Signed by Lecce for a modest €200,000 in July 2022, Patrick Dorgu moved to Italy without even having played a senior game for Danish Superliga club FC Nordsjælland. Acquired as a prospect for the future, he started off in Lecce’s under-19 ranks before being drafted into the first team the following summer — making his full debut in the opening league fixture of the 2023-24 season (a 2-1 home win against Lazio.)
His first season was always going to be a learning curve, yet he still clocked up 32 Serie A appearances, mainly featuring as a left-back. This season, though, he’s just missed one game (through injury) and started the other 20 in a variety of positions, while he also got a call-up to the senior Denmark national team.
Dorgu — who is one of three footballing brothers, with 18-year-old Ifenna playing for Genoa’s youth team — even scored within a minute of coming on for his international debut against Switzerland in September. He is set to take a step up to a whole other level, after sealing a €30 million (plus €5m in add-ons) transfer to Manchester United.
Position
Having come through the Nordsjælland youth ranks as a left-back, Dorgu started his Lecce career in the same position. But then-head coach Luca Gotti — who arrived toward the end of last season — saw him as much more than an out-and-out defensive player.
As a first step, Gotti (who was replaced as Lecce coach by Marco Giampaolo in late November) pushed the teenager forward to the left-wing/midfield slot, before using him as a left-footed right-winger at the start of this season. That move saw Gotti draw comparisons between Dorgu and former Real Madrid and Tottenham star Gareth Bale.
“He seems to have great adaptability,” Gotti told Calciomercato. “He enjoys playing on the pitch. Important people from the football world are starting to call me to ask me what I see … [Bale] became a forward. He could have played as a full-back. This could happen with Dorgu.”
Strengths
Aside from his versatility, Dorgu’s most eye-catching attribute is that the physicality that gave him an edge at youth level is still serving him well. He’s athletic and deals well with challenges when defending and attacking. Dorgu is also a powerful runner over long distances who quickly reaches top speed from a standing position.
His enthusiasm for the game has been key to his success. Whenever he receives the ball, he’s prepared to push forward and ranks within the top sixth percentile of Serie A midfielders for ball-carries.
He is a skilled dribbler and when driving forward, he’s always looking for passing options to start an attack or find room for a shot on goal. While his pace and direct running are his primary means of beating opponents, he is also full of tricks with dummies, faints and rapid changes of direction.
Following his resurgence as a right-winger this season, Dorgu has shown a great aptitude for cutting inside and using his left foot to score with a curled finish. He is often quickly able to free himself from his marker when shifting the ball centrally on his stronger side. His appreciation of combination play, varying his overlapping and underlapping runs, is also developing.
To his credit, Dorgu’s energetic and all-action style also come to the fore in the defensive side of the game as he tracks back diligently and is quickly able to regain his position when the team lose possession.
How he can improve
Despite his quick ascent, Dorgu, as a 20-year-old, has certain aspects of his game which are still in need of polishing. His relentlessly positive approach can lead to him to lose the ball in dangerous areas. And while his dribbling is a strong point, the drawback of a high-volume dribbler from deep positions is that they run the risk of running into pressure or blind alleys — especially when venturing infield.
By the same token, Dorgu’s decision-making will often see him choose an attacking option when simply keeping his position is the best call.
Defensively, he tends to rely on his recovering speed, rather than reading an opponent’s move before intervening/intercepting. Part of his attractiveness is that he’s an intense, high-octane multi-purpose wide player rather than a calculating, well-balanced expert full-back. But this can lead to him getting into trouble in defensive one-on-ones when he’s short of a covering teammate.
Who else were linked?
The most recent reports linked Dorgu with interest from Liverpool and Tottenham Hotspur, but he has also seen Italian sides Internazionale, AC Milan, Juventus, and Napoli take note.
How will he fit at Manchester United?
Based on his inherent qualities, Dorgu looks like an intriguing prospect for United’s left wing-back berth. Given his somewhat distinctive skill set — slightly untidy tactically, yet technically sound and with bags of energy — the role should suit him.
The fact that he will be supported by a third centre-back in a 3-4-2-1 formation will help him defensively and give him the license to roam forward from a higher position than usual for a full-back, where he can make an attacking impact. Amorim may be tempted to field Dorgu on the opposite side (the right) to make use of his shooting/finishing capabilities, but it would be wise to first let him find his feet in Premier League on his more-familiar left side.
Bringing in such a high-energy player should spark this lethargic and static Manchester United side into life. But there’s also a chance his youthful fervor might be suffocated by the general lack of oxygen around the club.
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