Inter defender Federico Dimarco has experienced a major step up in his career this season, becoming a fixture in the Nerazzurri’s first team after his return from loan.

As today’s print edition of Rome-based newspaper Corriere dello Sport points out, however, the 23-year-old has relied on the faith of Nerazzurri head coach Simone Inzaghi in this development, while he likely would not have had a place under former manager Antonio Conte.

Dimarco returned from loan with Hellas Verona this summer, where he had developed significantly across two seasons in Serie A working under Ivan Juric.

The 23-year-old had no shortage of clubs interested in his signature thanks to his impressive form for Verona, and had Conte remained there is a good chance that he would have been sold for a profit.

However, with Inzaghi’s arrival as coach from Lazio in the summer, Dimarco returned to find a sympathetic manager who has put his trust in the young defender.

Dimarco has repaid the coach’s faith with good performances and become a regular player and even starter for his boyhood club, so much so that he is soon to be handed a new contract.

The 23-year-old was also called up to the Italian national team for the first time during the recent international break, and he owes some of his impressive recent career trajectory to the trust put in him by Inzaghi.