Man Utd open talks to sign £25m Serie A star before January transfer deadline

Man Utd open talks to sign £25m Serie A star before January transfer deadline

This January, Manchester United and Lecce are negotiating the signing of Patrick Dorgu, a young left-back.

After an incredibly dismal start to the season, the Red Devils are searching the market for reinforcements in a variety of areas.

Ruben Amorim has been having a difficult time stabilizing the team since taking over for Erik ten Hag back in November.

In recent weeks, a number of well-known attacking players have been linked to United, including Randal Kolo Muani of Paris Saint-Germain and Viktor Gyokeres of Sporting Lisbon.

However, it now appears that Muani will be joining Juventus on loan. The left side of Amorim’s defense is thought to be a priority this winter, while the Old Trafford powerhouses are also trying to bolster their defense.

Luke Shaw’s persistent injury problems over the last two seasons have forced United’s hand and it’s understood the club have drawn up a three-man shortlist of targets in the position.

Bournemouth’s Milos Kerkez and PSG’s Nuno Mendes are both under consideration but, according to The Athletic’s David Ornstein, ‘discussions have begun’ between United and Lecce for Dorgu.

The report claims ‘nothing is yet agreed’ but ‘dialogue is progressing’, with Amorim actively pushing for the club to back him in the transfer market to give his squad the best possible chance in the second half of the campaign.

Since breaking into Lecce’s first-team in 2023, Dorgu, 20, has established himself as one of the most promising young players in Serie A and United are not alone in tracking the Denmark defender.

The 25million-rated Dorgu, who is tied into a contract until 2028, has also been attracting strong interest from Napoli.

Dorgu has racked up three goals and one assist for Lecce in the Italian top flight this season, with the team sitting 16th in the division.

Speaking to Gazzetta dello Sport last month, Lecce sporting director Pantaleo Corvino suggested the club had no intention of losing Dorgu midway through the season.

‘Dorgu is a potential champion. Correction: he is a champion,’ Corvino said.

‘On the left or right wing, he runs like three players and can find the goal. He has an engine that no one else has.

‘A player like him has admirers, of course, and there are plenty of them, even abroad.

‘But Dorgu will stay here, and then we’ll talk about it in the summer, because his destiny is already set – his future belongs to him.’