Yunus Musah, 19, has become a midfielder for his club Valencia and the United States national team.

Yunus is a versatile player in midfield, however, since Gennaro Gattuso came on the bench from Valencia this season, Musah has established himself in midfield. If anyone knows this position perfectly, it is Gattuso, who was one of the best defensive midfielders during his time as a player.

“He gave me a lot of notes about my game that I tried to implement. We have only been working together for a short time, but I try to learn as quickly as possible. He wants me to get better and I want to get better too, so working together is good for everyone," Musah explained on ESPN+'s La Liga Player Spotlight.

During Musah's first two seasons with Valencia, he held various positions in midfield, including as a winger, but now he is stuck in the middle.

“I grew up playing in the centre, but I started as a right back. Now I play in the center and I feel more comfortable there. I also play for this sector with the (United States) team and it's the same, it's natural. I take advantage of it,” he added.

Valencia has started the season in Spain with a victory and a defeat in the two days that have elapsed. This Monday, those led by Gattuso will face Atlético de Madrid. Yunus started both games for a total of 152 minutes.

Such regularity in the club will be beneficial for the young player of the Stars and Stripes team three months before the World Cup in Qatar.

"We need to be in the best possible shape with our teams and then show it with the national team," Musah said.

Yunus has been an important piece for strategist Gregg Berhalter. At a young age, the Arsenal Academy-educated man wore the senior team shirt 18 times, helping in World Cup qualifiers for the United States to earn a ticket to the World Cup.

The US team had the youngest generation in its history in qualifying for the World Cup and will also be one of the youngest teams in Qatar. Something that has differentiated this group is the mentality and the desire to transcend. The international friction with the European clubs of several of its elements contributed to this, as in the case of Yunus.

In the Concacaf zone, the United States has beaten the Mexican team in recent matches, including the Nations League and Gold Cup titles.

“The team is determined and wants to win. Against Mexico, these are important games because of the rivalry, the mentality is very strong from the coaches, the staff and the players, we are on the same page with a lot of energy. That energy is noticeable on the field, we try to overcome them, to play with more strength and intelligence, to be better than the rival in every way. This has paid off recently and we want to continue in this spirit,” Musah explained.

Yunus, of dual English and American nationality, opted for the American team and is today a benchmark for young people in the North American country. The greater accessibility to consume the product of La Liga in the United States on ESPN+, allows fans to closely follow the careers of elements such as Musah who contribute to the growth of soccer in this country.

“It's great to have so much exposure, to know that kids can watch our games and follow their favorite players. I get a lot of messages motivating me, telling me to keep going, praising my game with American flag emojis. It is good that they can follow us here in Spain”, she concluded.