Carrick hints Dorgu could solve Man Utd's left-back problem without a transfer

Michael Carrick has opened the door to using Patrick Dorgu at left-back for Manchester United, suggesting the Danish winger could cover a position the club failed to strengthen during the summer window.

United entered the transfer window with left-back identified as a priority, holding interest in Barcelona’s Alejandro Balde and making a late move for Rayan Ait-Nouri of Manchester City. Neither deal materialised, leaving Luke Shaw as Carrick’s only senior option in that position. Teenager Harry Amass was linked with a loan exit on deadline day but ultimately stayed at Old Trafford.

Asked directly whether Dorgu could provide cover at left-back, Carrick was unequivocal. “He can certainly play there. He has done, without doubt,” the United manager said. “I’m not sitting here saying he can’t do that.”

Carrick also framed Dorgu’s return from injury as a significant boost in itself. “He actually has been injured, unfortunately, for some time. You could almost argue that he played three or four times for us last season, so for me, he’s almost like a new player — almost like a new signing in some ways because he’s added so much to the group.”

The 21-year-old, who joined United from Italian side Lecce in January 2025 and has made 50 appearances in all competitions, has predominantly featured as a winger. Carrick noted that Dorgu has played on the right for Denmark and scored during the summer in a forward role, but stressed his versatility is not in doubt.

“He can play left-back. He’s that type where he can do a number of things,” Carrick added. “It’s something he can — we just haven’t had to explore that. At some point, we might have to. There are times in training when he does it.”

Elsewhere, United’s summer business was heavily focused on midfield, with the club spending around £140m to bring in Youri Tielemans, Carlos Baleba, and Andrey Santos. Defensive reinforcement is now expected to be a priority when the January or summer window opens, with Newcastle’s Lewis Hall among the names being monitored.