Dumfries injury forces Inter Milan to search for a new right wing-back

Denzel Dumfries’ serious injury and the chance of a summer exit push Inter Milan toward the transfer market

The serious injury suffered by Denzel Dumfries, combined with the concrete possibility that the Dutchman could leave Milan at the end of the season, has pushed Inter Milan to look for a new right wing-back.

There are several names on the notepad of Marotta and Ausilio, but according to La Gazzetta dello Sport via Fcinter1908, the preferred option at the moment is one above all: Norton-Cuffy.

“Inter Milan have five names in mind… rolled into one: Brooke Dion Nelson Norton-Cuffy. In terms of characteristics — technical, physical, and age-related — the Englishman represents almost the perfect profile. 

Norton-Cuffy is ahead of the gamble Valincic, Touré of Pisa, and Palestra of Atalanta. But beware of competition from the Premier League. English clubs are always very attentive to domestic profiles, and there are at least a couple — in addition to Napoli and Juventus — who would gladly bring the former Arsenal player back across the Channel,” the newspaper reports.

The Englishman was born in 2004 and still has enormous room for growth despite the breakout season he is enjoying. 

He already knows Italian football, but above all, he does not lack the physicality that has always defined Dumfries. 

That is why the Englishman appears to be the ideal candidate for Inter Milan: a player built for the future, yet already ready to replace a cornerstone of the team like the Dutchman.

Why Norton-Cuffy leads the Inter Milan shortlist

Two more factors strengthen Norton-Cuffy’s candidacy.

First, the transfer fee. For a figure in the region of €15–20 million (£12.9–17.2 million), Genoa would clearly begin to waver. 

This aligns perfectly with Oaktree’s strategy, as last year the ownership set a ceiling of €25 million (£21.5 million) beyond which the club would not go.

Second, the agency representing the player: Roc Nation, owned by rapper Jay-Z. Relations with Inter Milan are excellent, especially after the Lukaku deal, which was managed during the striker’s successful spell with the Nerazzurri and ended before the Belgian’s turbulent post-Istanbul final summer.

A series of clues that risk becoming proof: Norton-Cuffy and Inter Milan, more than just an idea.