Man Utd ‘seriously considering’ plan B signing if Amorim is denied dream first choice

Manchester United have lined up their plan B signing if unable to complete a deal for Patrick Dorgu, according to a report.

The No 1 priority at Man Utd this month – at least from an arrivals perspective – is signing a left wing-back. The Red Devils cast their eye over Nuno Mendes (PSG) and Milos Kerkez (Bournemouth), though were forced to turn their attention elsewhere owing to the costs involved.

Man Utd quickly fixed their gaze on Lecce’s €40m-rated Patrick Dorgu. The 20-year-old can play up and down either flank, but would be deployed at left wing-back if brought to Old Trafford.

United have already seen two bids – the biggest worth €30m plus €4m in add-ons – knocked back by Lecce. The Serie A side are in a relegation scrap at present and with Napoli weighing up a swoop if Dorgu is still at Lecce come the summer, Lecce won’t budge from their €40m asking price this window.

A third United bid for Dorgu is in the works and according to a fresh update from Sky Germany, Amorim is “pushing hard” to sign the Dane.

Dorgu has quickly emerged as Amorim’s preferred choice for the left wing-back role, though Man Utd do have a back-up plan in mind if deciding the finances don’t make sense.

“Ruben Amorim is pushing hard to sign Patrick Dorgu before the end of this winter transfer window,” wrote Sky Germany reporter, Florian Plettenberg, on X.

“The 20-year-old left full-back from Lecce is currently Amorim’s desired target, he has made that clear in recent days.

“If a move for Dorgu falls through, Manchester United are seriously considering activating the buy-back option to bring Alvaro Fernandez back from SL Benfica.”

Alvaro Carreras buy-back price confirmed

Alvaro Fernandez – who now goes by Alvaro Carreras – left Man Utd for Benfica in a deal worth just €6m prior to add-ons last summer.

The 21-year-old Spaniard moved after Benfica activated their option to buy following a wildly encouraging loan spell.

However, Man Utd successfully inserted a buy-back clause into the agreement worth a reported €20m/£16.8m.

Carreras has continued to shine in Portugal and has shown an eye for attacking returns this term, notching three goals and four assists from 31 appearances across all competitions so far.

Transfer insider, Rudy Galetti, told TEAMtalk on January 26 that Amorim is very much on board with signing Carreras if a Dorgu deal crumbles.

Sky Germany’s update backs up our claims and at just €20m/£16.8m, there’d be scope for Man Utd to make further additions before the February 3 deadline – especially if Alejandro Garnacho departs…

Latest Man Utd news – Alejandro Garnacho U-turn

In other news, Sky Sports claim Garnacho is now giving ‘priority’ to signing with Napoli and not Chelsea as had been widely reported.

Napoli’s intention is to forge an ‘agreement in principle’ on personal terms with the player. If successful, they’ll then lodge an improved bid after their first offer worth roughly £42m was rejected.

Chelsea, meanwhile, are said to be ‘biding their time’ and as yet, haven’t acted upon their interest in the winger.

Napoli had explored the signing of Borussia Dortmund’s Karim Adeyemi as an alternative to Garnacho.

But per the report, Adeyemi doesn’t want to leave Dortmund mid-season, hence Napoli are now primed to re-engage in talks with Man Utd for Garnacho.

GO DEEPER: The rise of Patrick Dorgu

Lecce originally acquired Dorgu from Nordsjaelland in his native country, where he was yet to make his first-team debut.

He spent a year in the Italian side’s academy ranks, but once he was promoted into the Lecce first team, there were no second thoughts as he went on to record 34 appearances between Serie A and the Coppa Italia last season.

The teenager’s potential has long since attracted some clubs of serious stature – with his agent namedropping Liverpool, Manchester City and Barcelona before he had even made his Lecce debut – while he made his senior international debut for Denmark during the September break.

This season, he has split his gametime between playing as a left-back or a right winger, developing his output considerably.

Lecce will hope to benefit from their faith in his potential, with Dorgu a candidate to become their record sale when he leaves (eclipsing Morten Hjulmand after his €19.5m move to Sporting CP in 2023).

For now, he remains under contract until 2029. It seems unlikely he will stay at Lecce for all that time, with a big club almost certainly in his destiny.