One year after signing for Manchester United, we are beginning to see the real Patrick Dorgu.
We put together our list of Manchester United’s best January transfer deals earlier this month, with current star Bruno Fernandes among them.
United doing business in January is a rarity, it is tough for a player to come in mid-season an make an impact, with Fernandes an exception in 2020.
Last season United did strike a deal for Patrick Dorgu, paying £25 million to Lecce to secure his signature.
While Dorgu did go straight into the United team amid a dearth of available left wing-backs, he struggled to make an impact.
Patrick Dorgu runs off to celebrate
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The Dane was unable to stop United’s slide in the Premier League or influence the Europa League Final in a positive way.
He showed a glimpse of his potential in pre-season but by October he had lost his place in the United team to Diogo Dalot, and Ruben Amorim was criticising his performances. He claimed there was a sense of anxiety every time Dorgu got the ball.
Amorim’s comments were not seen as helpful, but since then, Dorgu has actually kicked on and improved.
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United’s tactical shift has played a part too, allowing the Denmark international to get forward into more attacking areas.
In the weekend’s Manchester Derby, Dorgu scored United’s second goal and was one of the best players on the pitch.
Was that Patrick Dorgu’s best game in a Manchester United shirt?
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Patrick Dorgu is now living up to the hype
Patrick Dorgu’s progress is a reminder that fans and coaches need to be patient.
There was a lot of hype around Dorgu when Manchester United signed him, from his former coaches and those who had watched him play in Italy.
Now it is interesting to look back at these comments in light of Patrick Dorgu’s progress at United, to see how he is actually living up to them.
Lecce’s sporting director, Pantaleo Corvino was quoted: “Dorgu is a potential champion. Correction: he is a champion. Left or right winger, he runs like three players and can find the goal. He has an engine that no one else has.”
It’s certainly right to say that Dorgu’s energy is one of his most impressive traits. He was electric against City getting up and down the pitch, and he won more tackles (4) than any player, while winning 10 duels.
Another quote came from his Nordsjaelland youth coach Johannes Hoff Thorup in 2023, who expressed similar praise.
He told Bold: “He is a very dynamic and physical player who can run 90 minutes and I actually don’t think he missed a training session in the time he was here, so he really is a machine in that regard. A very humble boy who works hard for things.”
Dorgu’s fitness record and availability has been impressive, and his relentless running is certainly giving United something extra right now.
Another piece of praise came from Italian football journalist Nima Tavallaey, who told BBC Sport: “He can really play pretty much anywhere, he’s very versatile.
“Some people compare him to Gareth Bale, but they are quite different. He’s much more versatile than Bale was.”
This is very high praise, and it isn’t inaccurate. Dorgu can play on the right wing as well as the left, giving his manager even more options than Bale provided his coaches.
It’s worth noting that Bale began his career as a left-back before evolving into a left winger, and Dorgu is now in a similar position. Having Luke Shaw behind him in defence is making the decision easier for his coach to push him forward.
‘Trying to follow in your footsteps’ – Patrick Dorgu responded to Patrice Evra’s praise
How good can Patrick Dorgu go on and become?
Patrick Dorgu response
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Dorgu trying to improve
Patrick Dorgu responded to a message from Patrice Evra following Manchester United’s win, saying he wants to emulate his Red Devils success.
It must not be forgotten that Dorgu is only 21, and he has just completed his first 12 months at Manchester United.
He is a rising star who is now having a big impact on high-level games, with recent goals against Newcastle and Manchester City.
At 21, Gareth Bale was only beginning to make his mark at Tottenham.
And while there is no guarantee Dorgu can hit the heights Bale went on to achieve, his development shows what is possible.
When you have a young player who is already making a big impact for a huge club at Dorgu’s age, it is very exciting to think about what he can go on to achieve in the future.
Who do YOU think is Man Utd’s best January signing ever? Would you change the order?
Who else should be on this list?
Top five January transfers graphic
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