Inter defender Denzel Dumfries breaks silence on ankle injury and targets early return
Denzel Dumfries is doing his best to return earlier than expected.
Giuseppe Labellarte
Updated on 13 January 2026
Inter defender Denzel Dumfries says he is making strong progress in his recovery and hopes to return “sooner than people expect”.
The Netherlands international has been out since suffering an ankle injury, later undergoing surgery in mid-December.
Early estimates suggested that Dumfries could be out of action for two to three months.
Dumfries has now spoken publicly about the setback, describing the mental challenge of rehabilitation and the patience it demands.
His comments come as Inter assess their options on the right flank, with reports linking the club to possible cover during his absence.
What Denzel Dumfries has said about injury and road to recovery
In a LinkedIn post, Denzel Dumfries explained the injury happened during Inter’s win over Lazio, when an opponent landed on his ankle and he felt immediate pain.
He said he tried to keep playing for around 15 minutes, but later had to leave the pitch, expecting the problem to settle quickly.
After weeks of trying to recover without surgery, Dumfries wrote that an operation became unavoidable because the ankle “did not feel right”.
“We are now four weeks further,” continued Dumfries. “Through hard work, things are going really well and it looks like I can return sooner than expected.
“From the moment I heard that I had to have surgery, I knew that this would be a big struggle, especially mentally. Not physically, but mentally.
“Accepting the process and taking the time needed to recover properly were my biggest challenges.
🤞🏻Procede bene la riabilitazione di Denzel Dumfries, che potrebbe riuscire ad anticipare il suo ritorno in campo dopo l’intervento chirurgico di stabilizzazione della caviglia sinistra al quale è stato sottoposto lo scorso 16 dicembre, alla ‘Fortius Clinic’ di Londra A spiegarlo… pic.twitter.com/THxWP1fPHm
— FcInterNews.it (@FcInterNewsit) January 13, 2026
“Constantly working on the bigger picture, while at the same time learning to appreciate and recognize the small steps.
“Training sessions that are normally self-evident and where you don’t consciously think about progression, suddenly became pieces of a puzzle that had to fall exactly into place.”
“The ultimate goal always remained the same: to come back sooner than people expect. Denzel remains Denzel – always looking for the unexpected.
“But hard work alone, as I am used to, was suddenly no longer the solution. The combination of rest, acceptance and hard work turned out to be the real medicine.
“You can’t go faster than nature, but you can teach yourself to embrace it. This process has taught me a lot and is still teaching me every day.
“Grateful for this development, I will get back to work because we are not there yet, hopefully you will see me on the field again soon.”
“Happy and healthy 2026 for everyone.”
What Dumfries post could mean for Inter transfer plans
Inter have not put an official date on when Denzel Dumfries return, but Italian reports have suggested he could be back around March.
That timeline matters because Inter rely heavily on Dumfries down the right, especially in big games and during busy stretches.
With him on the sidelines, Inter are eyeing solutions in the January market, including potential short-term cover at right wing-back.
Some outlets also note Inter are monitoring the position longer term, with Dumfries’ future often discussed alongside transfer speculation.
However, Dumfries’ upbeat update could influence how urgent Inter feel the January search is, depending on how things develop.
Giuseppe Labellarte
Giuseppe Labellarte is a sports journalist with over a decade of professional experience in the industry. His main professional expertise is in soccer. Prior to joining FootItalia, he worked for the likes of Sports Mole, TBR Football, the Chelsea Chronicle and numerous other sites, along with having bylines in the likes of the Nottingham Post. He holds degrees in Journalism and International Relations.
Our unbiased editorial policy
Despite ongoing collaborations with commercial affiliates, the details, information, and reviews we provide remain honest and unbiased. We keep this in check by implementing a stringent editorial policy.
Our policy implements strict editorial standards, ensuring the integrity and trustworthiness of our articles, news, and reviews. Only the highest-quality content reaches our pages. We achieve this through conducting thorough research on each topic, conveyed to you using unbiased reporting, to ensure we earn your trust and keep it.
