Pervis Estupiñán is an international Ecuatorian left-back who has just completed his transfer from Brighton & Hove Albion, a Premier League side, to AC Milan for a transfer fee of €17m and a net annual salary of €2.5m.
Milan bought Estupiñán as a replacement for Théo Hernandez, who has recently joined Al-Hilal following a long period of success with I Rossoneri.
Therefore, it is apparent that Estupiñán will become Massimiliano Allegris first-choice left-back.
There are no left-backs left in the squad except Davide Bartesaghi, who has not yet reached his full potential to be reliable as a starting Serie A left-back for a team like Milan.
This means that Milan made the right choice by signing a valuable and confirmed left-back like Estupiñán to be the starting player in that position, given that opting for Bartesaghi as a first option would have been a big risk for Milan.
That said, Bartesaghi can develop and improve significantly under Allegris management, especially if he receives considerable playing time during the season, particularly when Estupiñán is unavailable due to injury or unfitness.
Estupiñán is an experienced left-back accustomed to various leagues and levels.
He played in La Liga and the Premier League for numerous seasons, which makes the move to Milan less risky than it would be for other left-backs.
This is especially true if we consider that Estupiñán is not a fragile player and that he typically plays most of the seasons games.
Being a very disciplined player and someone who consistently gives his 100% on the pitch will certainly guarantee more balance for the team, especially on the left flank, as that is something that was lacking on certain key occasions when Hernandez held that position.
That said, there are other differences and similarities between Hernandez and Estupiñán.
In this tactical analysis and scout report, the aim is to compare Hernandez and Estupiñán’s attributes to identify whether this signing can represent an upgrade for Milan.
The analysis will also examine Estupiñán’s profile, strengths, and weaknesses, while considering his potential roles under Allegris tactics at Milan.
Pervis Estupiñán Possible Roles At AC Milan & Comparison With Théo Hernández
The 27-year-old defender began his footballing career with the Ecuadorian team LDU Quito in 2011, progressing to the senior level in 2015.
After one season with LDU Quito, Estupiñán signed a contract with Serie As Udinese and got loaned out to Granada’s B-team in the Segunda División B.
After just two appearances with the senior Granada team in La Liga, he moved to Watford at the end of his loan period and got loaned out once again, but to Almería this time.
He spent two seasons in the Segunda División, one with Almería and one with Mallorca, before moving to Osasuna, with whom he played one season in La Liga.
His adventure in La Liga became even more entertaining as soon as he joined Villarreal, the team with which he won the 2020/2021 UEFA Europa League and reached the semi-finals of the 2021/2022 UEFA Champions League.
As he gained more experience, he attracted the interest of numerous European teams during that period.
His successful season with Villareal allowed him to move to the Seagulls and confirm his abilities in the Premier League.
He put on excellent performances, providing seven assists and one goal in 35 EPL games.
In the following season, he suffered from several muscular and ankle injuries, making it difficult for him to play consistently.
However, he made up for that in the last season, playing 30 EPL games.
This means that Estupiñán can be considered a reliable player, but the coaching staff must be attentive to his injury record and help him avoid new recurrent injuries.
At the same time, Estupiñán is a solid option for the left-back role at Milan because he is a very powerful and physical defender who is tough to beat in offensive and defensive duels.
On this aspect, we can argue that Estupiñán would even represent an upgrade on Hernández since Estupiñán is certainly more disciplined defensively and positions himself well most of the time in the defensive phase.
His ability to be positioned as needed and mark wingers tightly would surely help Milan in the defensive phase and avoid conceding goals that can be avoided from that side.
Therefore, Estupiñán can be extremely useful in defensive roles, as he has proven on numerous occasions to be reliable in marking, covering, and aerial duels.
Moreover, Estupiáns ability to intelligently monitor when to advance and when to avoid advancing, as well as retreat quickly after advancing, makes Estupiñán a player who provides more security on that flank than Hernández.
The following radar comparison highlights the fact that Estupiñán is significantly better in terms of positioning, especially in winning defensive duels, which makes Estupiñán clearly more valuable in the defensive phase.
At the same time, it is essential to note that Estupiñán is excellent at shooting and can be very dangerous in this regard, especially since he usually attempts shots when he gets suitable opportunities.
Pervis Estupiñán Vs Théo Hernández
The radar graphic also confirms that Estupiñán provides more passes per match than Hernández, and therefore can be more involved in the playmaking process than the French international.
That said, we cannot take away from Hernández the fact that he is way better in terms of explosive accelerations, dribbling abilities and goal contribution.
Estupiñán is also known for being a set-piece taker at Brighton, and this can certainly make him a favourite to take charge of corners and free-kicks at Milan, especially following the departure of the team’s principal set-piece takers, mainly Tijjani Reijnders and Hernández.
In addition, Estupiñán has outstanding crossing quality and can be very useful, whether through early crosses or after getting past opponents near the corner line.
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