Matteo Darmian is due to complete his move to Manchester United with many of their fans not too familiar with the Torino full-back, despite two outstanding seasons with the Granata and gaining international recognition at the 2014 World Cup.
A potential starting spot at the famed Red Devils is just reward for Darmian’s efforts with Il Toro since 2011. The Italian played a prominent role in helping the club return to Serie A and reach the Europa League — after the financial mismanagement at Parma — in 2014.
It was somewhat surprising that in January 2014 Inter opted for teammate Danilo D’Ambrosio; although €4 million was someway short of the €17 million it will cost the English side to secure Darmian’s services.
After becoming Italy’s first choice right-back in Brazil, Darmian carried on where he left off last season, as Torino reached the Europa League last 16 — losing 2-1 on aggregate to Zenit St Petersburg — but leaving an impression which nonetheless alerted heavyweights Bayern Munich and Real Madrid.
Therefore, although leaving Turin to chase English Premier League titles and help Manchester United regain their European reputation, the fact that some of Serie A’s more prominent clubs did not show greater interest in keeping the Italian in his homeland remains somewhat surprising.
The riches on offer in England may be difficult for most clubs to match, but for each of the Italian sides able to offer the 25-year-old European football next term, a serious attempt to block his English passage would have been heavily justified.
Bar Juventus, who have the still reliable Stephan Lichtsteiner, Darmian’s arrival would have represented a significant upgrade.
Even Milan-based duo AC Milan and Inter, without the attraction of European football but reliant on unrivalled domestic prestige, made little attempt to secure someone with a huge amount of promise.
Instead, Serie A’s loss will be the English Premier League’s gain, although some in England will be sceptical given the varied success of players imported from the peninsula.
Becoming the 23rd Italian to move across the English Channel in the last decade, Darmian is only the third defender on that list, after fellow full-backs Andrea Dossena and Davide Santon joined Liverpool and Newcastle in 2008 and 2011 respectively.
The former endured a disastrous spell on Merseyside — 18 league appearances in 18 months — and an unfortunate experience which may have dampened their own interest in the Granata full-back. Liverpool instead elected to sign homegrown Nathaniel Clyne from Southampton.
However, what their bitter rivals are gaining is a far more versatile player than his English counterpart; someone who will be vital to the plans of Manchester United coach Louis Van Gaal.
Despite securing Champions League football last term, the team often failed to convince as the Dutchman switched between a defensive back-three and then four, grinding their way to a fourth place finish.
With more experimenting expected over the coming months, the Italian’s comfort in either formation will aid his first-team integration, not to mention the right-footer’s ability to operate excellently on his weaker side as well.
Like Van Gaal, Torino coach Giampiero Ventura’s preference for a 3-5-2 often saw Darmian deployed as a left wing-back, and he could well displace Luke Shaw at Old Trafford.
Last summer’s €35 million signing is yet to convince with either his performances or ability to avoid unwanted injuries, and the stature of Shaw’s price tag will mean little to his newfound competitor in Darmian.
Dropping down to Serie B to join Torino, the defender went about improving himself and his team with quiet assurance, largely attributed to his attitude and dedication to his profession.
Players like Darmian succeed as much due to desire as the talent at their disposal; and with the upward trajectory at which his career is taking, the only way is up for a man about to hit his peak years.
Thus, it is not so much a question of does Darmian deserve his chance at one of European football’s major clubs, but why some of Serie A’s bigger names allowed him to take it abroad.
[youtube]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_J-_CQDPyFI[/youtube]
