With a positional change from left back to winger, Man United 21-year-old Patrick Dorgu’s been exceptional, with a breakthrough reminiscent of footballing legend Gareth Bale nearly 16 years prior.
Manchester United currently sits in fourth place following a thrilling victory over Arsenal away from home.
The last 2 gameweeks have seen a stunning turn of form for the Red Devils, who look to turn an anarchic campaign around with 15 matches left. The appointment of former player Michael Carrick as the team’s manager, along with the return of Amad Diallo and Bryan Mbuemo from the Africa Cup of Nations has resulted in the two best weeks of the season so far for United’s global fanbase.
The Red Devils followed up last weekend’s 2-0 thrashing of bitter rival Manchester City with an even more captivating performance this past Sunday at the Emirates Stadium, when Carrick’s Reds walked out of North London with three points after a brilliant 3-2 victory.
REVITALIZATION:
There are many things for United fans to be excited about, but few more than the revitalization of 21-year-old Patrick Dorgu. The Danish International was the only signing for the club during last year’s January transfer window.
Dorgu started in 11 league games for the club in the 2nd half of the 2024-25 season and was used as a substitute in 3 others.
Former manager Ruben Amorim brought the then 20-year-old in from Italian club Lecce — for 30 million euros — in hopes of bolstering the struggling back-line. There’s no doubt that Amorim’s squad depth was poor, due to both a lack of options and a mid-season injury crisis that left defensive holes.
Amorim’s system, one of serious controversy during his time at the club, featured a five-man back line, with 3 center backs and 2 wing backs. Wingbacks are an integral part of any team that sets up with 5 at the back, regardless of how they are used. Dorgu’s inherent speed, ability to cover ground and creative left foot made him United’s key target during the transfer window.
Amorim’s tactics involved wingbacks running down the wing constantly to whip crosses to the front line, while increasing the width of the pitch on an attack.
Defensively, they were expected to drop back on their flank of the center backs and defend their side of the pitch. Amorim’s wingbacks were extremely transitional, needing to cover a ton of ground each match.
His first season with the club proved to be difficult with an obvious learning curve.
Dorgu certainly needed time adjusting to the Premier League and had ups and downs as he navigated his role in an all-time poor Manchester United side that needed a lot of help, evident in both its style of play and 14th-place league finish.
Dorgu often struggled in maintaining possession, while his creative prowess proved to be underwhelming. He showed signs of improvement and evolved throughout his first season, adjusting to both the physicality and speed of the Premier League.
While the young, raw Dane struggled at times during his first season with United, his natural athleticism and positional fulfillment earned him a starting role in last year’s campaign, while a more rotational role loomed on the horizon for the 2025-26 season.
THE 2025-26 CAMPAIGN:
With the start of the 2025-26 season, Dorgu featured as the team’s starting left wing-back.
He showed room for improvement in his first few games for the club, as United got off to a slow and disappointing start to the season. Dorgu then bagged his first assist during a 2-1 win over Chelsea on Sept. 9.
Dorgu scored his first goal of the season while on international duty with Denmark a few weeks later in a World Cup qualification match. He performed well in both of Denmark’s November qualifying matches, but was quiet for United from October to early December.
After being used as only a substitute in United’s next three matches, Dorgu made his way back to the starting XI on December 21st vs Aston Villa. United lost the match, but Dorgu put up one of his strongest performances in a United shirt as one of its better players throughout, assisting the team’s only goal during the 2-1 loss.
This game would mark a turning point in the season for the young man, as the creativity and tenacity he displayed would result in Amorim switching the team up for their next fixture.
TACTICAL SWITCH, MAN OF THE MATCH:
United’s Dec. 26 Boxing Day fixture vs Newcastle saw a shocking change in the team. For the first time under Amorim, United set up in a new formation, running a more common 4-man defense, with Dorgu starting as… a right winger?
Dorgu took his opportunity solely as an attacker wonderfully. He was given more freedom and opportunities to run at goal and create for both himself and his teammates in and around the attacking third.
A thunderous left-footed volley before halftime was the only goal needed for United to secure a 1-0 victory, while Dorgu won the man of the match award for his performance throughout.
A thunderous left-footed volley before halftime was the only goal needed for United to secure a 1-0 victory, while Dorgu won the man of the match award for his performance throughout.
