Manchester United defender Matteo Darmian is proud of his football education at AC Milan.

Darmian reveals he was likened to Milan legend Paolo Maldini as a teen.

"When I was younger, I was actually a central midfielder. It was at the AC Milan academy that I changed position and they started playing me as a defender. At first it was as a central defender, and then when I went up to the first team the manager put me at right-back and from then on it was decided: I was a right-back!" he told manutd.com.

"Of course, Milan have had some outstanding full-backs in the past. Paolo Maldini is my idol and I met him when I moved up to the first team at the San Siro. He was a great player, of course, but before that he is a great person and I tried to make the most of the opportunity of working with him, so I would look to Maldini and study him, because I think he is one of the best defenders in the world.

"To hear of comparisons, as I did back then, between myself and Maldini was, for me, too big a compliment, but of course a pleasure and huge honour. He wasn't alone, of course - I was also fortunate enough to be around the first team at the same time as Cafu, who is another great full-back, so there were many great players I could learn from."