Right-back hasn’t been the most sorted position for AC Milan so far this season. It has caused them problems in recent weeks, even though the club has players for that position. The issue hasn’t showed signs of improving either.
First-choice right-back Davide Calabria has been sent off twice so far. He has played in nine Serie A games, assisting just once. He has taken criticism from many Rossoneri faithfuls and the reasons are obvious.
Calabria was also at fault for helping Roma to a winner in Milan’s defeat to the Giallorossi.
As for second choice Andrea Conti, the former Atalanta man has also taken criticism. Two serious knee injuries have hindered his progress since he joined and that has taken a toll on his performances. Since joining from La Dea, Conti has missed 63 games due to injury.
While Conti did impress in the game against Juventus recently, that’s the best game he has had this season. He has played five times in the Serie A and had a horror show in the 2-2 draw against Lecce. His poor show against Roma was the reason why he was subbed off for Calabria himself.
That is why Stefano Pioli has often resorted to playing summer signing Leo Duarte at right-back. Even though he is a centre-back. And Duarte did impress against SPAL, when he started as the right-back. He won two aerial duels, making three interceptions and winning one tackle.
Clearly, there is a problem in that position. And it is no surprise that the Rossoneri have scouted PSV full-back Denzel Dumfries in the recent international break. Apart from, Milan also scouted Memphis Depay and Myron Boadu recently, as per Calciomercato.
Still 23, Dumfries is currently a regular for the Dutch national team under Ronald Koeman. He has already played nine times for the Oranje and played in the semi-final and final of the UEFA Nations League.
For his club PSV, Dumfries has played 24 times in all competitions. He has scored four times, assisting three times as well. Last season, he played 43 times in all competitions and scored four times, assisting seven times.
At the age of 23, he has already played 111 times in the Eredivisie- a good number to have under the belt.
He is known to be a full-back who likes to attack and bomb forward. Dumfries oozes the fact that he’s a modern-day full-back, who can also play as a wing-back if the need ever arises.
He is very athletic too. This season, he has won the highest number of aerial duels for the club – 3.2. He has also made the second-highest number of interceptions for the club- 1.2. Not just that, but Dumfries is a good tackler too. He has won the fifth-highest number of tackles – 1.6.
Dumfries has been the fifth-best dribbler of the season, completing 1.2 dribbles per game. He is also fifth, when it comes to the most number of key passes per game for the side.
It shows that the player is adept attacking-wise. But he is also very good athletically and he uses his body almost perfectly. Those attributes are just what Milan need, with Calabria and Conti having lost the confidence and concentration.
Dumfries’ contract at the club runs out in the summer of 2023. Which means that PSV would be able to gain the maximum out of a possible sale. That is the part that could leave Milan behind. Considering that Dumfries is a modern-day full-back, other clubs can well come in for him.
