His fairy tale has only just begun. Alphadjo Cisse is dreaming with his eyes wide open, but he is keeping his feet on the ground. The two goals he has scored in Serie A against Torino and Juventus have not changed him, nor have they made him think that he has already... made it. The 19-year-old, who came through the Hellas Verona academy (where Massimo Margiotta brought him in) and established himself at Catanzaro last season thanks to the faith shown in him by sporting director Ciro Polito, knows he still has a lot to prove.
That is why he did not let his guard down at all in the week following his superb goal at the Allianz Stadium. His family and the agency representing him, CAA Base, would not have allowed it, but there was no need for any reminders: Alphadjo has a level head and has already understood that Amorim... does not forgive.
If you do not train well, you do not play, and he hopes to return to the starting XI on Saturday at the Olimpico against Lazio.
Alphadjo Cisse the top scorer
After the first three league matches, Milan's top scorer is him. Ahead of Gonçalo Ramos and the other Rossoneri stars. And to think that just three weeks ago he seemed destined to leave on loan to gain experience. There was no shortage of teams keen to welcome him, but his goal in the friendly against Manchester United in Wrocław finally convinced the Diavolo to keep him. Pulisic's lack of match fitness following his World Cup injury, together with Leao's departure to Galatasaray, opened the door to a starting place for him in the first two games and allowed him to come on in Sunday's big match in Turin. He took his chances, and now the club on Via Aldo Rossi is cherishing him, aware that they have a little treasure on their hands. And he will be treated accordingly.
Almost... PSV
During last January's transfer window, Verona had reached an agreement to sell him to PSV, as pointed out by La Gazzetta dello Sport in this morning's print edition. The two clubs had even exchanged the necessary documents, but before the transfer could be completed, then-Rossoneri CEO Furlani and technical director Moncada moved ahead of the Dutch side and, taking advantage of CAA Base's excellent relationship with Milan, signed him for €8 million plus €2 million in bonuses. It was a source of great satisfaction for Alphadjo, who has supported Milan since he was a child and dreamed of wearing the Rossoneri shirt. It was no coincidence that when the opportunity to move to Milanello arose, he immediately said yes, agreeing to remain at Catanzaro until the end of the 2025-26 season. He suffered a serious injury to his right thigh on 7 February and never played again for Aquilani's side, but he arrived at Milan ready from the very beginning of pre-season because, instead of going on holiday in June and July, he spent that time working on his own to regain his fitness.
New home:
Cisse now has a home in Milan and lives alone. His father Sanoussy, who works as a labourer, and his mother Habibatou, a hotel waitress in Venice, are close to him... from their home in Treviso, just like his older sister Aminata, his younger brother Karamba (who plays in Treviso's youth academy) and... Ruben Amorim, who has said he loves him (the phrase he posted on social media has become iconic). He made his Serie A debut against Inter on 26 May 2024 with Verona, and now he is looking forward to the derby on 31 October in the hope of experiencing another night to remember. Before that, though, there is Lazio on Saturday, and Alphadjo has no intention of stopping his dreams from coming true. On Sunday, he would have preferred to celebrate the first goal of his career against the Old Lady with a victory, but Gatti's stoppage-time goal slightly spoiled what will nevertheless remain an unforgettable Sunday.
