Yunus Musah’s Atalanta nightmare could turn into a USMNT lifeline under new manager Raffaele Palladino

The state of tension between Musah and Allegri was perhaps a bit overblown. But the eye test certainly didn't help. There were, in fact, two significant incidents in the game between Milan and Lecce that suggested that something was up. The first came in the second half, when the American was on the ground after being on the receiving end of a hefty challenge. Allegri didn't "kick" him, per se, but there was, to be sure, contact between the manager's foot and Musah's body. 

Later in the game, Allegri berated him for trying to take a throw in quickly with his side leading 2-0 in stoppage time. Musah dropped the ball and looked away without even looking at his coach. It must be acknowledged here that managers and players are allowed to disagree. Allegri, too, isn't exactly the most fun guy. He is a strict disciplinarian who plays intense, testy football. He was famously denied a job in the Premier League when he outlined his playing style: "I don't have one." 

Allegri also made it abundantly clear to Milan's hierarchy that he wanted a center midfielder who could offer a little more control in his side. The solution? Veteran Frenchman Adrien Rabiot, one of Allegri's favorites at Juventus, and a regular for Didier Deschamps in the French National Team. The reality was that Musah was always going to be a bit frozen out. 

And so it proved. Things accelerated rapidly on Musah's move. There had been some scattered talk for a few weeks that his long term future might not lie with the Rossoneri, but the pace at which his loan move was tracked through was remarkable. All of the reporting all summer suggested that Musah was set to be an important player for Milan. But then, on Aug. 27 - less than a week before the transfer deadline - Serie A transfer guru Matteo Moretto reported that a move to Atalanta was gaining traction. The club was reportedly prepared to pay €25 million for his services. Eventually, the two sides agreed on a loan with a club option to buy. 

But it was an odd call, all said. There were, admittedly, some things to like about playing for Atalanta. They needed a little midfield depth. They play attacking football. They are in the Champions League this season. There seemed to be plenty of minutes to go around, then. 

Tactically, too, the fit was intriguing. Atalanta play a 3-4-2-1, with two disciplined, defensive center midfielders and proper runners on the wing. Musah, at his best, is an energetic, box-to-box No. 8. But he can also play on the right or left. He even admitted, after playing well in a 4-3-3 for the USMNT, that he could play on the wing if needed.

"It's more of a position where you're supposed to be that guy that takes the risks, you're supposed to be that guy that takes on a man and creates [scoring] chances," Musah said. "So ultimately, when the coach tells you to play free, then it gives you even more of a chance to do those things."

Musah's versatility, in a way, cannot be questioned. But it might have also held him back a bit. In Milan in the 2023-24 campaign, he played nine different positions. But 42 percent of his minutes came in central midfield, where he was genuinely excellent for spells. The rest? Well, there was some time spent out wide, a bit as a defensive midfielder, and even as a right winger. But the point was, largely, he was a center mid doing center mid things. 

The year after, Milan changed managers, and thereby removed the role that Musah had excelled in. Under Paolo Fonseca, he operated mostly as a right attacking midfielder. The Portuguese did not set up in a system that offered his preferred position. And even if he finished the campaign with 1,600 minutes under his belt and 19 Serie A starts, Musah didn't quite offer a sense of specialization that he needed. 

And Atalanta have, in a way, capitalized on that. Musah has perhaps a similar problem to Weston McKennie in that he can do a little bit of everything - but is caught in a system that doesn't truly excel in his greatest area. 

The result is a limited role. It was always, perhaps, going to be tough to crack the XI. In Ederson and veteran midfielder Mario Pasalic - a similar profile of player to Musah - they have two established center midfielders. Davide Zappacosta is a mainstay out wide. Raoul Bellanova has impressed on the other wing. Musah isn't a good fit in either of the No. 10 positions. 

So, yes, the tactical fit is an awkward one. But what is perhaps even more surprising is just how few minutes he might get. Ederson is a star midfielder who plays nearly every minute. But Pasalic is aging. Zappacosta, too, could do with a rest here and there. Rotational minutes may not be ideal, but even they should still be attainable - especially for a player of Musah's potential. Instead, Musah has played just six times in Serie A, totaling 145 minutes. His one start came not for Atalanta, but Milan - where he played all 90 minutes against Lecce. He has only played five of Atalanta's last 10 games, despite being fit and available for all of them. 

His performances, meanwhile, have been agreeable. It is admittedly hard to make much of an impact when minutes are sparse. But Musah assisted in the Champions League, and his efforts when on the pitch cannot be questioned. His dribbling and ball-carrying stats are as strong as ever, too.

But there are some broader reasons for optimism here. The first might seem a bit counterintuitive, but Atalanta are struggling mightily. They are expected to compete for Champions League places, yet find themselves in 13th after 11 games. They have lost just twice, but drawn seven times. There have been public fallouts between Ademola Lookman and management. And despite securing European football, their transfer window was marked by the $78 million sale of star man Mateo Retegui to the Saudi Pro League. 

The club responded in the most predictable, most Serie A, way possible and fired their manager. Ivan Juric was let go on the eve of the international break. He was always going to be up against it, and was publicly very much their second choice after Thiago Motta last summer. An ugly loss to Sassuolo at the weekend only sealed his fate. In his place is Raffaele Palladino, who was named manager on Tuesday. Palladino overperformed with a mediocre Fiorentina squad last season, but resigned over the summer - reportedly with one eye on the Atalanta job. 

A few months later, he has his wish. And, more importantly, Musah might have another chance. Palladino played a 4-5-1 at Fiorentina, but liked to use a trio of roaming midfielders and attacking wide midfielders. They were ambitious with the ball, too, and hard-working when they didn't have it. On the face of things, then, this seems a far better setup for Musah. 

The result could yet be a resurgence for the USMNT. Pochettino has made it abundantly clear that anyone not named Gio Reyna has to be playing regular football in order to be considered for selection. It is why Musah has been left out before. Under a new manager, he might have something of a chance to flip that narrative. 

It perhaps also shouldn't be forgotten that, at his best, Musah was truly excellent for Gregg Berhalter. The chemistry he struck up with Tyler Adams and Weston McKennie in the U.S. midfield during the 2022 World Cup made them a difficult unit to play against, and it was easy to see why Musah was so highly rated as a youngster while working so effectively in a well balanced team. Perhaps that's just what he needs again. 

And more broadly, it's what Pochettino needs. Yes, the new manager has his favorites. Last camp, Pochettino said that Cristian Roldan is apparently the perfect player. But Yunus Musah is a better one. And if he uses this chance to ensure that Atalanta might yet have been the right move after all, then the U.S. will surely be stronger for it.