Manchester United’s versatile Patrick Dorgu has admitted that he would “prefer to have one set position” to make life “easier” for himself. Yet, that sort of approach would make any consistent minutes harder to come by.
Dorgu’s nomadic spell shifting between left wingback, left back and left wing is a consequence of circumstance. The Denmark international was signed by Ruben Amorim to fit his cherished 3-4-2-1 system in February 2025. Within a year, the obdurate Portuguese ideologue had been sacked.
Michael Carrick took over and swiftly ditched the back three which had suited so few members of the roster (aside from Dorgu). Initially, the incoming coach singled the buccaneering left footer out as an orthodox, touchline-hugging left winger, starting him in a front three against Manchester City and Arsenal. Dorgu played brilliantly while scoring in a pair of seismic victories to start Carrick’s reign.
However, a serious hamstring injury at the Emirates sidelined Dorgu until May. This season, the 21-year-old has made as many appearances in defense as in attack (three), setting a precedent for versatility which he is keen to quash.
“I’d prefer to have one set position,” Dorgu told Danish publication Tipsbladet while on international duty. “It’s easier to work from on the training field. But many players today can play multiple positions.”
Dorgu’s preference would appear to be at the back: “I started my professional career as a left back, so that’s the most natural position for me.”
Yet, as Dorgu himself is all too aware, he faces an uphill battle to start in any of these available roles.
Dorgu’s Wandering Man Utd Career
| Position | Appearances | Goals |
|---|---|---|
| Left wingback | 26 | 0 |
| Left winger | 8 | 3 |
| Left back | 7 | 0 |
| Right wingback | 4 | 0 |
| Right wing | 2 | 1 |
Data via Transfermarkt.
Dorgu Weighs Up His Battle With Three Teammates
If Dorgu is to prioritize the left back role, he will be directly competing with Luke Shaw for minutes. Given he would have to dislodge both Marcus Rashford and Matheus Cunha for that left wing slot, he’s probably picked the easier battle.
“There’s fierce competition for spots among talented players,” Dorgu admitted. “There’s a left back who’s been at United for 12 years. And then Rashford has just returned from Barcelona, where he performed well.
“We also have Cunha, who did well during the months I was injured. So there are three really good players who have performed well in the Premier League.”
“It’s a challenge,” Dorgu accepted, “but competing against such good players is also what can make me a better soccer player. I can learn from them, and when I get the chance, I’ll have to show the coach that he can count on me.”
But why would Dorgu make this challenge even harder by limiting himself to just one position?
The Man Utd Cult Hero Dorgu Can Take Inspiration From
Manchester United’s history is naturally littered with star names, but the club’s success in the Premier League era under Sir Alex Ferguson was undoubtedly helped by those invaluable depth options who can plug any gap. Phil Neville’s entire career was based around the virtue of being able to play anywhere the manager needed.
“I realized early on that, to get forward in the game, I needed many strings to my bow,” the former left back, right back and central midfielder would explain years after winning six Premier League titles, three FA Cups and the Champions League.
“The England manager used to say to me, ‘You need to nail down one position, you need to nail down one position. If you do that, you’ll have a bigger, better, longer career,’” Neville recalled. “And I used to come away thinking, ‘That is the biggest load of rubbish that I’ve ever heard in my life.’”
Dorgu could stand to take Neville as an example to follow. The three players he listed as ahead of him in the club’s pecking order are by no means guaranteed to go through the entire campaign without an injury. Cunha had three separate spells on the sidelines last term, Shaw has already missed matches this season and Rashford hasn’t been through the rigors of a full Premier League campaign at Manchester United in years.
If Dorgu is to become an invaluable figure at Old Trafford, he may be advised to start offering himself up for other positions—right wing could be another avenue for minutes, perhaps—rather than hampering his own future.
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