Ruben Amorim unsettled with Patrick Dorgu

Under Ruben Amorim, Manchester United’s defensive rebuild has placed heavy emphasis on recruiting young, progressive full-backs.

The club spent a lot of time and effort analysing left-back options across Europe, with data-driven shortlists highlighting athleticism, duel success, and ball-carrying.

Several Premier League and Serie A teams, including Liverpool, Brighton, Inter, and Juventus, had been tracking the player after a breakout Serie A campaign in 2023/24.

United moved fastest, identifying him as a long-term successor for Luke Shaw, whose injuries have continued to limit his availability.

A £25 million deal was agreed with Lecce in January after months of scouting, making Patrick Dorgu one of the most excited young fullbacks to move to the Premier League.

His arrival was received with excitement due to his strong numbers in Italy, where he registered 2 goals, 2 assists and over 140 progressive carries.

United valued his versatility too — he had already played as a left-back, wing-back and left-sided midfielder for both club and Denmark’s youth teams.

His early performances at Old Trafford showed flashes of that promise, particularly his ball-carrying, overlapping runs, and ability to progress play under pressure.

But recent games have been more inconsistent, with decision-making issues and visible nerves beginning to appear.

Manchester United head coach Ruben Amorim has acknowledged that he feels “anxiety” each time Patrick Dorgu takes possession in a game, according to the Mirror.

Amorim, assessing the defender’s recent form, admitted he is actively searching for ways to help Dorgu rediscover his best level.

“What I feel when I see them training, they are doing so much better than in games,” Amorim said.

He added, “When I see him playing for the national team, he’s scored a great goal against Scotland; the decision that he made under pressure was different to the decision that he’s making in our team.”

“I think they are far from the best, and they know it. Like a lot of players in our team, like myself. I think they have so much more to give. Let’s see this week if we improve that,” he said.

Amorim also conceded that he senses a nervousness from Dorgu during matches and wants him to feel more composed.

“He needs to be calmer playing the game. You can feel the anxiety every time Patrick touched the ball — I can feel it, the anxiety,” the Portuguese boss admitted.

“And I remember the shot [missed] against Everton. That was easier than the decision that he had to make when the guys from Scotland were there, when he made a great decision.”

Amorim said he had witnessed calmer decision-making from Dorgu both internationally and previously in Serie A.

“But, again, here is different and sometimes the pressure is hard for them in the beginning, but he has time to improve,” he added.

Dorgu has already made 32 appearances across all competitions for Manchester United since his winter arrival.

He will hope to respond to Amorim’s challenge when the team travels to face Crystal Palace at Selhurst Park this weekend.

The 19-year-old must also manage his discipline carefully, as he is currently one booking away from a Premier League suspension.

A yellow card against Palace would force him to sit out United’s midweek trip to West Ham United.