How Alphadjo Cissé convinced AC Milan and Amorim: he could have joined Torino
The 19-year-old AC Milan talent scores on his Serie A debut after having been tracked by Torino themselves. Meanwhile, his manager says of him: "I adore him."
Who seriously thought Alphadjo Cissé would stay at AC Milan? Not because he lacks ability, quite the opposite. It's simply that seeing a 19-year-old start for one of Serie A's biggest clubs is still a rare sight.
On Sunday evening, though, that is almost certain to happen. In a rather strange Milan side, with injuries, selection doubts and cuts decided by Amorim, Cissé is set to get his chance. One of the two spots, and one of the two shirts, behind centre-forward Gonçalo Ramos will be his.
There is another twist too: AC Milan make their debut, and score, in Turin. Torino, after all, have had a little something to do with Cissé, even if the very young Alphadjo has never played for them.
Cissé and Torino
Torino have emerged in recent weeks as one of the clubs most keen to prise Cissé away from Milan. On loan, of course, certainly not on a permanent deal.
A move like that would have been the classic step in his development, letting him learn the ropes in a side with different ambitions, clearly lower than Milan's. It would also have put him in a squad where, at least on paper, there was room to develop Cissé and give him proper minutes.
In the end, though, nothing came of it. And the way things are shaping up, nothing will. Not for Torino, who will face Cissé as an opponent on Sunday, nor for Sassuolo, another club who would not have minded taking the former Catanzaro player under their wing.
A promising summer
Cisse, the gem AC Milan signed from Verona in January before leaving him on loan at Catanzaro, is also coming off a second half of the season he missed completely: a serious adductor injury struck in January and only eased once the season was over.
There is more. Young Alphadjo has never really played in Serie A in his still brief career. More accurately, he has done so three times in a Verona shirt, but for a total of barely 15 minutes. You get the picture. The experience at the very highest level simply is not there and cannot be there.
Still, Amorim has already shown on several occasions that he likes to go against the grain. He did it, for example, by carving out a wing-back role for Chukwueze. Or by vetoing the sale of Loftus-Cheek and Estupinan. Or by letting Tomori, Nkunku and Fofana leave.
He has done it again by giving space, consideration and trust to Cisse, who is not yet 20, he will celebrate his birthday at the end of October. The player has repaid that trust in training and in friendlies with quality, flashes and personality. Then came the excellent display against Manchester United, capped by the goal that made it 2-2.
"From the way he played, Cissé will make life difficult for Leao": that is how Amorim spoke after the game with United. It was a clear statement of intent: to keep Alphadjo in the squad, despite his age and despite his inexperience.
"I adore him"
At the press conference previewing Torino v AC Milan early this afternoon, a journalist asked Amorim which player had surprised him the most. The Portuguese manager gave his answer.
"Difficult to say. I love Cissè. I love Cissè. I hope he doesn't hear it, otherwise it might go to his head," he said, laughing.
With just over 24 hours to go before their league debut, that is another clear sign Amorim is ready to hand Cissé a starting shirt. The youngster's quality has played a big part, but so has the wider situation in AC Milan's attacking midfield area.
Credible alternative
Cisse has become a credible alternative for another reason too: that role has been mired in great chaos for some time.
Leao has one foot in Milanello and the other out. Pulisic has just returned to the group after an injury, Nkunku will leave, and Loftus-Cheek looked destined for a sale but has stayed. Diego Moreira, who arrived a few days ago, will not start in Turin.
That is where Cisse comes in. He could easily have played this match in a Torino shirt, but instead did so in a Milan one. The first of many. The young lad whom Amorim "adores" has talent to burn.
