DFB talent is making a name for itself: Yann Aurel Bisseck is playing big at Inter Milan

Sorted out at 1. FC Köln
How a DFB talent makes a big impression at Inter Milan

By Constantin Eckner
December 29, 2023, 9:16 a.m

Yann Bisseck looked abroad early on because he wasn’t getting anywhere with his youth club. He is now one of the top performers at Italian league leaders Inter and could also be a personnel option for the European Championships for national coach Julian Nagelsmann.

To date, Yann Bisseck is 1. FC Köln’s youngest Bundesliga debutant and the second youngest in the history of the Bundesliga. However, the then 16-year-old defender’s three appearances in December 2017 were not followed by any more. Bisseck was in the traditional club’s squad twice more, and after the winter break he wasn’t even on the bench anymore. His loan to Holstein Kiel during the second half of the 2018/19 season led to three short appearances in the 2nd Bundesliga. In retrospect, it seems surprising that a now internationally known defender with almost optimal basic characteristics for a central defender was not given a serious chance in German professional football.

Of course, injuries played a role, as Bisseck, who is now 23, knows himself. However, some time ago, in an interview with the “Geissblog”, an online medium about 1. FC Cologne, the Cologne native also blamed his home club. “I was hardly spoken to. I didn’t get much help during my loans either; I did it all myself. Even before my many injuries and failed loans, I didn’t feel wanted. I, like some other young players, would have wished that people had shown more interest in us,” said Bisseck in the fall.

Especially after Cologne’s relegation to the 2nd Bundesliga in 2018, he expected that he would be involved in the rebuilding as a homegrown player. Instead, he remained unused during the first half of the season and then tried out in Kiel. Loans abroad followed, specifically Roda JC in the Netherlands and Vitória SC in Portugal, although he was never used for the second-mentioned club, which is based in Guimarães. Bisseck only achieved his real breakthrough during his first year on loan with Aarhus GF in Denmark. The transfer between Cologne and Aarhus was completed in 2022 and for Bisseck the chapter in the cathedral city was over for the time being.

Most recently a regular at Inter

Bisseck was placed in Aarhus under both David Nielsen and former Bundesliga professional Uwe Rösler. In this comparatively relaxed environment, the 1.96 meter tall defender was not only able to gain the match practice he finally needed, but was also able to offer himself to clubs in the major European leagues as well as the German Football Association. This is how Bisseck led the U21 national team as captain during the European Championships in Georgia and Romania last summer. Even though the DFB selection had already made its final stop after the group phase, the talented central defender had once again made his presence felt in the German football public.

Shortly after the European Championships, he moved to Inter Milan when the top Italian club made use of an exit clause in Bisseck’s contract with Aarhus and completed the transfer for a transfer fee of seven million euros.

Now Inter, who are once again one of the top favorites to win the Scudetto this season, might at first glance be a bit too big for Bisseck – especially since he previously spent two years in the middle-class Danish Superligaen. But since the end of November he has now been part of Inter coach Simone Inzaghi’s regular staff. Previously, the Cologne native had to be patient for a while as he was primarily able to watch his Nerazzurri teammates from the bench.

But with Denzel Dumfries’ injury, Bisseck had an opportunity to collect more minutes. Matteo Darmian was moved from the back three to the right wing, where the 34-year-old Italian primarily played during his career. To do this, Bisseck moved to the right half-back position next to Francesco Acerbi, Alessandro Bastoni and Stefan de Vrij.

What was advantageous for the German was that he became part of a well-oiled machine. Inter have not conceded a goal in their last four league games and, on good days, play stability football typical of Inzaghi, which is aimed at the team carefully driving the ball forward and always protecting the spaces behind them. The Nerazzurri have a lot of possession, but at best avoid being countered. Bisseck himself was not only able to use his physical strength and presence in the air, but also showed himself to be a confident passer – similar to Bastoni, for example, as the left half-back of the three-man chain.

Scorer against Lecce before Christmas

Bisseck had his best performance to date against Lecce the day before Christmas Eve, when he touched the ball 71 times, repeatedly delivered passes from his own half to Darmian or Nicolò Barella with surprisingly great confidence and skillfully avoided the rather tentative midfield pressing of the guests from Apulia . In addition, the Cologne player drew attention with his goal threat. Bisseck fired a total of four shots, two from corners, one from a free kick and another from a throw-in, inside the Lecce penalty area.

Of course, head coach Inzaghi had planned that his new protégé would move forward in standard situations in order to take advantage of his length. One of those four shots, after a free kick from Hakan Çalhanoğlu, gave Inter the lead just before half-time and paved the way to their 14th win of the current Serie A season.

Thanks to his recent performances, Bisseck can continue to develop his game, especially since the tactical demands of Inzaghi’s game system are comparatively high and the three defenders are allowed to make as few mistakes as possible, especially when moving forward. A lot is also required of the former U21 international when it comes to positional play, because the Nerazzurri thrive on their collective tactical unity and compactness on the field – and that is precisely why they are currently top of the table again ahead of Juventus and city rivals AC Milan.

In the coming weeks, Bisseck will be concerned with the extent to which he can retain his recently won regular place. Dumfries could return to the squad very soon and displace Darmian from the right side. The age factor speaks for Bisseck and against Darmian. It’s actually similar in the German national team, where hope has recently rested on Mats Hummels and Antonio Rüdiger. Bisseck doesn’t yet have the class of these two, but he has strong athletic attributes and an increasing self-confidence when it comes to positional play and final defense. He is also currently learning how to move as a half-back in a three-man chain. Such a defensive variant could be interesting for national coach Julian Nagelsmann given the lack of high-class full-backs in Germany.

Would like to play in Cologne during the European Championships

Bisseck himself also has hope of taking part in the 2024 European Championship. “I’m still an FC fan and watch almost all the games. I hope that I can play a few more games for the senior national team at the European Championship next summer Cologne can do,” he said in an interview with the “Geissblog”. His career path is somewhat reminiscent of that of another national player: Robin Gosens, who never played in a high-class youth department like that of Effzeh, but also found happiness abroad after not having had a real chance in Germany. For Gosens, the path also led to Italy via Vitesse and Heracles Almelo in the Netherlands, and most recently to Inter. In the summer he moved from the Nerazzurri to 1. FC Union Berlin.

The wealth of experience that players accumulate when they have to make their way abroad at an early stage, where they cannot benefit from the fact that they are native to the respective club or fall under any local player rule, should not be underestimated. Bisseck has already had to go through a few valleys in his young career in order to now find himself as a top performer at the Serie A table leaders. That alone deserves respect and recognition, which many people in Cologne certainly give him.