Samuele Ricci, born on 21 August 2001 (age 24), is an Italian central defensive midfielder with AC Milan. He wears the No. 4 shirt and, at around £18.5m according to Transfermarkt, is valued like a player expected to do more than merely fill space.
His early senior progress was made at Empoli, where his most productive league season came in 2020-21: two goals in 33 appearances. That remains a useful marker of the type of midfielder he is – involved, trusted, but not there to dress up the scoresheet.
At AC Milan in 2025-26, Ricci has remained a regular first-team presence. He has made 31 Serie A appearances, scoring once, and added three Coppa Italia appearances, giving him 34 games and one goal across all competitions for the club. He has also been involved with Italy, making three appearances in European World Cup qualifying this season.
Ricci’s career to this point has been shaped by steady league football, first at Empoli and now at Milan, with his role still centred on midfield control rather than headline numbers.
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