Denzel Dumfries has been in his best form since joining Inter in the summer over the past few weeks and has made himself an integral part of the team.
This is highlighted in today’s print edition of Milan-based newspaper Gazzetta dello Sport, who note that the 25-year-old has nailed down the starting spot on the right and become one of the Nerazzurri’s outstanding performers in recent matches.
Dumfries didn’t have a straightforward start to life at Inter, being tasked with replacing Achraf Hakimi and adjusting to the role of wing-back having mostly played in a back four up to that point in his career.
The Dutchman showed flashes of his athleticism and quality, but didn’t look settled into his decision-making, especially off the ball, and failed to form an instinctive partnership with Milan Skriniar and Nicolo Barella on the right.
However, the club were always expecting Dumfries to need some time to settle in, and had Matteo Darmian to rely on in the interim, with the 32-year-old putting in excellent displays as a starter.
With Darmian’s injury against Venezia in November, however, the Dutchman was thrust into the starting eleven, and had to show his best and more importantly show consistency.
Dumfries repaid the club’s faith with a string of solid performances down the stretch before the winter break, and upon the return he has been the first-choice option in his position.
Now, after having taken criticism for the late penalty he gave away against Juventus and clearly having been behind Darmian in the pecking order for the biggest matches, Dumfries has been selected to start in Inter’s recent key matches.
The 25-year-old started against both AC Milan and Napoli over the past two weekends, and even though the Nerazzurri only got a point from those two matches against their main Scudetto rivals, his accomplished displays were highlights of both games.
The Dutchman now looks to have a solid grasp of his role in the team, and is able to give the team both a defensive shift and an attacking outlet down his flank.
Against Liverpool, Dumfries will face his sternest tests coming up against the Reds’ formidable right side of Trent Alexander-Arnold and Mohamed Salah, but the fact that he will almost certainly be relied upon for it speaks volumes.