Making your mark at a new club could be tough for some players but American midfielder Yunus Musah has certainly risen to the occasion following his move to Italy last summer.
Musah has played a key role for Serie A side AC Milan this season after a permanent move from La Liga club Valencia. The 21-year-old has made 32 combined appearances in Stefano Pioli’s squad this season, logging over 1,700 minutes in four different competitions.
As he prepares for the final international break of the European season, Musah reflected on his debut campaign in Italy and the hard work he’s put in so far.
“I’m really happy with how the season’s been going at such a big team like this,” Musah said to reporters Tuesday. “I’ve managed to play a lot of games at the beginning, in the Champions League against some top teams like PSG.
“We have a lot of talented players in the middle, so there’s a lot of competition,” he added. “We can all start, so it’s hard for the manager to choose who plays. I’m just ready whenever it’s my time.”
Joining up with an international teammate could do wonders for a player and Musah was rewarded with that opportunity this season. Fellow U.S. men’s national team star Christian Pulisic also made the move to the Rossoneri last summer, ending a four-year stay with English Premier League club Chelsea.
Pulisic has overcome some tough moments by totaling 20 goal contributions to date (12 goals, eight assists), excelling in multiple competitions. With the UEFA Europa League title serving as AC Milan’s best opportunity to lift a trophy this spring, Musah praised Pulisic’s impact so far in 2023-24.
“I’m really really happy with the way I see Christian playing at the moment,” Musah said. “He’s scoring a lot of goals, affecting the play a lot in our team.
“I’d say he’s been our best attacking player this season at Milan, so I’m really happy for him,” Musah added. “He’s doing so well. I see he’s enjoying it as well and possibly having one of his best seasons. So yeah, I’m really happy to see a fellow American do such a thing.”
Pulisic has helped Musah in his move to the club and the versatile midfielder has paid it back to his teammate following his move to a new country. Musah has helped Pulisic learn the Italian language after previously living in Italy for several years during his childhood.
The duo will be important on the field in this week’s CONCACAF Nations League Final Four, but their chemistry off the field has remained key too for both the Rossoneri and the USMNT.
“Whenever I could help with the language I did, and he’s learning as well,” Musah said. “And as as you can see, he’s happy there, he’s enjoying himself, thriving. So I’m happy for him.”
“He’s working really hard on his Italian and he’s managed to learn quite a bit. He really understands the manager now and [his] teammates,” he added.
Musah will seek his 34th USMNT cap on Thursday when the Americans host Jamaica for a place in the Nations League Final.
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