Manchester United are closing in on a deal for Patrick Dorgu and there is an obvious shirt number waiting for him at Old Trafford.
The Red Devils are still adapting to the 3-4-3 system deployed by Ruben Amorim and the wing-back areas are proving to be a problem.
Manchester United do not have any natural wing-backs in the squad with Diogo Dalot and Noussair Mazraoui filling the positions this season.
Against Fulham, Amorim swapped Dalot and Mazraoui’s position in his latest attempt to find a solution. United did keep a clean sheet but they continued to look toothless going forward.
Amorim has wanted a new left wing-back since his opening game as Manchester United head coach, and Patrick Dorgu has emerged as the club’s top target.
A deal is inching closer to being completed with United submitting a third bid for Dorgu after their previous two offers were rejected by Italian side Lecce.
Potential shirt numbers for Patrick Dorgu at Man United
With Lecce recently striking a deal for a replacement, Dorgu’s move to United feels inevitable this month.
Dorgu liked Joshua Zirkzee’s message after United beat Fulham in what is the latest hint at his move to Manchester.
If the Red Devils can get a deal over the line, there is an obvious shirt number waiting for the 20-year-old to take up.
Dorgu currently wears the No.13 shirt at Lecce – and that same number is currently available at United. It seems the most obvious choice for the Danish wing-back to take.
Dorgu has always worn the No.13 shirt at Lecce having first worn it in FC Nordsjaelland’s reserves side.
The next lowest shirt number available at United is Marcus Rashford’s old No.19 shirt, which has been free since Raphael Varane’s departure in the summer.
Another option for Dorgu is to take the No.27 shirt previously worn by left-back Alex Telles – and more recently, Wout Weghorst.
Patrick Dorgu could follow in footsteps of Man United Champions League winner
The most obvious choice for Dorgu is to continue wearing the No.13 shirt when he arrives at United. With Noussair Mazraoui taking the No.3 following his move this summer, it seems unlikely that the traditional left-back number will be free anytime soon.
If Dorgu does choose the No.13 jersey, he will follow in the footsteps of United legend and Champions League winner Ji-Sung Park.
For seven consecutive seasons – between 2005-2012 – Park wore the No.13 shirt. An unlucky number for some, but for the South Korea international things worked out just fine.
READ MORE: Italian media react to Patrick Dorgu’s latest display as Manchester United prepare another bid
He finished his United career with four Premier League titles, three League Cups, the FIFA Club World Cup and, of course, the 2008 Champions League trophy.
The No.13 shirt has also been worn by goalkeeping trio Anders Lindegaard, Lee Grant and Roy Carroll.
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