Dorgu and Lecce: leader in the Primavera tricolor and dominant in the first team

La prima foto di Dorgu da calciatore del Lecce

It was only a matter of time and way. Patrick Dorgu has the stigmata of talent, and anyone in Lecce, in admiring his bursts with the ball at the foot and the extraordinary connection between reading and executing the technical gesture that is almost always right, hoped to hold on to a footballer predestined for other stages for as long as possible. As early as the middle of last season, with only six months in Serie A, the big names of Europe, headed by the Premier League, knocked on Lecce’s door for the performance of the 20-year-old, who was determined not to speed up after the first official offers to continue his affirmation in Salento, where he has matured mentally and physically.

Il debutto di Dorgu in A: Lecce-Lazio 2-1 del 20 agosto 2023

Dorgu will try to change the history of Manchester United, which has been struggling for years. This time the big step was to be taken, also accomplice to the walls of the Lecce technical area up to an irrenounceable offer. Dorgu had been waiting a long time for this qualitative leap, deserved and physiological for what has just been described given the logics of modern soccer. On the technical level, it is true that Lecce loses the most in-form player of its tournament, especially in the first phase, but risks related to the success of the third salvation in a row and by now the player’s morale, already projected to the scurries on the lawn of Old Trafford, were other factors toward the long-awaited yes, made official only today after the medical examinations Dorgu underwent at Carrington.

Dorgu abbracciato dai compagni prima della partenza per Manchester

The farewell at the end of Lecce-Parma, somewhat shy but sincere and with emotion for what he experienced, was the last act of two and a half very intense years. Dorgu, never for much in front of the cameras (only a few fleeting English interviews to Dazn and Sky in the post-match and never a personal press conference), made his strong psychological temperament, focused on constant self-improvement, the driving force behind his growth. Off the field, then, moments of recollection and prayer at the Shrine of St. Anthony in Fulgenzio and, together with teammates Gonzalez and Corfitzen, of frequent walks downtown.

Dorgu arrived from Nordsjaelland on loan with right of redemption in the summer of 2022 and entrusted to the care of coach Federico Coppitelli, who was called to cultivate the talents scouted by Pantaleo Corvino. Since his first training sessions (official debut in the 5-0 win over Napoli), the propulsion on the left flank of Lecce Primavera has been entrusted to him. In the Salento formation’s historic third scudetto there is a lot of Dorgu, MVP of the championship, author of 4 goals (the first at Torino and the second, from three points, with Fiorentina) and, of course, on the field in the semifinal against Sassuolo and in the final won over Fiorentina. In the summer, as expected, Lecce paid 220,000 euros into the coffers of Nordsjaelland and promoted Dorgu to the first team since the training camp with Roberto D’Aversa. The Pescara coach promoted the lateral, ideally Gallo’s alter ego on the left flank.

Dorgu sotto la Nord dopo il 3-2 alla Fiorentina

Psychological strength and balance were needed to handle the A league debut, far from a walk in the park. Lecce, still incomplete, hosts Lazio in the first act of the 2023/2024 championship, and adding to the incomplete squad was the injury that kept Gallo out. Dorgu enters Fiorentina-Lecce 2-2, gwhen the Giallorossi retake Italian, participates in all the matches and plays as a starter at Juventus Stadium, at the Olimpico and at home against Milan, getting away with it. Other sign. Gallo’s growth reduces his space in the waning phase of D’Aversa’s Lecce. Against Fiorentina, several times the team of his destiny, the cold unforgettable night. Piccoli makes it 2-2, Biraghi loses the ball and on the tip-off it is the young Dorgu himself, with a right-footed, foot not his own, makes the Via del Mare explode. Feb. 2, 2024: Lecce-Fiorentina 3-2, Dorgu also knows how to score.

Dorgu festeggia il gol dello 0-2 in casa del Sassuolo

The change on the bench between D’Aversa and Gotti decides, starting with the winning debut in Salerno, to deploy Gotti further forward in the 4-4-2 to build a strong axis with Gallo. The “restorative” coach’s gamble goes well, Dorgu, also employed part time on the right, has more space to attack in space and cut into the center disrupting opposing defenses. In the important cross in Sassuolo, the second goal of the 0-3 is his, on an assist from Gallo. Lecce is saved and Dorgu ends his first Serie A with 32 appearances.

Dorgu’s second preseason with Lecce is all about ductility. In addition to the lane, in tests against Werder Bremen and Galatasaray, Dorgu is seen as a central defender. Perhaps exaggerations, perhaps moves to make a total footballer already ready for the big European nights grow and become even more complete. Gotti’s idea is Dorgu high at right forward, but, in the squad, the Dane must always be Gallo’s deputy. In addition, Pelmard is not convincing and, behind right fullback Guilbert, he is the first solution. In all this tourbillon of positions on the field, Dorgu, sent off against Cagliari, takes charge of Lecce’s offensive phase and is often the most dangerous man in an attack that suffers so much. In the 2-2 draw with Parma there is the winning insertion with a goal and, on Oct. 29, 2023, Dorgu’s goal at Verona even makes three. Two are nullified by Var, but that’s enough for an insecure and frayed team to win.

L’esultanza di Dorgu dopo il sigillo al Parma

Lecce’s topicality is also punctuated by constant market rumors (Conte whispers something to the boy after Napoli-Lecce 1-0 and there are Juventus, Liverpool, Borussia Dortmund, Tottenham and Chelsea), but in the meantime there is a mission of salvation to be achieved in a year with so many injuries. Marco Giampaolo replaces Luca Gotti and reasonably opts for Dorgu’s potential in the trident. In Venice, the maestro’s first Lecce suffers but wins with a less-than-easy flat goal by Dorgu on an assist from Gallo. Due to the absences of the full-backs, Giampaolo will have to use Dorgu most of the time, at least from the start, in defense. The last positive performance coincides with the victory at Empoli, when Dorgu hands the 1-3 ball to Krstovic. Manchester United decided to get serious and, in January, the 20-year-old was already projected to the Theatre of Dreams at Old Trafford. Giampaolo considered using him at Parma, giving up on him.

Dorgu in Nazionale nel debutto

From the sunshine of Salento to the fields of Carrington in the world’s most cheered soccer team, the step was huge but weighted by Dorgu with attached family, present in Lecce in the last days of negotiations, and by attorney Kingsley Obodo. Ruben Amorim, thanks in part to the good work done with Hjulmand at Sporting CP, went all in on Dorgu, who in the meantime has become an element of the Danish national team along with the pillars, new teammates, Eriksen and Hojlund. The debut here? Dreamlike: goal within a handful of seconds of entering the field in place of Nelsson and Denmark-Switzerland 2-0 in the Nations League. The Primavera Scudetto and two saves will be just the beginning of a palmarès that promises to be full of gems. Good luck Patrick, never forget Lecce and Lecce.

The article Dorgu and Lecce: leading in the Primavera tricolor and dominant in the first team comes from Calcio Lecce.