Manchester United are targeting Lecce’s Patrick Dorgu, with the Italian club’s asking price for the 20-year-old wing-back believed to be about €40m (£33.7m).
The fee is €10m more than United’s valuation for the player but Ruben Amorim is intent on the Danish international joining the club with negotiations regarding a transfer continuing.
Dorgu, who is 6ft 2in and can operate at left or right full-back, made his senior debut last season and has played 52 times in Serie A for Lecce. He has four international caps.
If an agreement can be reached and Dorgu does join United, Amorim would have a first bespoke signing for his 3-4-3 formation. The players he inherited from Erik ten Hag have struggled with the system, with the team winning only six of the Portuguese’s 16 games in charge.
Finances are tight at United but funds will be bolstered should Antony’s expected loan to Real Betis for the rest of the season go through. The winger is expected to complete the move to Betis in the next 24 hours after being given permission to travel to Seville for a medical. The proposed deal will have Betis paying 84% of the winger’s £150,000-a-week wage, plus any bonuses due.
United are also willing to listen for offers in the region of €70m (£59m) for Alejandro Garnacho, with Chelsea interested in the winger. “We pay attention [to the market] if something can happen,” said Enzo Maresca, Chelsea’s head coach, when asked about signing Garnacho on Friday. “But 10 days to go, we didn’t do anything. We’ll see in the next 10 days if something is going to happen. [But] I’m happy with what we have at this moment. On the right side there’s Pedro [Neto] and Noni [Madueke], on the left there’s Jadon [Sancho].”
