Patrick Dorgu has shown promising form at the start of the season for Manchester United. It’s tempting to criticise Manchester United’s transfer decisions because they frequently make mistakes, it’s often entertaining to do so, and any critique of the Red Devils tends to grab headlines. However, labelling Patrick Dorgu “a dud” reflects more poorly on Piotr Sadowski, a former scout at United, and those who trusted his judgment during his seven-year tenure, than on Dorgu or those who made the decision to part ways with Sadowski.
Dorgu was the inaugural signing under manager Ruben Amorim, arriving from Lecce in a £29.2 million deal during the January transfer window. When questioned about whether the 21-year-old might exemplify Amorim’s failed recruitment strategy, Sadowski replied, “A dud, I definitely agree. And he was brought in for €30 million. Having worked at Blackburn Rovers on a much lower budget, I could find several players of Dorgu’s level for United, but certainly not for €30 million, perhaps for a maximum of four.”
These comments strike as those of a disgruntled former employee unwilling to acknowledge the evident improvement in United’s recruitment strategy under Amorim. In seeking a “dud” to substantiate his claim, Sadowski avoided picking Matheus Cunha, Bryan Mbeumo, or Senne Lammens, as they have been proficient. While Benjamin Sesko might flop, it’s premature to make that call, and Sadowski likely recommended him as United’s Central European scout. Thus, Dorgu remains the only candidate for his unfounded criticism.
According to FBRef, comparing him to full-backs in Europe’s top five leagues this season, Dorgu ranks in the 74th percentile for shot-creating actions, 79th for key passes, 81st for progressive carries, and 99th for touches in the opponent’s box. For those arguing an unfair comparison due to his position as a wing-back rather than a full-back, Dorgu also ranks in the 86th percentile for interceptions and 91st for tackles won. He is an exceptional one-on-one defender who advances forward and regularly creates opportunities.
These statistics align with the performances observed during United’s matches, possibly unseen by Sadowski. Dorgu is a skilled young player who could be the long-term answer at left wing-back for United. Yet, whether he will be or not remains to be seen.
What Dorgu certainly isn’t is “a dud.” If Sadowski genuinely believes this, it’s bewildering how many actual duds he suggested United acquire during his tenure, clearly lacking the ability to spot genuine talent.