GdS: Beckenbauer comparisons, few chances – why Odogu remains Milan’s mystery

David Odogu remains perhaps the most mysterious signings AC Milan have made in recent times, as he continues to struggle for minutes.

La Gazzetta dello Sport recall how after winning the U17 World Cup with Germany two years ago, some German media dubbed Odogu ‘the future Beckenbauer’. This accolade is currently hanging in the balance, awaiting confirmation, and perhaps risks being a bit too heavy on the shoulders of a 19-year-old.

The youngster was acquired by Milan in the summer, who paid Wolfsburg €7m (plus €3m in bonuses). Odogu was a truly targeted acquisition by the Rossoneri, an investment with a view to the future, considering the proportion between the millions spent and the player’s age.

However, David probably didn’t imagine he’d find himself an unwelcome exception around Christmas: he’s the only AC Milan outfield player not to have played a single minute in the league. The other is Lorenzo Torriani, who is the third-choice goalkeeper.

Small squad but no chances

Odogu has also received a few calls from Milan Futuro boss Massimo Oddo. Three, to be precise, but in the meantime, that significant zero remains under Massimiliano Allegri. He made his debut for Milan in the Coppa Italia, getting 12 minutes against Lecce in the round of 32, but nothing in the league.

The situation is notable because the squad, as is well known, is small. Allegri plays with a three-man defence and there are only five central defenders. The regular starters are Tomori, Gabbia, and Pavlovic, plus Odogu himself and De Winter.

When a mid-game substitution was needed, or a minimum of rotation was needed, the Belgian was called upon (although with questionable results). It’s logical, then, to imagine that the club might consider loaning the German out for the second half of the season.

Odogu has gained some experience with the German youth national teams (he won the 2023 World Cup with the Under-17s, as well as the European Championship that same year) but he’s not yet a regular at club level.

He made just three appearances for Wolfsburg’s first team and this speaks volumes about Allegri’s caution in throwing him into the mix when the going gets tough. Odogu is still a raw prospect, needing to work on his tactics and positioning, especially in Max’s defensive line.

If anything, a more general consideration can be made: in a squad with only 19 outfield players, it would perhaps be more appropriate for all the players to be potentially usable, and not just filling spots.