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AC Milan’s latest summer signing is perhaps the one that arouses the most intrigue, with Zachary Athekame arriving from Young Boys.
Going into the summer, the need for a new right-back became more and more pressing with Kyle Walker, Alessandro Florenzi and Emerson Royal all departing the club. Various names were linked, but Igli Tare and co. raised eyebrows by going for someone from the Swiss Super League.
After reaching an agreement with Young Boys at around €10m for the 20-year-old, Milan announced the signing of Athekame on Friday morning. He was unveiled in front of the fans at San Siro on Sunday before the Bari game, but was an unused substitute.
So, what can fans expect from the latest Swiss recruit after Ardon Jashari? We have broken down Athekame’s profile.
Back story
Despite being only 20, Athekame has had quite an interesting career to date. The right-back has already played for six clubs, and there is a decent amount to get into.
It’s best to go back to the start, and it was quite early for the young Swiss defender. At just eight years old, he was picked up by Athlétique-Régina FC, then, a year later, he joined Olympique de Geneve FC, where he remained until the age of 12.
This is where he began to make a name for himself, and he moved to Servette, where he spent the next three years of his youth career. In 2019, he then moved to Meyrin, where he stayed until 2022.
It was here when Athekame got his break, really, when Neuchâtel Xamax took a punt on the young defender. So, he moved back to the Town where his mother is from, in the North West of Switzerland, near the French border.
In his first season with the club, his minutes were mixed between the senior team and the youth team, with him playing 26 times in the 2022/23 season, scoring twice and assisting another two goals. Though this showed how ready he was for the next step.
Following that, the Swiss club moved him permanently into the senior team, as he played 37 times in the following season, across the league and the Swiss Challenge Cup, scoring twice and assisting another goal.
It had not taken long for Athekame to leave an impression, something that has quickly become a theme of his career. So, on the 30th of December 2023, it was announced that Young Boys had secured a move for the youngster, which would take effect in the summer.
The statement from Xamax was a telling testament to his character and progression until that point, referencing his ‘excellent work’ in the academy. This was also partnered with comments from Christophe Moulin, the club’s director of football.
“Given Zachary Athekame’s progress and his enormous potential, his transfer to BSC Young Boys is a logical next step in his promising career. However, we were absolutely determined to keep Zachary during the second phase of this season because we want to maintain our objectives and prepare for his succession.”
Positivity like that is difficult to find, yet a move away being described as a logical step forward shows just how bright the young defender was viewed, and that is without even considering the praise which he left with.
The right-back continued to play most of the season in his favoured position, but Uli Forte, the Xamax coach at the time, entrusted him to play at left-back occasionally when required, showing that the defender was and is willing to sacrifice himself for the team when required. A sign of maturity above his age from a then 18-year-old Athekame.
After signing for Young Boys, Young Boys’ sporting director, Steve von Bergen, continued the praise, as Watson relayed in 2023.
“We see a lot of potential in him that can be developed. He’s still very young, but at 18, he already made five appearances for the Swiss U21 national team, which says a lot about his qualities. Zachary Athekame can play on both the right and left side of defence. It’s the right decision for everyone involved that he finishes the current season with Xamax and only then moves to YB.”
Last season, the only one in which he played for Young Boys, he played 43 times across all competitions, even appearing in the Champions League on eight occasions. Though the club opted to extend his deal in June of 2025, showing how highly they believed in his potential, as Nau relayed.
Within the announcement of the extension, which would have seen him stay at the club for an extra year until 2029, it was stated that the decision had been made due to him earning ‘an important role for himself with convincing performances’.
At 20 years old, it would not be a shock if the defender had not had any international call-ups, and this is the case with the new Milan right-back. However, he is in the space and has already made a few appearances for the youth team.
It is not a case of his talent being missed by head coach Murat Yakin, either. Instead, the Swiss manager is well aware of Athekame and spoke to Gazzetta dello Sport about him earlier this month.
“He’s a very interesting profile, especially considering his age: he’s not even 21 yet. I haven’t coached him with the senior national team yet, but I’ve obviously followed him closely both with his club and in our youth teams, where he’s had a very positive growth.
“Despite being still young, he’s already accumulated a fair amount of experience in the Champions League. And he has great energy and tactical intelligence, as well.”
It has never taken Athekame long to impress, and it can only be hoped that this continues with his move to Italy. Though he has the advantage of youth on his side, definitely. If history, as brief as it may be, shows, there is a lot to look forward to with him!
Strengths and weaknesses
Athekame showed impressive recovery pace. When a ricochet left him exposed, he tracked back quickly and won the ball back with ease.
