CM: Milan’s plan already clear as Athekame benefits from Fonseca’s faith

By: Oliver Fisher

The good news over the weekend for AC Milan didn’t stop at the win over Lecce, as one of their loan players found the net again.

Calciomercato.com begin a report on Zachary Athekame by pointing out an important distinction compared to someone like Youssouf Fofana, which is that he was not part of Ruben Amorim’s ‘bomb squad’ and was not someone to get rid of by any means.

However, the club – in agreement with the new coach Ruben Amorim – decided a loan spell was best, to play more consistently than he did last season with the Rossoneri. For this reason, a straight loan was chosen for him without any buy-out clause, and Lyon were deemed the best destination.

A key man for Fonseca

In France, the Swiss full-back is successfully showcasing his talents. He has quickly become a regular in Paulo Fonseca’s side having started five out of five games in Ligue 1 thus far. It doesn’t seem he will lose that spot any time soon either.

Not only does the coach believe in the former Young Boys starlet, but he’s also responding with top-level performances. His impact has been very positive with two goals and two assists in his first few outings.

Athekame arrived at Milan in the 2025 summer window for around €10m, but was unable to find much playing time in a difficult season for the entire squad. He finished with a total of 29 appearances in all competitions, but most of them were snippets off the bench.

The decision to send him out on loan without an option or obligation to buy is one that confirms the club’s belief in the player’s development. They believe that at Lyon, he can mature and return to Italy more prepared, then he will return and be evaluated by the coach and his staff.