AC Milan signs Young Boys defender Athekame for 2nd major Swiss addition this month
Milan said the 20-year-old Athekame signed a five-year contract. The transfer fee for the former Young Boys right-back is reportedly 10 million euros ($11.7 million).
The Switzerland Under-21 international arrives in Milan days after former Lucerne playmaker Ardon Jashari joined from Club Brugge for a reported 36 million euros ($42 million).
Milan placed eighth in Serie A last season and failed to qualify for any European competition.
Athekame played in all eight of Young Boys' Champions League games last season. The Swiss title holder lost all eight to finish last in the 36-team standings. Milan placed 13th then was eliminated in the knockout playoffs by Feyenoord.
Athekame was released by his hometown club Servette as a teenager and played in the Swiss second-tier division just 15 months ago with Neuchatel Xamax.
Thursdays
Keep up to date on sports with Mike McIntyre's weekly newsletter.
___
AP soccer: https://apnews.com/hub/soccer
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Winnipeg Free Press
34 minutes ago
- Winnipeg Free Press
Carlo Ancelotti's son wins his first Copa Libertadores match as Botafogo coach
RIO DE JANEIRO (AP) — Davide Ancelotti, the son of Brazil coach Carlo Ancelotti, has won his first Copa Libertadores match as the new manager of defending champion Botafogo. The 35-year-old Ancelotti joined the Brazilian club in July for his first experience as a full-time coach. Botafogo beat Ecuador's Liga de Quito 1-0 at Nilton Santos Stadium in the first leg of a round-of-16 tie late Thursday. Striker Artur scored after 14 seconds. For official purposes, assistant Cláudio Cacapa signed the match-related documents as Botafogo's coach. Ancelotti did not have full authorization from CONMEBOL to fill that role for a bureaucratic reason, according to Botafogo. Last month, Ancelotti was contracted through 2026 after Botafogo owner John Textor fired Renato Paiva following the team's round-of-16 elimination at the Club World Cup. The Italian has worked for more than a decade alongside his father in different roles at Bayern Munich, Napoli, Everton, and Real Madrid. He is also part of Ancelotti's staff at Brazil. Botafogo is the Brazilian and Copa Libertadores titles holder. Thursdays Keep up to date on sports with Mike McIntyre's weekly newsletter. ___ AP soccer:
Winnipeg Free Press
an hour ago
- Winnipeg Free Press
Want to leave Man City? Guardiola tells Savinho and Ederson to ‘knock on my door'
MANCHESTER, England (AP) — Pep Guardiola said if Brazil internationals Savinho and Ederson want to leave Manchester City they should just come ask. The City manager addressed speculation about the players' future on Friday, a day before the team opens its Premier League campaign at Wolverhampton. 'If they want to leave they will come to me. I'm working with them because I am here. If they want to leave, they will knock on my door,' Guardiola. The 21-year-old Savinho joined City last summer on a $45 million transfer and signed a five-year contract but has been linked to Tottenham, which has seen Son Heung-min leave this offseason and James Maddison go down with an ACL tear. Savinho, a winger, scored three goals in 48 total appearances last season. 'I don't know,' Guardiola responded when asked if Savinho would stay. 'Tottenham in that case or any other club (that) wants a player should call the club, right?' Guardiola insisted that he hopes Savinho stays. 'I'm only concerned right now today that Savinho will be with us until the rest of the season and hopefully for many, many years because with 21 years old with the potential that he has … plays lots of minutes, he has to improve in the final decisions … but he's an extraordinary player,' Guardiola said. Still, Savinho won't travel with the team for the season opener because of an unspecified injury from last week's friendly in Sicily. 'Savinho is injured, sorry I didn't remember,' Guardiola said. 'He's injured from Palermo. Had a problem. A few weeks he will be out.' Thursdays Keep up to date on sports with Mike McIntyre's weekly newsletter. The 31-year-old Ederson has been Guardiola's first-choice goalkeeper since arriving from Benfica in 2017. He's helped City win six league titles, among other trophies. British press reports say Turkish club Galatasaray wants to sign him. 'Ederson didn't come to me and say 'I want to leave, I have an offer,' so all the players (who) are here are our players, and I work with them. What's going to happen (in the transfer window) nobody knows.' Guardiola added: 'In the end, as always, the desire of the players (is) above everything.' ___ AP soccer:
Toronto Star
2 hours ago
- Toronto Star
Middleweight champ Dricus Du Plessis puts belt on the line against Khamzat Chimaev at UFC 319
CHICAGO (AP) — Middleweight champion Dricus Du Plessis will put his belt on the line for the third time against one of the most feared pound-for-pound fighters on the UFC roster. Du Plessis (23-2) will face Khamzat Chimaev (14-0) at a sold-out United Center on Saturday night at UFC 319 as the event returns to Chicago for the first time in more than six years.
