Yunus Musah was vintage Musah in last weekend's Serie A match between AC Milan and Atalanta. Receiving a pass just beyond the center circle, the Milan midfielder carried the ball forward with his trademark strength and authority. When his drive deflected off defender Relja Obric, it earned Milan a penalty, converted by Gonçalo Ramos, in a 3-2 win. The performance was the latest sign of Musah's rebirth at club level.
Last season, Musah endured a nightmare campaign on loan at Atalanta. He never established himself as a consistent starter and made just 939 minutes of play in all competitions. This season he has already logged 572 minutes, more than halfway to last season's total just two months in. Earlier this month, while on international duty for the United States, Musah appeared older and wiser than the teenager who burst onto the USMNT scene during the 2022 World Cup cycle and started all four of the U.S.'s games in Qatar.
"It was very frustrating, because I believe that I'm a starter," Musah said in a joint interview with ESPN and Yahoo! Sports. "If I felt that I didn't have the qualities to play, then I would've put my hand up. But I think that I have the qualities to be a starter." The lack of playing time also cost him a spot on the World Cup roster. "I could sense it," he said.
Musah is now experiencing a different sensation. While he was not perfect against Atalanta, where he lost track of Gianluca Gaetano, who scored Atalanta's first goal, he has been one of Milan's most improved players in 2026-27. According to Tru Media, the 23-year-old has completed 92.6% of his passes in Serie A, up from 88.0%, and won a greater share of duels (61.3% versus 52.2%) and tackles (60.0% versus 37.5%). A return to his preferred central midfield role, rather than wingback, has helped drive those gains.
Source: ESPN Soccer · Summarized by HeadlinesBriefing