Sunday was yet another miserable day for Manchester United fans as they witnessed yet another home Premier League defeat, this time to Crystal Palace.
The only silver lining from the game was the unveiling of new signings Ayden Heaven and Patrick Dorgu before kick-off in front of a packed Old Trafford.
The Dane is likely to be thrust straight into action given the poor form of Diogo Dalot at left wingback. The Portuguese is not a natural fit given he is right-footed and more of a traditional full-back.
The former Lecce star has experience of playing as a wingback for his former club and he is versatile and can play higher up as well as on the opposite flank.
Dorgu on joining United
In his first interview with club media, the 20-year-old discussed how he felt after completing the protracted move and how the new system introduced by Ruben Amorim was a clinching factor for him when it came to choosing the Red Devils.
“It feels amazing to be part of the family. I’m very excited to get going. I have heard about the incredible support and I’m happy to be one of the players of United now.
“It’s a huge club. It’s the biggest club in England and I’m really looking forward to working with the new manager [Ruben Amorim] and I feel the system suits me really well. So I’m excited to be here.”
He knows what the head coach will expect from him moving forward and the Denmark international discussed his strong suits and what he will bring to the wingback role.
On what he will bring to the wingback role
“I think I’m going to bring a lot of intensity and physique on the pitch. And a lot of energy and running.”
Lots of players have found the Old Trafford atmosphere and the pressures of playing for the 20-time English league champions tough to handle. But Dorgu is convinced that his steely mindset can help him succeed in Manchester.
“For me, it’s the most important thing because there’s a lot of talk about and around football. And you really need to be strong outside of football as well.
“And, when I’ve been in Italy, I’ve lived alone. Of course, my family is visiting me a lot, but you need to be really good mentally to stay focused and being concentrated on football.”
While the club are languishing in 13th spot in the league, United are still alive in the FA Cup, where they will take on Leicester City next on Friday.
Goals for the rest of the season
The Red Devils also qualified directly for the Europa League Round of 16 and Dorgu has already outlined his goal to try and win both competitions while also finishing as strong as possible in the league.
“We’re still in a lot of cup competitions so, of course, to win the cup games. And, of course, to win as many Premier League games as possible.
“My ambition is just to play a lot of games to be a great part of the United family and just to keep pushing and improve my potential.”
Dorgu is likely to make his debut against the Foxes and hopefully, he can play a key role in ensuring United do not lose again at home against Ruud van Nistelrooy’s visiting side.
Feature image Gabriele Sabbatini via Getty Images
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Ayantan Chowdhury
Ayantan has worked for 10 years in the Indian sports media industry, writing for the biggest newspapers and websites but his heart was always set on writing about his favourite club. Currently an editor at The Peoples Person. You can follow him on X: @ayantanc_25
