Manchester United sign Patrick Dorgu for £30m: Decoding his stats
What's the story
Manchester United have successfully signed Patrick Dorgu from Lecce in a £30 million deal.
The 20-year-old left-back, who has made 53 appearances for Lecce in Serie A, will join the Red Devils until 2030 with an option for an additional year.
This strategic move marks Ruben Amorim's first major signing since his appointment as manager.
Here are further details.
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Twitter Post
Our latest signing: rated PD13.
— Manchester United (@ManUtd) February 2, 2025
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Career progression
Dorgu's journey to Manchester United
Dorgu arrived in Manchester on Wednesday to complete his medical at Carrington.
He started his professional career with Danish club Nordsjaelland in 2022 before joining Lecce.
During his time at Lecce, Dorgu made 57 appearances and scored five goals.
This season, his performance has been particularly impressive, winning the second-most ground duels in Serie A and attempting the fourth most take-ons of any defender in the league.
New chapter
Dorgu expresses excitement about joining Manchester United
Upon signing for Manchester United, Dorgu said he was proud and looking forward to the future.
"I am incredibly proud to be able to call myself a Manchester United player; this is a very special day for my whole family," he said.
He also looked forward to working under Amorim's leadership, saying there is "a clear plan set out for my development," and Manchester United is "the perfect place to fulfill my potential and complete my huge ambitions."
Talent recognition
Dorgu's early career and future prospects
Dorgu's meteoric rise in international football has been nothing short of phenomenal, especially since he made his senior debut just last year.
His talent was spotted early by FC Nordsjaelland's academy and Lecce, both of which contributed significantly to his development.
Alexander Riget, technical director at FCN, was pleased with Dorgu's progress saying they were "very happy about his situation at the moment."
Information
Dorgu made a lasting impression at Lecce
Danish international Dorgu made 34 appearances for Lecce last season, scoring twice. He made 32 appearances in Serie A. This season, he featured in 23 matches in all competitions, including 21 in the league. He scored three goals.
Serie A 2023/24
Breaking down his 2023-24 Serie A season in stats
As mentioned, Dorgu had 32 appearances in Serie A last season. As per Squawka Comparison Matrix (data by Opta), he clocked 14 shots (excluding blocks) with 8 of them on target. He smashed the woodwork once.
He created 18 chances and owned an 83.87% passing accuracy.
He also made 43 tackles in addition to completing 15 take-ons. He won 27 aerial duels and 107 ground duels.
He made 37 clearances and 9 interceptions.
Serie A 2024/25
Breaking down his 2024/25 season in stats (Serie A)
As mentioned, Dorgu had 23 appearances in Serie A this season.
He clocked 26 shots (excluding blocks) with 10 of them on target.
He created 18 chances and owned an 78.77% passing accuracy. He also made 45 tackles in addition to completing 13 take-ons.
He won 31 aerial duels and 113 ground duels. He made 36 clearances and 18 interceptions.