Ebenezer Akinsanmiro, Nigeria's midfield maestro taking over Inter Milan
Akinsanmiro is flying under the radar, but his Iniesta-esque playstyle could send scouts soaring. Here's why you should know him.
MILAN, Italy — Ebenezer Akinsanmiro has been named Inter Milan’s future star, the hope of their struggling Primavera squad, and a candidate to make waves in the first team by the start of next season.
He hasn’t even been in Milan for seven months.
Akinsanmiro joined I Nerazzuri (The Black and Blues) in February from the Nigerian club Remo Stars thanks to an incredible performance at the Italian youth tournament Torneo di Viareggio. Since then, he’s made a big splash. Not only has he trained with Inter’s senior team and won the Coppa Italia, but he’s been a human highlight reel, a walking football compilation of flashy passes, elegant dribbles, and eye-rolling pace. He slices open defenses like frozen mozzarella, using incisive turns and explosive agility. The ball and his feet are attached like a yo-yo and string. He always makes the right play thanks to his vision. These traits have earned him comparisons to Jay-Jay Okocha and Kevin de Bruyne.
Since joining Inter in February, he’s played 1097 minutes and appeared in 14 total games. He’s contributed two assists, boasts a 83.8% pass completion rate, has completed 40 total dribbles from 68 attempts, and has 41 interceptions throughout the campaign. Mind-boggling numbers, especially when you consider the Nigerian sat out for nearly a month acclimating and getting used to the Inter Milan life.
He’s part of a Nigerian midfield revolution along with players like FC One Rocket’s Daniel Daga, Milan’s Victor Eletu, and Botev’s Tochukwu Nnadi. Although he is just as good as the three named, if not better, Akinsanmiro could not attend the 2023 U-20 Africa Cup of Nations or the U20 World Cup. As is typical with many European teams, Inter refused to let Akinsanmiro leave for either event. However, Akinsanmiro is expected to join Inter’s senior team soon, and he’s on the fast track to joining the Nigerian national team. Here’s what to know about the Lagos-born midfielder with the world at his feet.
What to Know
I said before that Akinsanmiro played a lot like Iniesta, and that is not a lie. Both play as both a central midfielder and an attacking midfielder. He’s an orchestrator, someone who controls the midfield, kickstarting attacks with his technical skills and offensive input. He can play on either side in Inter’s 4-3-3 defensive formation, and he’s also played as the #10 in the 4-2-3-1. He’s played roles as a creator, a box-to-box midfielder, or even a mezzala, drifting in from the outside into the inside with his cutting, energetic playstyle.
They both have great touch, dribbling skills, and vision. However, Akinsanmiro is also an intelligent interpreter of the game. He shares the tendencies as Iniesta; he retains the ball, penetrates the defense from the outside, plays incisive one-twos, and often sends the ball to the wings. Iniesta and Akinsanmiro both work hard on offense and defense, are agile and athletic, and make big plays on both ends of the ball.
Although Akinsanmiro has not reached the technical and creative heights of Iniesta, he’s shown a level of athleticism that already exceeds the Spanish midfield maestro. Akinsanmiro stands at 1.76 m (5’9), and he is neither gangly nor stocky. He’s dogged, willing to sacrifice his body with countless slide tackles. He’s physical on the ground, strong enough both to topple defenders and to withstand strong tackles. He’s aggressive and very fast and paired with his confidence, determination, and natural endurance, he could grow into a good box-to-box midfielder or a #6.
However, he is far from a finished product. His shooting is sub-par at the moment, and although he has some good jumping reach, he needs work on his headers. But, this won’t stop Akinsanmiro from likely making waves at a Serie B/Serie A side on loan.
The Schedule
Akinsanmiro is currently visiting the Remo Stars training ground to visit the club president and present his Coppa Italia medal. He will not be playing any matches for a long time, at least until August. The Lega Serie A has not released the Italian Primavera schedule, meaning we won’t know who Akinsanmiro plays if he stays with Inter’s youth team.
Meanwhile, Inter is preparing to tour Tokyo in late July, playing Saudi club Al Nassr and Paris Saint-Germain in a series of friendlies. Akinsanmiro will likely be part of the squad, but if he isn’t, his next chance is playing Monza in August.