Manchester United have discovered their new winger - they just might not play him. The club is looking to sign a left-sided player in this transfer window, and who they end up with will impact on Patrick Dorgu's future.
Dorgu's Transformation
When Patrick Dorgu next starts a competitive game for Manchester United he will be looking to continue a streak he started in January and one that has transformed perceptions of him around Old Trafford. Dorgu had a difficult first half of the season, culminating in Ruben Amorim's comments that you could feel the anxiety when the Denmark international had the ball. By the final day of the season, the only anxiety you could sense was in those backtracking Brighton defenders as the 21-year-old ran at them again and again.
United spent £25million on Dorgu to fit into Amorim's 3-4-2-1 system as a wing-back, but if anything, he has been freed away from the constraints of that system. He was a surprise starter on the left wing in Michael Carrick's first game in charge, scoring against Manchester City. He started there again at Arsenal and scored a sensational goal before picking up a hamstring injury. He only returned to the starting XI on the final day of the season but scored again.
Versatility as a Bonus
So when he begins a game in 2026/27, he will be looking to score for a fourth competitive club game in a row. The question is where he will be playing next season. Dorgu was a surprise emergence as a left-wing option last season, but at Brighton, he showed how dangerous he can be in that role, tearing past opposition defenders. As if to prove his confidence remains high, he then scored a stunning goal for Denmark against Ukraine in a June friendly, again playing on the wing.
His versatility is proving to be a bonus during the transfer window, with United keen to strengthen down the left-hand side. They have looked at left-backs and left-wingers, but are only likely to sign someone for one of those roles, thanks to Dorgu's ability to cover that flank. Lewis Hall is among those left-backs to have been looked at, and if United do sign someone to compete with Luke Shaw, then Dorgu will continue to get more games on the wing. But several left-wingers have also been monitored, including West Ham's Crysencio Summerville, Everton's Iliman Ndiaye and Morgan Rogers of Aston Villa.
Future Position
If United opt to sign an attacking player down the left, then Dorgu's short-term future will be at left-back, providing cover and competition for Shaw. He has experience of both positions. At his previous club Lecce, Dorgu made 24 appearances as a left-back and a further 14 higher up that wing. He also played 11 times as a right-winger and even three games at right-back. While he is only really being considered for that left-sided role at Old Trafford at the moment, due to a lack of numbers, perhaps he will eventually become an option on the right as well.
He made his United debut at right wing-back, lasting 45 minutes of an FA Cup fourth round tie against Leicester City before being replaced. At the time, the decision to play him there was greeted with bafflement, given that he had been signed to fill the left-sided position, with Shaw a centre-back in a back three at that stage. There have been a handful of games there since, including scoring the only goal against Newcastle at Old Trafford last Boxing Day, although he has never played in that position under Carrick.
The intriguing aspect here is that some people close to Dorgu actually believe the right-wing is his best position and where he may eventually be at his best. That is a fascinating prospect given his displays on the left for United. He has been electric there for Carrick and his display at Brighton was a sign of the confidence he has picked up. There was a spell in that game when he was unplayable, regularly forcing defenders onto the back foot.
That makes you think he is certainly a better option as a winger than a full-back, although he could be an attacking option from deep in some games, especially when United are struggling to break teams down. But if this summer ends up with another winger being signed, rather than a left-back, then perhaps we'll see more of Dorgu there next season. He has given the impression over the last six months of a young player ready to go to another level, we just don't know in which position yet, and neither does he.
