Goncalo Ramos has made an early mark at Milan, but the numbers also describe a centre-forward still waiting for a more settled attacking environment. On the eve of Lecce’s visit, the Portuguese striker has one goal from five appearances in Serie A and the Europa League: the finish against Venezia on matchday two, his first at San Siro.
A centre-forward seeking his place
Milan’s relationship with the No. 9 shirt has often been uneasy since Pippo Inzaghi’s era, aside from Olivier Giroud’s successful spell. It would be premature to place Ramos in that wider story after only a handful of matches, yet his first weeks under Ruben Amorim have shown both his willingness to contribute and the limits of the team’s service into the penalty area.
Ramos has scored five goals in 2026 across PSG, Portugal and Milan. One of those came in the World Cup, a decisive and impressive strike for his country. His minutes-to-goals return, especially during his time under Luis Enrique, remains respectable, but his Milan record has not yet found the same rhythm.
Across four Serie A outings, Ramos has recorded 195 touches, including 24 in the opposition box, and taken 17 shots. Only four have hit the target. Among the starting strikers at the league’s leading clubs, he is the most involved in general play, ahead of Kolo Muani on 153 touches, Malen on 144, Esposito on 130, Douvikas on 105 and Hojlund on 95.
That involvement has not translated into enough attempts on goal. Ramos and Juventus’ No. 9 have produced the fewest shots on target in that group, despite Ramos having played considerably more than most of his counterparts. The sample is small, but it reflects Milan’s difficulty in creating clear openings in the final third.
Changing support behind Ramos
The forward returned later than his team-mates after the World Cup break, so he is not expected to be at peak physical condition yet. More significantly, he has frequently operated with his back to goal, contesting long stretches with opposing defenders and receiving too few clean balls in dangerous positions.
Amorim’s rotating choices behind him have added another layer to the adjustment. Milan have repeatedly changed the pair of attacking midfielders supporting Ramos, leaving limited time for combinations to become automatic.
- For the season opener and the match against Venezia, Cisse and Loftus-Cheek started behind Ramos.
- Saelemaekers and Rabiot then took those roles.
- Against Juventus, Saelemaekers and Rabiot began before Cisse and Loftus-Cheek came on.
- In Rome, Cisse and Loftus-Cheek started, with Saelemaekers and Pulisic introduced later.
- Against Benfica, Cisse and Hutchinson were selected at first, before Saelemaekers and Pulisic replaced them.
None of that makes a verdict on Ramos possible after five matches. It does, however, explain why a striker who has been active in Milan’s build-up has often looked detached from the moments that decide games. The visit of Lecce offers another opportunity to change that pattern, particularly if Pulisic is able to start behind him and provide a more direct link into the area.
