Patrick Dorgu’s international manager sends warning to him after Man Utd move
A big move comes with big challenges.
Denmark manager Brian Riemer has warned Patrick Dorgu that he will have to deal with ‘completely different pressure and expectations’ at Manchester United after signing from Lecce.
The wing-back arrived at Old Trafford over the weekend as their one major signing of the winter transfer window in a £25m deal.
Just 20 years old, Dorgu is still very inexperienced, with just 57 senior appearances with Lecce to his name.
However, there is plenty expected of him as he is brought in as an important part of Ruben Amorim’s 3-4-3 jigsaw at left wing-back.
Riemer has hammered home that point, reminding Dorgu that the weight of expectation will be a different world in Manchester to what he experienced at Lecce.
However, he is pleased to see a young Danish talent being given the chance to shine on a huge stage and prove he can deal with that expectation.
‘It is a huge endorsement of Danish talent development that two of our greatest talents, Rasmus Højlund and Patrick Dorgu, are part of perhaps the world’s biggest club,’ Riemer told Tipsbladet.
‘Patrick must know that when he goes from Lecce to Manchester United, the expectations and pressure are completely different. He has also had a lot of considerations about that with his backroom team.
‘If he succeeds, the gain is also greater. He has every opportunity to take a huge step forward in his career, but it is up to him to seize the chance.’
Dorgu is yet to experience what comes with a move to Old Trafford, but he knows it will take a strong mindset, something he sees as crucial for elite football.
‘For me, it’s the most important thing because there’s a lot of talk about and around football,’ he said. ‘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.’
He added: ‘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.’
