INEOS have already signed Manchester United’s next Dorg, who is like a ‘stream train’

The winter passed without incident at Manchester United, with pre-January talks over the signing of Antoine Semenyo quickly dashed by the Ghanaian’s move to the Etihad.

Following the sudden sacking of Ruben Amorim, INEOS are understandably putting all their eggs in the summer basket, as there is still great uncertainty as to who will be the manager next season and whether the team will qualify for the Champions League.

It all played into a quiet few weeks, as the Red Devils acquired Aiden Haven and Patrick Dawg midway through the season and decided not to repeat last year’s activity.

It’s taken almost 12 months, but the investment in Dorgu is starting to bear fruit, with the 21-year-old enjoying a rich vein of revelry in notable attacks against the likes of Newcastle United, Manchester City and Arsenal.

The Dane, who has only just begun to find his feet after shifting into a more advanced role, has been brutally stranded, but his current absence has created a headache for Michael Carrick to solve over the next 10 weeks.

How Manchester United could replace Dorg in the side

All was well for Dorg, with the former Lecce man sweeping the club’s Player of the Month award for January, but it was no surprise that he was reborn in the change to a 4-2-3-1.

The best moment of the £30m deal arguably came at the Emirates. The shot, which hit the crossbar, sparked elation from the away fans and sparked a timid celebration by United’s rising star.

The hamstring injury is perhaps unsurprising for a player who has been so busy on the wing in recent weeks, but he still lacks energy and needs to find a solution on the left.

Of course, his substitute in the last game, Matheus Cunha, fired a deft rifle against Fulham, but the Brazilian has a different profile, with a tendency to drift inside, but also frequently appearing on the right.

There is a world in which the 26-year-old could be used as a false nine with Brian Mbemo on the right and Amad on the left. The Ivorian has Dorg’s speed and is just as energetic and relentless.

Similarly, Carrick could repurpose 18-year-old Shay Lacey as a left-winger, despite having typically been used on the right-wing in the youth team, with United seeing success in recent weeks with having a natural left-hander on the right-wing.

Joshua Zirkzee also has the option of filling a Cunha-style role on the left wing, as does Mason Mount, so thankfully Carrick is not completely without options.

That said, if Dorg 2.0 is what he is looking for, the Englishman may already be a perfect fit for the academy.

Manchester United may already have signed their next Dorg

In the case of Cunha and Mbeumo, INEOS have followed the path of acquiring instant players with a proven track record in the Premier League, but many of their recent signings have been forward-looking.

Haven and Dorg certainly fit into that category, as does Diego Leon, the 18-year-old who joined from Cerro Porteno in a £6m deal in the summer.

Signed at the beginning of last year, he made a belated move to Manchester only after turning 18, but the Paraguayan sensation has so far mainly played for the Under-21s and is still waiting for his first-team opportunity.

The teenager, who was traded as a left-back, is used as a wing-back like Dorg, suggesting he could be unleashed further forward, mirroring the Dane in that he is a truly versatile asset for Carrick.

Like Dorgu, much of Leon’s game relies on his incredible speed and power, with analyst and Como scout Ben Mattinson saying that Leon is “like a steam locomotive” when at full flow.

His almost unstoppable quality was also on display during his last spell back in Paraguay, where he scored four goals in just 33 senior appearances for his former employers, matching Dorg’s record of five goals in 57 appearances for Italy.

His attack-minded flair was also evident in United’s youth ranks, with Leon darting out of his own half to score a stunning solo effort against Tottenham Hotspur’s Under-21s.

The way he drives from deep is Dorgu-esque, or dare I say Gareth Bale-esque, and there was every chance the youngster could fire another surprising left-footed shot wide.

Journalist Ben Jacobs claims that Leon’s recent progress has been such that he is seen as being ahead of schedule and that as a result United and INEOS have yet to decide what to do with the left wing ahead of the summer.

In the long term, he may be in contention to challenge Luke Shaw at left-back, but deploying Leon as Dorg’s direct successor could be a worthwhile venture in the short term if the senior bow arrives.