Inter feel that Denzel Dumfries is now fully physically ready for the demands of playing the wing0back position regularly, having been impressed by his athleticism shown in his first start against Bologna over the weekend.
This according to today’s print edition of Milan-based newspaper Gazzetta dello Sport, who report that the 25-year-old’s speed and endurance during Saturday’s Serie A match surprised the club and gave an indication that he is prepared to make a major impact in the role.
Dumfries was one of the Nerazzurri’s standout performers in the 6-1 rout of Sinisa Mihajlovic’s Rossoblu side, kicking the match off with his first assist in an Inter shirt on the first goal of the night and not looking back from there.
The former PSV man had not immediately broken into the team upon his arrival in the summer, but showed that after he had not immediately had the necessary physical conditioning he is now at the right level to take over from Achraf Hakimi as the first-choice option.
Dumfries’s fastest sprint against the Rossoblu was clocked at 34.38 km/h, not quite the Moroccan’s top sprint of 34.52 km/h but very close, while he also showed great endurance in running up and down the flank to help his team out at both ends of the pitch, covering 10.95 km through the match.
The Dutchman’s passing has not been as precise and clinical as Hakimi’s had been, with only 14% of his forward passes being successful compared to nearly of a quarter of those attempted by the man whose place he takes, but overall he has had a shown a strong start.
