Dorgu trains alone ahead of United's pre-season return after injury-hit debut campaign

Patrick Dorgu is already putting in extra work ahead of Manchester United’s pre-season opener, with footage circulating on social media showing the 21-year-old training with a personal coach before the first wave of players report to Carrington on Thursday.

The Danish wing-back endured a stop-start debut campaign after joining United, showing genuine quality when fit — most notably scoring the club’s Goal of the Season with a 30-yard volley in the Premier League win at Arsenal — but a hamstring injury derailed his momentum and ruled him out for a significant portion of the run-in. He returned only for the final game of the season.

In the footage, Dorgu — wearing a retro France 1998 World Cup shirt — worked extensively on movement, agility, dribbling and one-on-one finishing under the guidance of a personal coach, signalling his intent to arrive in peak condition when pre-season officially begins.

The timing matters. United head into 2026-27 with genuine optimism after caretaker manager Michael Carrick oversaw a remarkable turnaround following Ruben Amorim’s mid-season departure. Carrick won 12 of his 17 matches in temporary charge, guiding the club to third place in the Premier League and securing a return to the Champions League — form that earned him a two-year contract as permanent head coach.

Carrick will not have a full squad available from the outset, however. Several key players remain on international duty at the expanded FIFA World Cup in North America, which concludes on July 19. Captain Bruno Fernandes, Kobbie Mainoo and Lisandro Martinez are among those absent from the early stages of pre-season.

Dorgu, whose Denmark side did not qualify for the tournament, is therefore free to begin preparations ahead of schedule. United’s Premier League campaign opens away to Hull City on August 22, giving Carrick and his staff several weeks to rebuild fitness, sharpen their tactical shape and bed in any new arrivals before competitive football resumes.