“I know he has been vital to our team but with what Man United is offering we have to let him go to Old Trafford” – This is according to a Portuguese club’s president as he has expressed surprise at an unexpected proposal from Manchester United for one of their players.

A year after his high-profile transfer to Manchester United, Patrick Dorgu remains a figure of debate. The 21-year-old, whose performances have fluctuated, has shown marked improvement in recent weeks, particularly when deployed in a more advanced role.

Reflecting on the transfer, Lecce president Saverio Sticchi Damiani admitted the move came as a surprise. Despite initial plans not to sell key players last January, the Italian club found United’s €30 million offer—and their insistence on an immediate deal—too compelling to refuse.

Damiani acknowledged the technical impact of losing Dorgu was mitigated because the player was often used on the right wing at Lecce, a position the president felt limited his true potential. He noted the club had a ready replacement in Mattia Pierotti, making the Denmark international “paradoxically a replaceable player” at that time.

Now observing Dorgu from afar, Damiani believes the winger is finally being utilized correctly at Old Trafford. He stated that seeing Dorgu return to his natural, more attacking role allows him to “devastate opponents,” a sentiment supported by the player’s recent performances.

Dorgu has been impactful on the right flank under manager Ruben Amorim, contributing with a disallowed goal against Wolves and scoring decisive goals for both his national team and against Newcastle United.