AC Milan have a void to fill after Hakan Calhanoglu’s exit, and Sampdoria ace Mikkel Damsgaard has been touted as a potential solution.
The Turkish playmaker opted to turn down the contract renewal offer put on the table by the Rossoneri, and instead decided to make the short trip across the city to join rivals Inter.
READ MORE: Why Calhanoglu exit is the right result for Milan but replacement key
That now leaves a void in the side in terms of a creative No.10, as Milan must now add a player capable of pulling the strings in the final third and setting up opportunities for others.
Countless names have been put forward by the Italian media in the past 48 hours since Calhanoglu’s exit was confirmed, but MilanNews note, via the paper edition of Corriere dello Sport, that Damsgaard has now emerged as a possible target.
Regular viewers of Serie A will know all about the 20-year-old given the impressive season he’s just had with Sampdoria, but the intrigue remains over whether or not he’d be a good fit at Milan if we did indeed opt to invest in him this summer.
Damsgaard stats, analysis and style of play
The 20-year-old came through the youth ranks at Nordsjaelland in Denmark, making 93 appearances for the senior side and scoring 13 goals while providing 21 assists.
That in turn earned him the switch to Sampdoria last year, and although he had a lesser impact, Damsgaard settled well and contributed two goals and four assists in 37 outings in his debut campaign in Italy.
Having secured a place in the Denmark squad for Euro 2020, the youngster has added to his goal tally for his country which now stands at three in his five caps, and so there certainly seems to be signs of a promising future for club and country ahead of him.
His value will only increase as he continues to impress though, and given his versatility in being able to play across the frontline in various roles, primarily either as a left-winger or attacking midfielder through the middle, he is undoubtedly an appealing option.
As seen in the video below, his control and composure in possession is excellent, and his balance and skill allows him to beat players easily and offer a direct threat when breaking forward into the opposition’s half.
Further, and perhaps more importantly, he has shown enough to suggest that he is more than capable of picking his head up and picking out the right pass to create dangerous chances for his teammates, while also being able to score goals himself.
The talent is absolutely there, but time will tell if he emerges as a genuine option and a priority for Milan to bolster our attack ahead of the new Serie A season.
Having seen Jens Petter Hauge’s situation unfold at Milan, it’s unclear if that could have a negative influence on Damsgaard’s decision over his future if he does leave Sampdoria, but he could be a top addition to the squad if he arrives.
