Manchester United’s summer transfer window was a quiet one. Perhaps that is what cost Jose Mourinho his job at the Theatre of Dreams.
Before he left, though, Mourinho gave us one parting gift; Diogo Dalot. The 22-year-old from Portugal has been used sparingly this term, most notably due to injury.
However, when he has taken to the field, the full-back has certainly impressed. He’s quick, strong, tall and tough in the tackle. When going forward he has a real quality in his passing, and his crossing ability is just sublime.
That’s a sentiment echoed by United icon, Dennis Irwin. He too singles out Dalot’s ability to play the ball into the box as his main strength, while also being versatile.
“When he came and he was injured I didn’t know an awful lot about him,” Irwin told MEN Sport.
“Obviously we jumped in to buy him and from what I’ve seen he looks a real, real good player.
“He played left-back in the game against Brighton and did really well. He’s more comfortable in the right-back position.
“His crossing ability is great, he’s only a young boy.
“It usually takes foreign young lads quite a while to settle and get used to the pace of the Premier League – particularly when they’ve been injured as well – but he looks like he’s a very good long-term prospect.
“He’s really solid [in his build], which is what you need for the Premier League. But from the bits we’ve seen of him he looks a real good player.”
In time, this lad could well replace Ashley Young at the right-back slot on a full-time basis. As Irwin says, it sometimes takes a while for young players to adapt to life in a new country.
For inspiration, Dalot should look at Victor Lindelof. The Swede was poor in his first season at United but look at him now. He looks undroppable at this point in time.
With games coming thick and fast, Dalot will get ample opportunity to play and prove his worth. If he keeps developing and learning, I fully believe he has a huge future at Manchester United.
Be the first to comment