Matteo Darmian Is the Ideal Right-Back for Louis Van Gaal's Manchester United

Matteo Darmian spent very little time in the limelight this summer after Bastian Schweinsteiger and Morgan Schneiderlin were signed in the days following his transfer, but the Italian stood out during pre-season and again in Manchester United’s 1-0 win against Tottenham Hotspur.

With Antonio Valencia a midfielder by trade and Rafael da Silva out of favour under manager Louis van Gaal, United simply had to sign a right-back in this transfer window. Few linked Darmian with a move initially, but he has settled extremely quickly and looks like he could be an astute signing.

Against Spurs, he was close to faultless in defence and looked bright in attack. Despite being one of the more unspectacular players signed by Van Gaal in the last year, he could prove to be one of the most successful if his early form is anything to go by.

The 25-year-old was named Man of the Match following his excellent debut, although Chris Smalling was equally deserving of the award.

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Darmian’s defensive performance against Spurs was particularly commendable. He tackled strongly, made a number of important clearances and, perhaps most importantly, held his position extremely well.

Much like Luke Shaw on the opposite side, he is a better defender than he is an attacker. Where most full-backs tend to offer more going forward than they do at the back, Darmian defends first and attacks second, which likely stems from the fact that he played as a centre-back early in his career.

He is not a flashy right-back. Instead, he's efficient and effective in everything he does. His game is simple: defend resolutely and attack with well-timed overlaps.

In many ways, the Italian is the type of player Van Gaal likes. Reliable, dependable and steady, he offers the solidity Rafael struggled to provide. There’s a sense Darmian perfectly fits the profile of what the Dutch manager wants from a right-back.

And with Shaw such an accomplished defender in his own right and Smalling enormously improved in the last nine months, it’s no exaggeration to say United could be one top-class centre-back away from having an excellent defence.

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In the end, the standing ovation Darmian received when he was substituted against Spurs was well deserved. The Old Trafford crowd recognised his endeavour and responded accordingly.

That Van Gaal singled the Italian out for praise following the victory highlighted his debut was a resounding success.

Perhaps what was most impressive about his first performance in a United shirt was his alertness.

In the first half, defending on the edge of his penalty area, he pressured Nacer Chadli away from goal before swiveling a full 180 degrees and making an interception to cut out a pass intended for Spurs full-back Ben Davies. In the space of a few seconds, he closed down two attacks and stopped Spurs’ two left-sided players from posing a threat.

Likewise, in the second half, he prevented Christian Eriksen from racing clear down the left and then showed great awareness to take up a smart position in the box to clear from the feet of Harry Kane.

Against Spurs, Darmian showed why his disciplined style suits the type of football Van Gaal looks to play. He is a more controlled player than Rafael and seems less likely to make basic errors in the way Valencia does when he plays at right-back.

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With a lot of media scrutiny on the money spent by Van Gaal in the last year, it must be noted the initial £12.7 million paid by United to Torino for Darmian’s services looks like a bargain.

Suggestions that United have finally replaced Gary Neville might be slightly premature, but the Italian appears to have all the makings of a top-class defender.

His debut against Spurs, which followed on from his impressive pre-season form, suggests United have signed one of the best right-backs not already at an established top club.


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