⚡️ Athekame showed impressive recovery pace — when a ricochet left him exposed, he tracked back quickly and won the ball back with ease. pic.twitter.com/jj6OMZWN7f
— Rohit Rajeev (@keralista) August 20, 2025
Young Boys like to press high, and Athekame fits right in, often stepping out of his defensive line to close down opponents aggressively.
🔺 Young Boys like to press high, and Athekame fits right in — often stepping out of his defensive line to close down opponents aggressively. pic.twitter.com/p8pMBb1jkY
— Rohit Rajeev (@keralista) August 20, 2025
Body orientation is key for defenders. Here, Athekame positions himself perfectly, keeping both Stuttgart players within his arc of vision, ready to react either way.
Inside the box, proximity is everything. Athekame stays tight to his man, tracks the pass-and-move run, and positions himself perfectly to intercept.
🛡️ Inside the box, proximity is everything. Athekame stays tight to his man, tracks the pass-and-move run, and positions himself perfectly to intercept. pic.twitter.com/cr0lplocdm
— Rohit Rajeev (@keralista) August 20, 2025
Deep in the box, Athekame shows great awareness, tracking his opponent’s movement and making a crucial interception for Young Boys.
🚨 Deep in the box, Athekame shows great awareness — tracking his opponent’s movement and making a crucial interception for Young Boys. pic.twitter.com/u5zx70plzn
— Rohit Rajeev (@keralista) August 20, 2025
One recurring trait in Athekame’s game is his frequent use of slide tackles. While risky, his timing is often precise, allowing him to dispossess opponents effectively.
On the ball
Athekame plays a key role in Young Boys’ press resistance. In one sequence, he slips a clever pass around his marker into a teammate’s feet.
ON THE BALL
Athekame plays a key role in Young Boys’ press resistance. In one sequence, he slips a clever pass around his marker into a teammate’s feet. In another, he receives from the CB and finds his midfielder inside — simple but effective solutions under pressure. pic.twitter.com/q22Q7lySUr
— Rohit Rajeev (@keralista) August 20, 2025
In another, he receives from the CB and finds his midfielder inside — simple but effective solutions under pressure.
ON THE BALL
Athekame plays a key role in Young Boys’ press resistance. In one sequence, he slips a clever pass around his marker into a teammate’s feet. In another, he receives from the CB and finds his midfielder inside — simple but effective solutions under pressure. pic.twitter.com/q22Q7lySUr
— Rohit Rajeev (@keralista) August 20, 2025
In the defensive third of the opponents he would stay in the wide areas by hugging the touchline making it easy for his teammates to make inside runs through the half spaces.
Areas to improve
At just 20, Athekame is still in his developmental years. One clear area for refinement is his positional awareness in certain phases of play, an aspect that will sharpen with experience.
Another area of concern is Athekame’s tendency to use his hands too much on opponents. While it shows physicality, it risks conceding fouls, and inside the box, even a penalty.
AREAS TO IMPROVE
At just 20, Athekame is still in his developmental years. One clear area for refinement is his positional awareness in certain phases of play — an aspect that will sharpen with experience.
Another area of concern is Athekame’s tendency to use his hands too much… pic.twitter.com/OMJ8zq9Q19
— Rohit Rajeev (@keralista) August 20, 2025
Statistical comparison
From the comparison, it’s clear that Athekame profiles more as a defensive full-back than an attacking one. This gives Milan balance, with Estupiñán pushing forward on the left, Athekame offers stability on the right.
While Calabria leads in most metrics, Athekame stands out with the highest Tackles + Interceptions. For a 20-year-old still in his developmental stage, these defensive numbers are highly promising and suggest a solid foundation to build on.
Zachary Athekame vs. Swiss Super League full-backs:
➤ 94th percentile for accurate crosses
➤ 87th perc. for possessions won
➤ 74th perc. for expected assists
🥇 Sliding tackles – 1st
🥇 Key passes – 1st
🥇 Chance creation ratio – 1st
🥈 Crosses to box – 2nd
One thing worth noting is that the same plethora of data is not available for the Swiss Super League as the ‘top five’ leagues, but it is at least positive that he excels among his peers, with time on his side to grow.
Conclusion
It would still be correct and responsible to put Athekame in the ‘wait and see’ category, because while the raw materials are there, developing into a top Serie A defender is something that few players from abroad actually do.
He has very big potential at the age of just 20 and if the trajectory continues, he could become the long-term solution on that side.
With some defensive stability on the right (in theory) and more of an attacking thrust on the left, is this the balance Milan need?
Transfer rating: 6.5/10
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