Man Utd close on £30m defender as transfer talks progress ahead of deadline
Man Utd close on £30m defender as transfer talks progress ahead of deadline
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Manchester United continue to hold talks with Lecce as they close on a £30million deal for Patrick Dorgu. The Red Devils will continue to engage in discussions with the Italian side this week as they look to make their first major addition of the January transfer window. Lecce president Saverio Sticchi Damiani had made it clear that the club didn't want to sell, but Dorgu is eager for the clubs to reach an agreement.
United are in need of new recruits and with Ruben Amorim playing a 3-4-3 system the wing-back position has become vital and the team currently lack players who can naturally play in that role. Dorgu can help fill the void with the Premier League giants edging closer to Lecce's asking price. The Daily Mail understands they want £33m - which United are close to matching with add-ons.
If the Red Devils are unsuccessful in their pursuit for Dorgu then they are ready to turn to Benfica’s Alvaro Fernandez and activate his £15m buy-back clause, which they have in their favour until 2026. Dorgu's contract with the Serie A side expires in 2029, but he is keen to make a move to Manchester.
Those at Old Trafford had originally had PSG's Nuno Mendes on their radar, but he was going to prove too expensive with Amorim having to work under a budget. Mendes had played as a wing-back under Amorim when they were both at Sporting Lisbon. Bournemouth's Milos Kerkez was another under consideration but again would not be sold on the cheap by the Cherries and United have attempted to avoid a month-long saga that could've seen them finish up empty handed.
