Youssef Maleh

Youssef Maleh is a Moroccan midfielder born in Castel San Pietro Terme, Italy, on 22 August 1998. He developed in Cesena’s youth system before moving through Ravenna and joining Venezia, where he helped the club secure promotion to Serie A in 2020–21. Fiorentina signed Maleh in January 2021 and loaned him back to Venezia for the remainder of that campaign. He made 28 league appearances and scored twice for Fiorentina in 2021–22, then continued his career with Lecce and Empoli. At Empoli, Maleh operated mainly as a central midfielder, contributing through tackles, interceptions, ball recovery and energetic work between defence and attack. He can also cover deeper midfield roles, while his passing supports transitions and possession. Maleh represented Italy at under-21 level before choosing Morocco, for whom he received a senior call-up in 2021.