Dodi Lukebakio: The Winger Milan Missed Out On

There was a moment, not so long ago, when Dodi Lukebakio’s future seemed destined to run through Milanello rather than the San Siro penalty area. On Wednesday night, under the lights, he offered a ruthless reminder of what might have been.

The Deal That Never Was

Wind back to August 2025. AC Milan were deep in negotiations, juggling multiple dossiers. Adrien Rabiot was being discussed with Marseille. Another name sat on the list of attacking targets: Dodi Lukebakio.

The then management, led by Igli Tare, had made their move. An enquiry, some initial talks, the outline of a possible deal. Milan were still reeling from the failed arrival of Conrad Harder and urgently needed a replacement for Samuel Chukwueze, who was preparing to swap Serie A for Fulham.

Among the candidates, Lukebakio stood out. He was coming off an 11-goal season with Sevilla in Spain, a campaign that had sharpened his reputation as a winger who brings end product, not just promise.

Quick. Versatile. Left-footed. A clean, dangerous shot. The profile ticked boxes all over the Milan scouting reports. On paper, it made sense.

On the pitch on Wednesday, it hurt.

The Goal That Proved the Point

Davide Bartesaghi discovered the full extent of those attributes the hard way. Over ninety minutes, the Milan defender saw up close the very qualities that once had Lukebakio’s name circled in red at Casa Milan. Perhaps a little too close.

The opening goal at San Siro followed a pattern that has become his signature. A natural left-footer, Lukebakio drifted wide, then cut inside with intent, eyes fixed on that far corner. From there, it was all muscle memory: angle, balance, execution. Shot bent towards the far post. Net bulging. San Siro stunned.

It was the kind of action Milan’s staff once imagined him producing in red and black. Instead, he was celebrating in different colours, his finish a sharp reminder of a path not taken.

A Career Built on Movement

When talks with Milan faded, Lukebakio’s journey took him elsewhere. He left Spain and, in early September, signed for Benfica for around €25m, committing to a five-year contract. The deal included a €50m release clause – a clear statement of how highly the Portuguese club valued him.

By then, he was already a well-travelled forward at 28. Belgium, England, Germany, Spain, and now Portugal: five countries, five different footballing cultures, and the same recurring theme – wherever he goes, he finds a way to score.

For the Belgian national team, he has amassed 33 appearances and six goals, a steady contribution that underlines his status as more than just a club specialist.

The numbers tell their own story. Double figures in a single season for Hertha Berlin. Double figures again for Fortuna Düsseldorf. Then Sevilla. Three clubs, three leagues, the same outcome: Lukebakio hits ten or more.

Benfica’s Bet

Benfica have backed him to repeat the trick in Lisbon. The fee, the length of the contract, the release clause – they all point in the same direction. This is not a gamble. It is an investment in a winger entering his prime, one whose game is already honed for big European nights.

Wednesday’s performance at San Siro fit that narrative perfectly. The movement from the flank. The timing of the runs. The confidence to decide a match with one swing of that left boot.

He has done it in the Bundesliga. He has done it in La Liga. Now he has announced himself in Benfica colours on one of the most iconic stages in European football.

The question almost asks itself: having already hit double figures in Germany and Spain, can Dodi Lukebakio do it again in Portugal – and force Europe’s biggest clubs, Milan included, to wonder once more how they ever let him get away?