Later stages of the game saw United shift back to their 5-man defense, where Dorgu was just as instrumental in defending his flank and closing out the match. Dorgu again started United’s next two in an attacking role. The club underperformed in both, and a tense post-match press conference from Amorim resulted in the club sacking him Jan. 5.
Dorgu started on the wing again and recorded his third assist of the season when United traveled to Burnley, resulting in a 2-2 draw.
Dorgu would be used as a fullback in United’s lackluster loss to Brighton following the tie at Turf Moor, knocking them out of the FA Cup. United announced the signing of Carrick 2 days after the defeat, leaving the new manager four days to work with his team before its next match against Man City.
NEW MANAGER, MANCHESTER DERBY:
Jan. 17 brought Derby Day — when team form is often thrown out the window, as the bitter rivals would face off at Old Trafford, United’s home ground.
United thrashed City. In the 75th minute, Dorgu capped off United’s performance with a game-sealing goal.
United’s #13 was arguably the best player on the entire pitch. The Dane was taking on defenders with quick feet and speed, cutting inside on his favored left foot to find the open man, making life very troublesome for City defenders.
This did not look like a fluke performance for Dorgu — it looked like a skillful, talented young player with heightened confidence and newfound freedom. Carrick has focused on bringing United back to the basics, a seemingly small, yet massive change for most of the squad — especially Dorgu.
Eight days later, United clashed with Arsenal. Carrick chose to start Dorgu on the left wing again after his brilliant performance in the derby — a decision that would prove to be the right one.
In back-to-back matches, both of which were United’s most important fixtures in the season to date, Dorgu was once again one of the best players on the pitch. That same confidence boost and freedom to make his mark were shown again, in United’s 3-2 victory.
Dorgu found himself in the center portion of the attacking third, five minutes into the second half. He linked up with club Captain Bruno Fernandes for a screamer of a goal.
The pair played it back and forth to each other’s feet twice, with the fourth pass of the sequence landing in front of Dorgu. Dorgu with momentum, would take a light touch, controlling the bouncing ball and stepped through to hit an absolute rocket off the half volley, sending the ball down off the crossbar and into the net past Arsenal goalkeeper David Raya.
Dorgu’s strike put the Reds ahead 2-1 — they went on to win the match 3-2.
After the win against both City and Arsenal, Dorgu’s personal trainer posted videos of the young man in training, working on his shot. These videos showed Dorgu using quick feet to get around a simulated defender before smashing it toward goal.
Dorgu’s trainer emphasized repetition and commitment in his captions, explaining that he has been working on excelling in these attacking situations time and time again and that with his newfound freedom, this is only the start of what is still to come for Dorgu in his new role.
Unfortunately, Dorgu picked up a Hamstring injury at the end of the Arsenal match. A brilliant weekend for the 21-year-old was dimmed with the news that he would miss up to 10 weeks with his injury, slotting him in for a return sometime in April.
Going forward, will Dorgu stay on the wing? It is tough to say. There is a strong tactical case to keep him there, as he has taken his opportunities gracefully and delivered for his team in the clutch.
Will he be used as a fullback, the position United originally bought him for? Last summer’s signing of Mattheus Cunha and a healthy Mason Mount fuel competition on the left side of United’s attack, which could force Dorgu to revert to his initial role.
GARETH BALE REGEN:
Nonetheless, one thing is for certain: Patrick Dorgu has been revitalized and is transforming into a new player in front of our eyes. His recent success has granted him comparisons to Gareth Bale, one of football’s most talented wingers to ever grace the pitch.
Bale himself was bought by Tottenham Hotspur in 2007 as a left back and took two years to emerge. The club even considered selling him during this time, but Bale moved up the pitch as a forward in a positional change in the 2009-10 season.
The rest is history, as Bale would go on to have a legendary career.
The early stages of Dorgu’s career are increasingly reminiscent of Bale’s time in the Premier League. There is no doubt Dorgu has an extremely long way to go in pursuit of reaching the levels of the Welshman but, for the time being, it looks like Manchester United has its own Gareth Bale regen and Dorgu has earned the comparisons.
Dorgu’s recent success and surge in production have left him with 5 G/A in his last 7 Premier League games. His natural speed and power shine as Dorgu continues to improve his technical ability and all-around game.
This injury knock will put a minor halt in Dorgu’s progression, but both United fans and football fans around the world wait in excitement for the promising youngster to return.
Article by Rocco Peruso.
rocco.jperuso@gmail.com
