The United States has become one of the major talent generators in current football, and from Europe, they are increasingly scouting them early to 'steal' them. The latest case is that of Astin Mbaye, who, at just 16 years old, has switched from the New York Red Bull academy to follow in the footsteps of Pulisic and Musah, joining the youth ranks of Milan.

The differences with the signing of Cavan Sullivan by Manchester City

The signing was first reported exclusively yesterday by renowned journalist Fabrizio Romano, and just hours later, Milan made the announcement official regarding young Mbaye. Unlike Cavan Sullivan, who was already signed by Manchester City from Philadelphia Union, Mbaye will immediately join Milan’s academy as he holds a German passport.

Although he had not yet debuted with the first team of New York Red Bull in MLS, people in the United States had long been aware that Mbaye was a center-back with qualities that held great potential. In fact, he debuted with the U-15 national team in November 2023 when he was still 14 years old.

He won’t debut with Milan in the short term

His signing was delayed until March because he had not yet turned 16. However, once he met this requirement on March 5, Milan moved quickly to finalize an agreement that will tie Mbaye to the 'rossonera' club as he completes his development alongside Italian talents like Camarda and Liberali.

In principle, and especially since he is a central defender at such a young age, it will be unusual to see him appear at San Siro to debut with Milan in the relatively short term. That said, it will be important to closely follow his development and be ready when the opportunity arises. What is clear is that Mbaye is one of the major talents in the next generation of the United States.