Who is Alphadjo Cissé, the rising star—not even 20 years old—who’s a starter on Ruben Amorim’s Milan team?

Alphadjo Cissé was the big surprise of Ruben Amorim’s very first Milan squad, starting in the Serie A opener on the road against Torino as part of a front three rounded out by the highly anticipated Gonçalo Ramos and Ruben Loftus-Cheek. Or perhaps not: after all, the Portuguese coach had already hinted at his high regard for the very young forward, born in 2006, who was in fact preferred over big names like Modric, Pulisic, Rabiot, Saelemaekers, and the highly touted Camarda. At least at the start of the match, since they all took their places on the bench.

“Cissé began our preseason camp while injured, but he always attended every training session,” Amorim explained to ‘DAZN’ before the match began. “It’s important for Italian soccer to give these young players a chance on the field. He deserves an opportunity; he’s a talented and creative player. I do think, however, that both Modric and Rabiot will be able to play a few minutes for Milan—the fact is, they’ve only had a few training sessions under their belts so far.”

Alphadjo Cissé, despite not yet having turned 20 (he was born on October 22, 2006), is not a completely new face in Serie A: between 2024 and 2025, he made three appearances for Verona, though for a total of less than 20 minutes. Born in Treviso and raised as a soccer player in nearby Castelfranco Veneto, where he played for Giorgione, his real breakthrough came last season when he carved out a starring role in Catanzaro’s impressive run toward the playoffs. Signed by Milan back in January, he was then sidelined by a severe adductor injury. But this summer, having made a full recovery, Amorim took a shine to him.

The turning point came in the friendly against Manchester United, when Cissé himself scored the goal that tied the game at 2-2. “He’ll make life difficult for Rafa Leao,” Amorim commented immediately after the game. Then came the transfer rumors, with interest from Sassuolo and Torino itself, and speculation about a loan move. Instead, in his Serie A debut, the highly promising forward took the field—but in a Milan jersey. Who knows—perhaps he’ll be the first real, big gamble won in Italy by the highly anticipated coach who just arrived at the Rossoneri from Manchester United.

It’s no coincidence that Torino, today’s opponent, is trying until the very last minute to snatch Cissé from the Rossoneri on loan. According to reports from recent weeks, Torino had included him as a possible trade chip in a broader deal involving Alessio Cacciamani, the young winger born in 2007 who came up through Torino’s youth system and ended up on Amorim’s radar. Milan was willing to let Cissé go only on a temporary basis and without an option to buy, in line with its policy for managing young talent. In the end, however, the Portuguese coach decided to keep him on the team, and that decision has already proven to be a wise one.

After all, the context in which Cissé is taking his first steps as a starter for the Rossoneri is far from simple. Milan still has to deal with the unresolved Rafael Leao situation: the Portuguese player, whom Amorim publicly described as “not the most important thing” on the eve of the match, is on the list of players set to leave but has not yet found a new club. The offers from Galatasaray and Al-Hilal haven’t convinced him, while no concrete proposal has come in from the Premier League. The only lead that seems to be heating up is that of Gasperini’s Roma, with the Giallorossi ready to present an offer for a loan with an obligation to buy. Until the situation is resolved, Leao remains outside of Amorim’s plans—and Cissé is taking over, at least in part, his role on the wing.

Rounding out the picture is Loftus-Cheek, who has found his ideal role as an attacking midfielder in Amorim’s new 3-4-2-1 formation: the coach has personally stood by the Englishman, rejecting offers from the Premier League and initiating initial talks for a contract extension through 2029 or 2030. Alongside him, in the attacking trio behind Gonçalo Ramos, there is also room for Cissé: a clear sign of how Amorim is building his Milan squad by focusing on quality, versatility, and, above all, youth.