Dodi Lukebakio: The Winger Milan Missed
There was a moment, not so long ago, when Dodi Lukebakio’s story at San Siro could have been written in red and black. Instead, on Wednesday night, he wrote it in opposition colours.
Back in August 2025, as Milan’s directors juggled negotiations for Adrien Rabiot with Marseille, another name kept circling their recruitment meetings: Dodi Lukebakio. The Belgian winger, fresh from an 11-goal season in Spain with Sevilla, had climbed onto their shortlist. Igli Tare and the then management made their move, testing the ground, sounding out the possibility.
The context was clear. Conrad Harder had slipped through their fingers, Samuel Chukwueze was preparing to leave for Fulham, and Milan needed a new wide threat. Lukebakio ticked all the right boxes on paper: pace, versatility, a sharp left foot, and a knack for decisive shots. He looked like a natural fit for a side trying to reload on the flanks.
Instead, the story broke in another direction.
Milan walked away and chose a different route. Lukebakio walked out of Spain. In early September he signed for Benfica in a deal worth around €25m, committing to a five-year contract that came with a €50m release clause. A sliding-door moment, sealed in ink.
On Wednesday, the consequences of that choice played out in brutal clarity for Davide Bartesaghi. The Milan defender spent the night learning, up close, exactly what the scouting reports had promised. Quick off the mark, comfortable drifting into pockets, a left-footer who loves to start wide and then knife inside onto his stronger foot.
That familiar movement – hug the touchline, wait for the full-back to commit, then cut in and open his body – was precisely what undid Milan at San Siro. Lukebakio stepped inside, found his angle, and aimed for the far post. The net rippled. The stadium groaned. A goal that might have been celebrated by the Curva Sud instead felt like a reminder of an opportunity missed.
At 28, Lukebakio already carries the stamps of a seasoned football nomad. Belgium, England, Germany, Spain, now Portugal – each stop adding another layer to a winger who has learned to adapt, to survive, and to score. His record backs it up: 33 caps for Belgium, six goals, and double figures in single seasons for Hertha Berlin, Fortuna Düsseldorf and Sevilla.
Benfica signed a player in his prime, not a prospect. A winger who has turned potential into production across Europe’s major leagues and now looks settled in Lisbon with the security of a long contract and a clear role.
For Milan, he is the forward who could have been part of their rebuild. For Benfica, he is the man already delivering on the big stage, at one of the most iconic stadiums in Europe.
He has hit double figures before in Germany and Spain. He did it again in Andalusia. With the way he has started in Portugal, with that same trademark move carving open defences, the real question now is simple: who is going to stop him doing it again for Benfica?
