Club president admits it ‘hurt’ to sell their player who can ‘devastate opponents’ to Man Utd

Lecce’s president, Sticchi Damiani, has opened up on his ‘hurt’ over selling Patrick Dorgu to Manchester United this time last year.The full-back became Ruben Amorim’s first-ever signing as head coach of the Red Devils when he joined in a £30 million deal midway through the 2024/2025 campaign.Dorgu was sought to be a more suitable fit to Amorim’s then-newly implemented system, having been identified as a versatile defender who can be impactful in a wing-back role.After being linked with a host of targets throughout the month, INEOS chiefs concluded that the young Dane was the best – and most attainable – fit, and eventually tied him down to a five-year contract.How Dorgu has fared in a United shirt(Photo by Carl Recine/Getty Images)In the last 12 months, Dorgu has racked up 40 appearances across all competitions for United, being utilised as both a starter and for his off-the-bench impact.He has featured 28 times from the off, with the remainder of his cameos coming as a substitute.Even amidst United’s inconsistent form, the 21-year-old has impressed in recent outings, assisting in an eventual defeat to Aston Villa on December 21 before scoring his first-ever goal for the club in the side’s 1-0 win over Newcastle United on Boxing Day.What Damiani had to say about Dorgu(Photo by Carl Recine/Getty Images)When detailing how his departure came to fruition, Lecce’s Damiani hailed Dorgu for his ability to ‘devastate opponents’. He told TuttoSport: “It hurt because I had to contradict myself. I truly thought I wouldn’t be selling anyone in January, but we didn’t expect that increase from United.“We were also taken aback by the English club’s absolute unwillingness to postpone the deal until the following June.“Technically, we were comfortable. We had Pierotti, who was ready. At that historic moment, Dorgu was paradoxically a replaceable player. Despite his great value, he was systematically deployed on the right, as an inverted winger. A position in which he lost much of his potential.“I’m seeing him back in his natural position in Manchester, where he devastates opponents.”