No-frills defender is Jose’s welcome Matt
MATTEO Darmian is something of a throwback – and not just because of those wispy sideburns.
The Italian is one of the few toplevel footballers who dislike tattoos and his straight-laced personality translates onto the field.
Disciplined, determined and hard-working, the 27-year-old fits the profile of Jose Mourinho’s perfect player.
Darmian is the kind of defender who would play through injury and put speculation about his future to one side.
Given how brittle Darmian was last season, and how he has been linked with a move away from Old Trafford, that is no mean feat.
Not many other Premier League players would be happy about being continually being played out of position.
But most of Darmian’s 22 starts this season have come out of position at left-back – and he even filled in at centre-back against Chelsea and Swansea.
Just as Alvaro Arbeloa proved a key cog in Real Madrid’s title win in 2012, consistently giving Mourinho a 6/10 performance, Darmian has displayed similar qualities.
Like Arbeloa, Darmian has never been rated as the most exciting fullback in the world but he has the selflessness that Mourinho demands from his players.
And that soon gave him a head start on Luke Shaw.
The 21-year-old appeared to have turned his latest corner under Mourinho after a heart-to-heart meeting with the Portuguese last month.
But he has started just three games since then – Sunderland away, Anderlecht at home and Swansea at home, where he succumbed to injury in the first 10 minutes.
Shaw’s natural instincts have taken a hammering since that desperate defeat to Watford in the autumn.
And, as he has built up his confidence again, Shaw has relied on Mourinho’s guidance on the touchline.
Darmian has not needed those incessant instructions and is one of just a dozen or so United players who have not been publicly criticised by Mourinho.
The Portuguese likes balance and having a full-back who is able to tuck in when required as an auxiliary centre-back and Darmian fits the bill.
It gets the best out of Antonio Valencia’s hulking thighs – allowing the Ecuadorian to romp down the touchline at will instead of being muzzled. And it has been a trademark of Mourinho’s management throughout his coaching career.
While the Portuguese is often lazily criticised for ‘not letting full-backs cross the half way line’ , it is forgotten Ashley Cole, Maicon and Marcelo have all thrived under him.
They key has been having a fullback on the opposite flank who is able to dig in and link up at centrehalf when his team do not have the ball.
While he may not be a long-term solution at left-back, or have the dazzling flair of Jordi Alba, Darmian clearly has something.
And Mourinho likes it.
DESPITE BEING TIPPED TO LEAVE, THE ITALIAN HAS IMPRESSED MOURINHO