Manchester United have completed the £29 million signing of Lecce’s Danish left-back Patrick Dorgu, securing the highly-rated youngster on a five-and-a-half-year contract.
The 20-year-old is regarded as one of Europe’s most exciting wing-backs, and his arrival at Old Trafford addresses a key weakness in Ruben Amorim’s squad. With Luke Shaw struggling with injuries over the past two seasons, United made reinforcing the left side of defense a top priority in the January window.
Dorgu is the first signing of Amorim’s tenure and the sixth major acquisition since Sir Jim Ratcliffe’s partial takeover. Last summer, United brought in Leny Yoro, Manuel Ugarte, Matthijs de Ligt, Joshua Zirkzee, and Noussair Mazraoui under INEOS’ leadership.
The Danish international appeared to bid farewell to Lecce fans following their 3-1 victory over Parma on Friday before flying to Manchester the next morning for his medical. Speaking after the transfer was finalized, Dorgu expressed his excitement about the move.
“I am incredibly proud to be able to call myself a Manchester United player; this is a very special day for my whole family,” he said. “I cannot wait to work with Ruben Amorim. His vision for this team and the future of the club is incredibly exciting. There is a clear plan set out for my development, and I feel that Manchester United is the perfect place to fulfill my potential and complete my huge ambitions.”
United scouted the market for a full-back who could thrive in Amorim’s 3-4-3 system, and Dorgu’s versatility stood out. The young Dane has impressed on both flanks since breaking into Lecce’s first team in August 2023, using his pace and attacking ability to trouble Serie A defenders. He has played in nearly all of Lecce’s league games this season, contributing two goals and an assist.
Dorgu made a total of 57 appearances for Lecce and has already earned four senior caps for Denmark. His performances attracted interest from other top clubs, with Napoli’s owner, Aurelio De Laurentiis, making an unsuccessful approach for him last month.
The transfer represents a massive profit for Lecce, who signed Dorgu from Nordsjaelland’s academy for just €200,000 (£167,000) in 2022. United also considered Bournemouth’s Milos Kerkez and PSG’s Nuno Mendes before accelerating their pursuit of Dorgu.
With the left-back position now strengthened, United’s attention shifts to attacking reinforcements. The club is exploring a move for Bayern Munich’s Mathys Tel, just days after he rejected a transfer to Tottenham. Meanwhile, Marcus Rashford appears set to leave for Aston Villa, and United are also weighing up a move for Villa winger Leon Bailey.