Saverio Sticchi Damiani, the president of Lecce, has alleged that Manchester United warned they would cancel the transfer of Patrick Dorgu if he did not move before the January transfer deadline. Throughout the winter transfer period, Damiani maintained that Dorgu would remain with the club as he was crucial for their Serie A survival. However, in the last full week of the window, the situation shifted. The transfer was back in motion, and by Sunday morning, United secured the £29.5 million deal for the Danish player. During a press conference, Damiani discussed the club’s sudden change of heart regarding the sale of players in January, stating, “It’s an extraordinary operation in every sense,” referring to the circumstances surrounding the decision. “This is our most profitable sale to date, occurring at a time when our economic situation is quite strong. We previously stated on several occasions that Dorgu would not depart in January, but circumstances changed due to an ultimatum from Manchester United.” Initially, when they came to us, we expressed that we weren’t interested in selling him at that moment. We didn’t establish a price or request an increased offer. We believed our response would stop their chase, but it actually had the reverse effect. “The Red Devils were adamant.” We requested several times to delay everything until summer, assuring him that he wouldn’t lose this chance. “It was a significant milestone for us, but we preferred to do it in July.” Rather, the English team expressed their intention to acquire him right away, following the request of their coach Ruben Amorim. “They communicated that the agreement needed to be finalized quickly or it would fall through.” They informed the player as well, stating, “We can’t evaluate Dorgu since he is just 20 years old, and Manchester United has made a significant offer.”
