Tottenham boss Jose Mourinho (Getty Images)
Manchester United’s performance in the summer transfer window was unsatisfactory, to say the least, as the club failed to land any of their major targets. The results haven’t been up to the mark so far since United have endured a mixed start to their campaign with three wins and two defeats from their first five games.
United’s activity in the transfer market was limited to the acquisition of Diogo Dalot, Lee Grant and Fred. The board failed to add defensive reinforcements to the squad. As a result, United have looked vulnerable at the back, having conceded 8 goals from five games.
Although Fred has been handed with some opportunities to make an early impact this season, the Brazilian hasn’t lived up to the expectations. Although Lee Grant is unlikely to get any action as long as De Gea stays fit, Diogo Dalot is expected to make his cut into the first-team sooner or later.
According to Manchester United official, Dalot was in line to make his senior team debut when the Red Devils faced Watford this weekend but clearly, that did not happen. The 19-year-old had an injury when he signed for Manchester United in the summer but now, he is back to full fitness and Jose Mourinho must hand him regular chances.
The 19-year-old Portuguese joined United from Porto for a fee of £19m and is expected to be the long-term successor to Antonio Valencia. Both Ashley Young and Valencia have been at Old Trafford for a long time but they are reaching the twilight of their careers. They are already 33 are unlikely to continue for too long. Hence, United made the perfect decision by signing Diogo Dalot.
A pacy and agile full-back perfectly suited for the Premier League, Dalot has the ability to contribute to the team defensively as well as offensively. His sound technique allows him to receive the ball with a good first touch and lets him run comfortably with the ball at his feet.
Dalot is a two-footed player, making him resourceful for any team. At the tender age of 19, he has exhibited the versatility to play as a right-back, right midfielder, left-back and a left midfielder. An excellent crosser of the ball from either flank, Dalot should provide United with greater goalscoring opportunities due to his pinpoint deliveries into the box.
Apart from his offensive abilities, Dalot is quite decent with his defending as well. His tall structure does not hinder his ability to move up and down the wing during the whole 90 minutes. On the contrary, it provides him with an extra power to do it successfully, thus increasing the pressure on his opponents.
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Dalot is an intelligent player and often positions himself correctly in all moments of the game. Regardless of what the situation is, the youngster understands the game well enough to get into the right position.
Having said that, the upcoming weeks should be perfect to offer the youngster a taste of Premier League football. It will be a gamble but doing so could pay the dividends.