with a worse player and it seems it happened 3 times. Athekame played in Belgian league so his numbers should be much better to be considered a top talent, for now looks average at best. Hopefully Allegri can make a player out of him.
You missed the points terribly dude..
1) compared to messi to Miami, is to show its okay to went other minor leagues after prime time. Ofc, Messi is much better than him hence the offer is better. (not comparing the skills or ability, just a scenario) lol
2) you missed the point that, it doesn’t matter where he is, whether is greece, africa, india, korea, etc… What club are you a fan of ? Finding a viable replacement for your club hasn’t been achieved after him..
He is anywhere, it Doesn’t Matter at all. What it matters is how he was at Milan hahaha (if you’re inter fan, never mind lol)
I can agree that he got replaced badly, but emerson is not worse player, he is equally bad player.
You cannot keep place for the player if he is performing bad (yes he was bad in Milan), but he got one good season 4 years ago…
But I doubt he got replaced by worse player now, he is not replaced by salad / jimenez / athekame. 2 are better players and one is purchase for the future..
Like Sure, you are another name to my list of ever complaing people, no matter what the club do. You are not supporting the club or the players, you are just findng something that you can blame instead of yourself.