Ex-Man Utd scout slams Amorim ‘dud’ signing who cost four times his value

Former Manchester United scout Piotr Sadowski argues that INEOS went over the top when they decided to spend £25 million on Patrick Dorgu last January.The Dane was the first big signing the club made in the Ruben Amorim era. The Portuguese boss considered bolstering the left flank to be a priority at the time, especially amidst Luke Shaw’s physical struggles.INEOS went to great lengths to fulfil this demand by buying Dorgu after a few rounds of negotiations with Lecce, who were hoping to keep their prized asset until the end of the season.Piotr Sadowski aims a dig at Patrick Dorgu dealSince his arrival at Old Trafford, the 21-year-old has been delivering mixed results. Dorgu has been praised at times for his energetic and influential display down the left flank, but has also been criticised for other unconvincing outings, especially in the defensive phase.(Photo by Ion Alcoba Beitia/Getty Images)But according to Sadowski, Man Utd overpaid to recruit the Denmark international. The current Blackburn Rovers scout worked for MUFC between 2017 and 2024, and he insists that he could have helped INEOS sign four players of Dorgu’s quality for the same amount they paid for his services, while also labelling him as a ‘dud’ signing.“Honestly, having recently worked at Blackburn Rovers and operating on a much lower transfer budget, I would have had no problem finding a few players of Dorgu’s level for United, but for £25m, you could get four,” said the Polish scout in an interview with Przeglad Sportowy (via The Sun).“Now, United are wary of bringing in youngsters. Amorim was supposed to be the one to do this, but the results haven’t been right, so he prefers to buy ready-made players.”Did Man Utd truly overpay for Dorgu?In the current market, young and unproven players with hefty price tags are hardly uncommon.Now, it is possible that INEOS could have saved a few million by sticking to their guns rather than accepting Lecce’s terms, but we should remember that Dorgu was considered one of the fastest rising stars in Serie A, and an absolute protagonist for the Salentian club. Dorgu’s career stats Appearances Goals Assists Man United 31 0 2 Lecce 57 5 2 Lecce U19 38 4 0 In fact, Lecce’s form significantly dropped following the player’s mid-season departure, and they were only able to escape relegation on the final day of the campaign.Hence, in this inflated market, many would consider paying £25 million for a top prospect a fair deal, and it should be remembered that Man Utd’s name is enough to catapult any price tag.Finally, Dorgu remains far from a finished article, so judging this transfer is rather premature at this stage.