Diouf: ‘I don’t feel like a wing-back, my goal is to return to the Inter midfield’
MADRID, SPAIN - SEPTEMBER 08: Vinicius Junior of Real Madrid is challenged by Andy Diouf of Internazionale during the UEFA Champions League 2026/27 League Phase MD1 match between Real Madrid C.F. and FC Internazionale Milano at Estadio Santiago Bernabeu on September 08, 2026 in Madrid, Spain. (Photo by Angel Martinez/Getty Images)
Andy Diouf has made it clear that he would prefer to not play at wing-back if he had his choice, but says that he is learning a lot from his new position with Inter and says that he will do whatever Cristian Chivu asks of him ‘with no hesitation’.
Diouf opens up on new Inter role: ‘I never thought I’d play in this position’
Diouf joined Inter in the summer of 2025, but found it difficult to break into Cristian Chivu’s Scudetto and Coppa Italia-winning midfield amidst stiff competition from the likes of Nicolo Barella, Hakan Calhanoglu, Piotr Zielinski, Petar Sucic, Henrikh Mkhitaryan and Davide Frattesi.
Frattesi left Inter this summer, but the club also added Curtis Jones and Aleksandar Stankovic to their midfield department, which has increased the level of competition even further.
And, as Inter took their time to bring in a new right wing-back to replace Denzel Dumfries, who left to join Real Madrid earlier this summer, Diouf found himself filling in out wide in Chivu’s 3-5-2.
The Frenchman has impressed in his new role at right wing-back and with summer signing Djed Spence yet to make his first Inter appearance after joining from Tottenham Hotspur during the transfer window, Diouf has started in two out of three Serie A matches and against Real Madrid in the Champions League.
Despite the fact that moving to right wing-back has brought considerably more starting opportunities for Diouf, he has made it clear that his long-term ambition is to return to his natural position in central midfield.
“I never thought I’d play in this position,” he confessed in an interview with l’Equipe.
“When you’re in possession, you have to attack and when you don’t have it, you have to get back and defend and this requires a lot of energy, you come out of the game feeling exhausted.”
Diouf explained that he will do whatever his coach asks of him, but ideally, he would like to be playing in the middle of the park.
“I don’t feel like a full-back or a winger. My goal is to return to playing in midfield because it’s the position that I’ve trained in my whole life and it’s where I feel most natural. I’m still convinced that I will perform better in that role, because they’ve not really seen me play there in Italy.
“But with Inter, I’ve found space as a wing-back and I will do that job with no hesitation. I always try to give my best and I’ve learned a lot from this experience whatever happens.
“It all started in the derby that we lost against Milan. The coach wanted to try something different, I came on and carried the ball well and from that day it’s stuck with me. I have the qualities to play out wide, the creativity, the high intensity and the willingness to make sacrifices.”
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