Diego Moreira is set for his Milan debut against Juventus on Sunday, having watched his first two matches from the bench.
The winger arrived as one of Ruben Amorim's three major summer additions, and he is the last of the trio still waiting for his first minutes. Mario Gila has already tightened the defence, while Goncalo Ramos marked his San Siro introduction with a goal against Venezia. Moreira is the piece yet to be seen in Rossoneri colours after sitting out all 90 minutes in each of the opening two games.
According to La Gazzetta dello Sport, he could even start, and that would say plenty about his condition. Amorim builds his weekend line-ups largely on the results of fitness tests and training trials rather than fixed hierarchies, so a place from the first minute would be a reward for his form. On the left, Moreira would offer a step up on Pervis Estupinan and Davide Bartesaghi.
The context to his introduction is a long spell out of action. His last competitive appearance came on 17 May, for Strasbourg against Monaco. Only days ago, back at Lens, he stepped onto the pitch before kick-off to greet his former supporters and was met with a standing ovation.
The Milan fanbase has already taken to him. He appeared at the club's Via Dante store for a meet and greet, waving from the window before signing autographs and posing for photos.
"My first few days here have been magical; I immediately felt at home. I'm definitely ready to play and I'm just waiting for my moment," he told reporters there.
Asked about his preferred position, Moreira pointed to the opposite side to where Milan may need him. "The way we play, I prefer the right flank. I spoke to the coach about it, and it's the position where I feel most comfortable." The plan is to make use of his pace, and he is comfortable being asked to adapt to the left.
"I don't feel pressure; rather, I feel honored. It's time to prove they were right to believe in me, and so I'll give my all on the pitch for my team and the fans," he added.
From here, the call rests with Amorim and what the fitness numbers tell him this week.