Andy Diouf, who joined Inter Milan in the summer of 2025, has taken on a new role on the right flank — a position he hadn't played before. His performances have earned him a spot in Didier Deschamps's first squad for the French national team. Diouf made a crucial pass for Marcus Thuram in a match against Udinese on September 14, marking his third assist in three Serie A games. Although he made a backward pass that led to a goal against Udine, Diouf has continued to start regularly, including a game against Roma the day after his surprise selection for the French team. Pierre-Emmanuel Bourdeau, who coached Diouf with the U16 and U17 teams at Stade Rennais, described him as a box-to-box player with a strong left foot, good intelligence, and a strong mentality. Bourdeau noted that Diouf's current role at Inter requires significant athleticism, as the position is physically demanding. Diouf's ability to run and push forward is a key strength, though he still needs to improve his defensive skills in this role. Diouf's transition to the right flank began toward the end of the previous season, and his performances during the summer preparation convinced Cristian Chivu to continue the experiment. The shift was also influenced by the departures of Denzel Dumfries to Real Madrid, Matteo Darmian's exit, and the injury of Djed Spence, who was signed to fill the position. Sylvain Ripoll, who coached Diouf with the French Under-21 team, noted Diouf's power and ability to break lines, qualities that are valuable in the right flank role. Bourdeau recalled that Diouf was "fairly exclusive to the left" in Rennes but has since adapted to using his right foot more frequently. Despite his success on the right, Diouf has expressed a preference for playing in midfield. He stated during the summer preparation that his natural role is in midfield and that he would play wherever his coach wanted. Bourdeau believes Diouf's preferred position is still midfield, but his forward-oriented style and ability to adapt have made the right flank role work. Diouf's performance against Real Madrid in the Champions League highlighted his ability to contain a top player like Vinícius while maintaining an attacking presence. His inclusion in the French squad has raised questions about his potential role in France's system, with Bourdeau noting that Diouf may not be suited for a left-back position in a four-man defense.