Manchester United’s hunt for “critical” new left wing-back | OneFootball

Manchester United judged the signing of a new left wing-back in January to be “critical” to helping Ruben Amorim given the importance of the position in his system.

The Portuguese coach, who swapped Lisbon for Manchester in November, bringing with him five of his most-trusted lieutenants, has seen his new squad struggle to adapt to the demands of the 3-4-3 set-up which had helped Sporting CP dominate Liga Portugal in recent years.

The system utilises a front-three with a centre-forward flanked by two attacking midfielders; a midfield pivot, who sits in front of a three-man defensive unit; and two wingbacks, tasked with responsibility over their respective side of the pitch.

It’s an exacting role which requires both high levels of physicality and technical ability. As such, there are few players capable of adapting their games to meet these demands.

In possession, the wingbacks operate as wingers and are expected to bomb down the pitch to provide the team with width and penetrative runs on the outside of the attacking midfielders.

However, out of possession, the wingbacks need the speed and stamina to make lung-busting runs in transition to support the defence if they ventured forward. The wing-backs convert from wingers to fullbacks the moment the team is under threat and must be capable of strong one-on-one defending.

Neither of the senior left-backs in the Old Trafford dressing room were capable of meeting the demands of the left wing-back position, albeit for slightly differing reasons.

A Problem Position

Luke Shaw’s continued injury issues, which have plagued his entire United career, mean the England international is not physically capable of handling the intensity of the wing-back role in Amorim’s system, despite his excellent technical ability in the opposition half.

Tyrell Malacia, who suffered from his own serious long-term injury but returned around the same time as Amorim arrived in Manchester, cannot meet the attacking demands of his new coach. The 25-year-old defender is simply not good enough on the ball to offer a consistent outlet for the team, while the lingering effects of his near-eighteenth month knee injury appear to have robbed the Dutchman of some pace.

As a result, Amorim has been forced to deploy his compatriot Diogo Dalot in the LWB role, despite the Portuguese defender having spent the majority of his career at right-back.

Dalot has faced criticism as a result of his performances in this unfamiliar role with the 25-year-old struggling to offer width and attacking threat on his weaker foot, though his effort levels and physical capabilities can never be questioned.

It was evident, therefore, that a new option in this problem position would be essential for United to target heading into the January transfer window as the potential benefits were manifold.

Firstly, it would help to balance the side after the emergence of Amad – undoubtedly the Red Devils’ Player of the Year thus far this – as a strong option at right wing-back, buttress by Noussair Mazraoui as a more defensive option in bigger games.

By providing a more consistent threat from left wing-back, opposition teams would not be able to concentrate primarily on the right-hand side of United’s attack, as they often have been able to in recent months.

Secondly, it would enable players like Dalot and Shaw to play in roles more suited to their talents – RWB for Dalot and LCB for Shaw, as an example. It would also free up Malacia to leave Old Trafford – a move much-needed for both the club and the Dutchman’s own career.

And, lastly, it would allow the club to target an athletic player to raise the physical profile of a squad desperately short on speed and strength. While this does not exclusively apply to the left wing-back position, as physical upgrades are needed in midfield and attack also, the addition of a player capable of offering security in defensive transition and a threat in attacking ones would be a boost to Amorim’s philosophy.

First-Choice Targets

If Amorim could design a left wing-back, that player would bear a striking resemblance to Alphonso Davies.

The Bayern Munich left-back stands 6’0 and is a physical monster, combining excellent strength and outstanding speed. Technically, he is proficient for a left-back and offers a strong threat in the opposition half. And, at only 24, Davies is the perfect age profile for a club at the beginning of a transition under a new manager.

The obvious issue with a move for the Canadian international would be the enormous transfer fee it would require to convince Bayern to let their prized asset leave; except that may not have been true.

Davies’ contract at the Allianz Arena was due to expire in the summer with prospective suitors able to enter into negotiations over a free transfer. Real Madrid were one club on the hunt for the 24-year-old with United also expressing an interest, despite acceptance at Old Trafford that a deal would prove difficult.

The Athletic reveals Steve Brown, United’s director of scouting, contacted Davies’ representatives directly in autumn to lay the potential ground work for a January approach, when the Canadian’s contract would enable a free transfer to be agreed come the summer.

The Red Devils had previously “overlooked” Davies when the fullback was initially recommended by club scout Jorge Alvial in 2017. And The Athletic contends this “rejection was always going to make the move a tough sell now.”

Furthermore, the wage packet needed to convince Davies to swap Bundesliga titles and Champions League football in Bavaria for a team languished in 13th place in the Premier League and the Europa League in Manchester would have been considerable.

And, predictably, a move for Davies never materialised with the left-back instead “close to signing a lucrative new contract at Bayern.”

United also considered an approach for Nuno Mendes – a former pupil of Amorim at Sporting CP where the 22-year-old’s impressive performances at LWB earned him a move to Paris Saint-Germain in 2021.

Mendes’ contract situation, in a similar vein to Davies, gave the Reds hope a deal could be struck to reunite the Portuguese international with the manager who helped establish him in senior football. And reports suggested Mendes was open to a switch to Old Trafford with his contract in Paris expiring in 2026.

However, an approach proved too expensive for United’s finances and the club swiftly moved on. Mendes now appears ready to sign a new long-term deal with PSG, reinforcing how a link to Old Trafford often ends in a bumper new contract for the player in question as a residual effect of the Ed Woodward-era.

Dorgu or Not To Dorgu

Patrick Dorgu quickly emerged as a more realistic target for United in the January window as the 20-year-old’s prospective transfer and wage combination would be drastically cheaper than a deal for the more experienced options on the club’s transfer list.

The Lecce left wing-back, who has played at left-back, right-back, left-wing and right-wing this season, ticks the boxes for physical attributes – fast, strong, 6’2, left-footed – Amorim prefers, and are much-needed in the United team. This positional versatility also indicates a player capable of offering the attacking threat from wing-back which the existing options at Old Trafford have struggled to meet.

Dorgu ranks first amongst fullbacks and wingbacks under the age of 23 in Europe for ” successful attacking actions”, underscoring the obvious improvement the Danish international will bring to United.

Initially, Lecce were demanding a package worth around €40 million to sell their defensive starlet in January. But negotiations between the two clubs eventually saw the Italians compromise towards a deal worth an initial €30 million with a further €5 million in add-ons.

The Athletic states, “United’s limited budget was well-documented coming into the window, with concerns over both compliance with financial fair play regulations and the club’s level of cash resources, but the Dorgu deal was viewed as achievable due to its reasonable cost.”

The defender’s wages at Old Trafford will be £40,000 a week, equating to a yearly salary of just over £2 million. Davies, by comparison, is believed to be earning over £12 million-a-year from his new five-year deal at Bayern.

And while Davies is undoubtedly the superior player to Dorgu at present, United retain hope the Dane’s potential will enable him to reach that level with time and patience. And Dorgu’s physical profile and natural attacking threat on the left mean the 20-year-old will be able to offer an immediate improvement to his new team.

Amorim has a solution to a position designated one of “critical importance” before the January window opened. And while Dorgu may not have been his first-choice candidate for the role, the Portuguese coach will definitely be delighted with the dynamic Dane given the various ways in which he improves the United team.

Featured image Sebastian Widmann via Getty Images

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