Man Utd, Tottenham and Chelsea face competition for €40m-rated Serie A wonderkid

AC Milan have reportedly joined the race to sign Lecce star Patrick Dorgu, but face competition from a host of Premier League teams.

Dorgu enjoyed a breakout season for the Serie A team in 2023/24, and that caught the interest of multiple sides across Europe.

The left-back, who can also play as a wing-back, was wanted by Napoli this summer but Luca Gotti’s outfit managed to hold onto the 19-year-old.

Now, Italian publication Tuttomercatoweb claims Milan been credited with interest in Dorgu, alongside Chelsea, Tottenham, Manchester United, and Liverpool.

Lecce have him under contract until 2027 but if he continues to impress for both club and country this season, it may be difficult to keep him – especially if a sizeable offer comes along.

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A rapid rise

Dorgu, who was born to Nigerian parents but grew up in Copenhagen, played in FC Nordsjaelland’s academy in 2022 before making the switch to Lecce at under-19 level.

He was quickly catapulted into the Italian side’s first-team, and has since made 41 appearances, scored three goals, and bagged one assist in all competitions.

Now, he is reportedly valued at upwards of €40 million (£33.8m, $44.6m), with TEAMtalk previously revealing that Chelsea could make a move for him in January.

While Blues boss Enzo Maresca has been singing the praises first-choice left-back Marc Cucurella of late, he admitted Ben Chilwell is not in his long-term plans.

Therefore, having a younger, quality option to compete with Cucurella would be something head coach Maresca could get behind.

However, it is likely they will still need to shift on the England international first, before being able to find his replacement.

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Chelsea keen on January transfer

After trying and failing to secure a summer exit for Chilwell, be it on loan or on a permanent deal, the Blues are attempting to set up a January auction for the left-back.

The 27-year-old has barely played this season and does not fit the profile of player Maresca wants in his team – who are clicking nicely and sit fourth in the Premier League.

Elsewhere, Barcelona winger Raphinha reportedly rejected the chance to head to Stamford Bridge this summer, along with Saudi Pro League teams, too.

The winger nearly joined the Blues in 2022 from Leeds United before eventually getting his dream move to the Catalan outfit. Now that he captains Barca, a Chelsea switch would have been even less appealing.

Finally, Chelsea have not given up hope of signing Napoli striker Victor Osimhen and are aiming to get him for a cut-price fee. The west London outfit missed out on his signature this summer, with the Nigerian international heading to Galatasaray on loan instead. But, this transfer saga may not be done and dusted just yet.