Nirash Perera named in AC Milan matchday squad for Bologna at San Siro
Nirash Perera, a 19-year-old AC Milan youth defender, was called into the senior first-team matchday squad to face Bologna at San Siro on October 25, 2026. The left-back, who normally plays for Milan Futuro, is poised for a possible senior debut with the Rossoneri.
Perera was born in Italy to parents of Sri Lankan ancestry and is one of the better-known players of Sri Lankan ethnicity playing in European top-flight football. He is primarily deployed as a left-back for Milan Futuro, AC Milan’s U23/reserve squad, and has been assigned there for the 2026–2027 season to gain senior competitive match experience. The club have rewarded his progress with a contract extension, and the article states the club feel they have one of the top players at their helm.
His inclusion in the senior squad for the Bologna fixture carries historical significance for supporters: "If he takes the pitch, he’ll officially become the first-ever player of Sri Lankan heritage to play in Serie A." That remark accompanied social-media coverage noting his presence in AC Milan’s first-team squad against Bologna at San Siro.
Perera developed in the AC Milan Youth Academy and has featured frequently in the UEFA Youth League and the Campionato Primavera 1 as part of his progression through the club’s youth ranks. Those appearances formed the backdrop to his elevation into the senior set-up and his move into Milan Futuro for more regular exposure to senior-level competition.
Contract milestones in his senior pathway include signing his first professional contract with AC Milan in February 2024 and agreeing an extension in March 2026. He reached another step in his integration into the first team on October 25, 2026 when the manager called him up to the senior squad; when Milan defeated Udinese 2-0 on the road in Serie A he was named among the substitutes but remained unused.
Perera is right-footed and versatile in his positional options, capable of operating in midfield as well as at full-back. SportMania24 described his range of roles in 2026, stating: “Perera plays on the left flank, but… he can also play as a full-back, midfielder, and, if necessary, as part of a three-man attack.”
On the international front, Perera has earned caps for the Italy Under-18 national team and holds dual Italian and Sri Lankan citizenship, which the article says keeps both Italian and Sri Lankan supporters watching his progress.
AC Milan’s immediate next engagement is the Serie A match against Bologna at San Siro, where Perera is included in the matchday squad; if he is brought on during that fixture he would register his first senior appearance and, per the coverage, become the first player of Sri Lankan heritage to play in Serie A.