Ruben Amorim explains curious Patrick Dorgu decision after handing new signing Man Utd debut against Leicester

United secured the signing of Dorgu from Italian club Lecce in a £25 million deal during the January transfer window, with Amorim looking to reinforce his 3-4-3 formation by adding a natural wing-back. Given the ongoing injury struggles of Luke Shaw and the loan departure of Tyrell Malacia to PSV Eindhoven, many assumed that the 20-year-old would step straight into the left wing-back role. Instead, Diogo Dalot remained on the left, while Dorgu was placed on the right, a move that raised eyebrows.

Addressing questions about Dorgu’s position, Amorim insisted that the young defender was more than capable of performing on either flank and that his versatility was a key reason for signing him.

“No he played a lot of times in Lecce on the right & in the left," he told reporters. "That is one of the characteristics that we pay attention to a lot to have when it comes to having players like him who are anxious at first touch with the ball."

While acknowledging that Dorgu is still adjusting to the pace and physicality of English football, Amorim praised his speed and strength, highlighting his potential for improvement.
"It's a different league for him, different speed of the game but he did well," the manager said. "He has pace, he has strength & is going to improve a lot & we as a team need to play better to help these new guys to perform at the right level. But the position & you can see in Wyscout that he played on both sides.”

Following their hard-fought victory over Leicester, secured by Harry Maguire’s late header, United now shift their focus to their upcoming Premier League clash against Tottenham on Sunday. It remains to be seen whether Dorgu will retain his spot on the right or shift to the left, but with Amorim’s faith in his positional adaptability, the young defender could be set for another crucial test in a high-stakes encounter.