Patrick Dorgu's transfer perfectly explained as huge Luke Shaw clue arises at Manchester United
The Red Devils are said to be closing in on a deal for the 20-year-old full-back
Luke Shaw is back in training at Manchester United and isn't it fitting that Ruben Amorim is closing in on his first signing?
Patrick Dorgu - a left full-back who plays for Lecce in Serie A - is set to sign for the club before the January window slams shut in a few days, ending Ruben Amorim's fears over a natural wing-back. Diogo Dalot has performed well in recent weeks but it looks like the 20-year-old could be heavily involved upon his arrival.
But why are Manchester United so keen on the youngster from Denmark and could this finally be the end of Shaw's lengthy spell on the left at Old Trafford...
Why Patrick Dorgu makes sense and shows Manchester United mean business
Dorgu is performing well for relegation-threatened Lecce in Italy and has so far posted some impressive numbers despite his young age. The Denmark international ranks in the 99th percentile for fouls drawn this season, proving his ability with the ball at his feet.
As pointed out by FourFourTwo's very own Adam Clery recently, Dorgu is capable of playing on both flanks and his dynamic-attacking abilities would suggest he is more than willing to run beyond Manchester United's attacking players and get into vital positions in the final third.
The huge question remains whether or not Shaw can do the same job and given his injury record in recent years, perhaps not. The 29-year-old is a lot older than the talented wing-back and it remains a huge question whether he can one, remain fit to do so and two, perform at the levels we have seen Dorgu do in Serie A this season.
“He is going to be fit to train with the team,” Amorim said when asked about Shaw's fitness recently. “Then we have to start with more minutes, we do not have a lot of time to train.
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"We have to put some exercises in 10 minutes and then he has to make extra work to improve his fitness. I don't know [when he will play], it is two weeks to start training before I think about putting him in for some minutes.”
Shaw may perhaps now have to surrender his position to Dorgu in this new 3-4-2-1 system simply because of his injury record. It is clear the England international is suffering from his previous leg break back in 2015 and maybe he will be asked to play a bit-part role upon his return.
In FourFourTwo's view, Dorgu's arrival makes perfect sense and we can see this transfer helping Amorim no end. It will obviously take time for the 20-year-old to adapt to Premier League demands but physically, he does look like he is already there.
Manchester United are back in action in the UEFA Europa League on Thursday night, as they look to solidify a top-eight finish by beating FCSB in Romania. Click here for details on how you can watch the game.
Matthew is a Freelance Journalist and has racked up bylines for Manchester United, Manchester Evening News, GOAL and SPORTbible to name a few. A long-term sufferer of Scunthorpe United, he currently resides in the north-west after escaping the smog of North Lincolnshire.
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