After some initial difficulties linked to adaptation, Zachary Athekame is steadily carving out more space for himself. And his performances on the pitch are now revealing all of his qualities.
Quietly, almost under the radar, Athekame is proving to be a far more intriguing signing than it first appeared. A few tentative cameos in his early appearances -only natural for a 21-year-old arriving from Switzerland- had led fans and observers into the all-too-familiar habit of writing off new signings too quickly, without accounting for adaptation time, the weight of playing for a club like AC Milan, and the intimidating stage that is San Siro. Over time, however, the Swiss youngster, signed from Young Boys for a fee close to €10 million, has begun to show increasingly encouraging signs.
In fact, Milan’s most recent transfer window is bearing fruit precisely thanks to the lower-cost arrivals: Luka Modrić on a free, Adrien Rabiot for around €10 million from Marseille, and Athekame himself for a similar fee. A stark contrast to the output – at least so far -of Christopher Nkunku (€40m), Ardon Jashari (€38m, with mitigating factors including injury and fierce competition), Samuele Ricci (just over €20m) and Pervis Estupiñán (just under €20m). In short, this is a Milan that, the less it has spent, the better it has spent.
Conviction and hunger
What stands out most in Athekame’s cameos is the conviction he brings onto the pitch -the hunger. He knows he has an opportunity and does everything he can to seize it, never shying away but instead looking to maximise his strengths with boldness and personality. He is not afraid to make mistakes.
Yesterday, his impact was decisive: moments after coming on, he delivered a driven, almost instep cross into the box that went unmet. He then played a part in the 2-1 move and, above all, provided the assist for Youssouf Fofana with a central through ball that was far less straightforward than it looked. He finished the match with 75% of duels won, 100% of dribbles completed and two key passes.
He is a player who has clearly broken the ice with San Siro and now wants to make it his own, strengths and weaknesses included. The energy he brings -so far mostly from the bench- is capable of lifting the entire team. In just 519 minutes, he has one goal and two assists: an outstanding return. His personality, which never leads him to hide, makes him an open book: his strengths and flaws are both immediately visible.
Strengths and weaknesses
Among his strengths is the quality of his crossing, often well weighted both from a standstill and on the move. Then there is his engine, that of a true wing-back, which allows him -especially in stride- to gain ground on opponents and repeat high-intensity runs throughout the match.
On the other hand, there are areas to refine -as expected for a 21-year-old. His basic technique is more than adequate, but in tight spaces he can look slightly uncomfortable. When asked to take on his man from a standing start, he appears more mechanical than when he can attack at speed. He is not a pure ball virtuoso, but when it comes to striking the ball -whether crosses or shots -he can produce moments of real quality: the almost counter-intuitive finish against Pisa, and the acrobatic masterpiece against Lazio, ruled out for an accidental handball in the control.
Among the aspects to improve, as Maxime Schär pointed out in an exclusive interview for our Italian website, there is also tactical discipline, especially defensively: he is not always well positioned, and when play develops on the opposite flank, he does not always stay alert to track his man.
There is still plenty of work to do, but the raw material to develop a good-level, team-useful player is clearly there. In a side that too often becomes flat, predictable and overly structured, a player willing to take risks and inject energy like Athekame is an important asset. Over the years, by refining certain flaws, he can become even more so -much to the detriment of those who dismissed him after his first glimpses at San Siro. Never lose that edge, Zac.
