Manchester United defender Diogo Dalot rejected a move to AC Milan last year in order to fight for a place in the first team.
Dalot spent a season on loan at AC Milan after falling out of favour at Manchester United. The Portuguese international has struggled to cement a regular place in the United squad, but he’s begun to flourish under Erik ten Hag.
Manchester United opted not to sign a new right-back this summer, and Dalot has grabbed the opportunity with both hands, keeping Aaron Wan-Bissaka out of the team.
Now, Dalot has confirmed he turned down the opportunity to sign for AC Milan on a permanent deal, in order to pursue first-team opportunities at Manchester United.
“Milan are a great club and I loved the season with the Rossoneri. But it (transfer) wasn’t just up to me. In the end, I decided to stay at United and it was the right decision. If I’m a better defender I owe it to Milan. Italian football is different from the Premier League and I had to adapt in just one year and playing in Serie A has helped me a lot,” said Dalot, as quoted by Metro.
The decision to stick around at Manchester United appears to have paid off, and if he can keep up the form he started the season with, Ten Hag won’t have to consider bringing in a new right-back for some time, with Dalot still only 23 years old.
