Manchester United might not have done much business in the winter window but the one they did fills the biggest need in the squad.
Patrick Dorgu’s arrival as the prospective left wing-back will immediately alleviate a major worry for Ruben Amorim, although Lisandro Martinez’s injury complicates matters a little.
Still, United have missed a dynamic, left-footed defender on that side for a long time, and Dorgu has made all the right noises since his arrival.
His impact on the pitch will be judged in the months to come, but his words off it have already made one thing clear – Amorim’s ideal player has already been sold by Man Utd.
Patrick Dorgu’s words remind of former Man Utd man
Dorgu arrives as an exciting but raw prospect who will hopefully grow at the club, with the club, but in the meantime, plenty of patience will be required.
His ability should match his potential over time but till then, the intangibles need to be on point, like the willingness to work hard, having his priorities straight, and being 100% driven and committed.
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Dorgu said that is exactly what he would bring to the Man Utd squad, using Ruben Amorim’s favourite word “intensity” in the process.
He said: “I’m going to bring a lot of intensity and physique on the pitch. And a lot of energy and run[ning]. For me [a strong mentality], it’s the most important thing because there’s a lot of talk about and around football. And you really need to be strong outside of football as well.”
This will come as music to the ears of Amorim but at the same time, haunt Man Utd because the exact statement can be said, word-for-word, about a player who’s no longer at the club – Scott McTominay.
Scott McTominay is Ruben Amorim’s ideal player
McTominay is the darling of Napoli right now with his sparkling performances powering their title charge in his, and Antonio Conte’s debut season at the club.
Even during his time at Man Utd, it was his quality that was questioned, never his intangibles, something which Amorim seems to value over anything else.
It’s impossible to read Dorgu’s words and not think about McTominay, who brought those exact qualities to the team and would have had a clear role as one of the two No. 10s in Amorim’s setup, or even as a runner from deep as one of the two deeper midfielders.
His leadership, intensity, and the ability to set standards is something which Amorim has repeatedly pined for and so far, all his signings have “intensity” and “running” as a common theme.
McTominay personified both those traits.
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