Man Utd see Serie A transfer links deflated by rivals as Amorim links to Napoli goalkeeper clarified

Manchester United are behind Chelsea in the race to sign Lecce star Patrick Dorgu next summer but reports linking the Red Devils with Napoli goalkeeper Alex Meret are wide of the mark, TEAMtalk can reveal.

Earlier this week, reports emerged that Man Utd were interested in signing the Napoli stopper, with the 27-year-old out of contract at the end of the season. This is despite United ace Andre Onana having an impressive campaign despite his team’s struggles in the Premier League and the Europa League.

Now, TEAMtalk can reveal that there has been no contact between the Red Devils and Meret‘s agent, Federico Pastorello, and both Napoli and the player are hoping to reach an agreement over a new deal by the end of the year.

However, work needs to be done before they come to an accord. And despite reports suggesting they are, Inter Milan are also not particularly interested in signing Italy international Meret, either.

Elsewhere, our sources understand that Lecce ace Dorgu is almost certain to stay put in January but the Serie A team are open to letting the left-back/left wing-back leave next summer for at least €40m (£33.15m, $42.28m).

However, as more teams join the race for the 20-year-old’s signature, that is likely to increase in 2025. Our sources state Chelsea are the most interested in the Denmark international, who has played most of his football this season as a right winger, but Tottenham have long harboured desires to recruit him.

But, Napoli boss Antonio Conte sees the 6ft 2in player, whose contract runs until 2029, as a ‘primary target’ and has notified club president Aurelio De Laurentiis about his intention to sign the youngster – who is also a target for West Ham and RB Leipzig.

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Dorgu’s ‘destiny is already set’

While the transfer interest in Dorgu is likely to grow over the coming months, one such individual is convinced the Dane is going right to the top of the game.

Lecce sporting director Pantaleo Corvino says the ex-FC Nordsjaelland youth product is a “champion” already, despite his career being in its fledgling years.

He also ruled out a January transfer move for Dorgu, just as TEAMtalk reported.

Corvino told Gazzetta dello Sport: “Dorgu is a potential champion. Correction: he is a champion. Left or right winger, he runs like three players and can find the goal. He has an engine that no one else has.

“A player like him has admirers, of course, and there are plenty of them, even abroad. But Dorgu will stay here, and then we’ll talk about it in the summer, because his destiny is already set—his future belongs to him.”

Latest Man Utd transfer news: £70m man targeted as exits near

Manchester United are reportedly in a three-way race to sign an Eintracht Frankfurt star Hugo Larsson.

The Red Devils are said to be jostling for position with Liverpool and Real Madrid for the midfielder, who may cost £70m (€89m).

Meanwhile, Inter Milan are trying to sign United outcast Victor Lindelof, with the Italian team allegedly ‘working on’ a deal to sign the Sweden international on a free next summer. 

The 30-year-old is in his eighth season at Old Trafford but United are prepared to let the defender go in 2025.

Finally, Sunderland keeper Anthony Patterson is being eyed as a potential replacement for United’s backup keeper, Altay Bayindir, who is not happy with his lack of game time.

IN FOCUS: 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.