Brahim Diaz
Position: Midfielder
Age: 22 (born August 3, 1999)
Shirt number: 10
Country: Spain (1 cap since 2021, 1 goal)
At AC Milan since: 2020 (on loan from Real Madrid)
The diminutive maestro from Melilla has improved leaps and bounds with the Rossoneri and has brought his winning experience for both Real Madrid and Manchester City to the San Siro.
With a loaded midfield that had the likes of Kessie and Calhanoglu, Brahim Diaz brought a lot to the table, in which he has been irreplaceable on Stefano Pioli’s teamsheet alongside Sandro Tonali and Alexis Saelemaekers.
Cameo appearances in both City and Madrid gave him winner’s medals in both the Premier League and La Liga, as well as the Community Shield, and Spain’s Supercopa in the process. But lack of playing time after Madrid’s 34th league title saw him being sent to Milan on loan the following term, which was then extended to 2023.
Since that, Diaz has shone through for Milan amidst the tougher competition in Italy, in which he logged on his highest records in appearances and goals. His 2020-21 campaign gave him seven goals (4 in Serie A, 3 in the Europa League) in 39 appearances with Il Diavolo. In his second full season on loan, Diaz played one more from last season yet only found the net just four times, but they ended an eleven-year drought to claim the Scudetto on the final day.
The form that he has displayed is the main reason Milan is keen to put him on a permanent deal, but it will be a matter of time.
Diaz is also eligible for Morocco owing to his father’s ancestry, but he has tried his luck to secure his international career with Spain. In his lone senior cap that came on his debut, he started on the left wing in Leganes, scoring once for a makeshift La Roja side that routed Lithuania 4-0.