With key player Bruno Fernandes set to stay, and the anticipated arrival of Matheus Cunha and potentially Bryan Mbeumo, there`s growing optimism about the future direction of Manchester United.
However, fans of the Red Devils are cautious, having seen previous transfer successes like Jadon Sancho, Raphael Varane, and Cristiano Ronaldo in 2021 fail to consistently deliver on-field results.
This time, under Ruben Amorim, the strategy seems different. The club is targeting proven Premier League players like Cunha and Mbeumo, a departure from the previous tendency to recruit heavily from abroad over the past decade.
George Smith of the MEN pointed out that before Cunha, United hadn`t signed a proven Premier League attacker since acquiring Alexis Sanchez from Arsenal in 2018, following Romelu Lukaku`s move from Everton shortly before.
While those earlier signings weren`t entirely successful overall, Lukaku`s record of 42 goals in 96 appearances looks respectable, especially when compared to Rasmus Hojlund`s 26 goals in 95 games across all competitions.
The hope is that Cunha and potentially Mbeumo can surpass Lukaku`s goal tally at Old Trafford, validating United`s apparent strategy of focusing on established Premier League talent.
Manchester United Set Sights on Another Premier League Player
Speculation about Mbeumo`s potential move follows United`s failure to sign Liam Delap from Ipswich Town, who chose to join his former Manchester City youth coach, Enzo Maresca, at Chelsea.
Despite this setback, reports from Laurie Whitwell at The Athletic suggest United are exploring other striker options like Viktor Gyokeres, Victor Osimhen, and Antoine Semenyo. Additionally, Amorim is reportedly looking for a dynamic central midfielder and a new wing-back.
This search for a wing-back seems to have led United to Brighton & Hove Albion`s Pervis Estupinan. Reports from Spain indicate the Ecuadorian left-back is now considered a priority target for the club.
Despite competition from several clubs for the 27-year-old, United are reportedly showing the most significant interest. Previous reports suggested INEOS had already discussed a potential deal for the full-back, which could provide Ruben Amorim with an immediate improvement over their January signing, Patrick Dorgu.
How Pervis Estupinan Stacks Up Against Patrick Dorgu
It`s still early in Dorgu`s United career, having joined from Lecce for £30m in January. However, his start hasn`t been smooth, including a red card against Ipswich Town in February.
Despite some positive contributions, such as winning a penalty in the 4-1 win over Real Sociedad, the young Dane hasn`t fully convinced observers, with club icon Gary Neville suggesting he`s among players `not good enough` for the current squad.
Adding Estupinan would strengthen the left flank and could be a significant upgrade. The experienced defender is highly regarded, with manager Fabian Hurzeler calling him `one of the best left-backs in the Premier League`.
Although the attacking full-back managed only one goal and one assist in the 2024/25 league season, he had impressive returns in the two preceding seasons, contributing 15 goal involvements across all competitions.
In contrast, the younger Dorgu has recorded no goals and just one assist since arriving in Manchester, following a record of five goals and two assists in 57 appearances in Italy.
While Dorgu`s youth is a factor, it`s worth noting he sometimes played as a winger in Serie A. His ability to consistently produce attacking output at this level remains unproven.
| Stat (*per game) | Dorgu | Estupinan |
|---|---|---|
| Games (starts) | 12 (10) | 30 (26) |
| Goals | 0 | 1 |
| Assists | 0 | 1 |
| Big chances created | 1 | 5 |
| Key passes* | 1.0 | 0.9 |
| Pass accuracy* | 86% | 88% |
| Tackles & interceptions* | 2.9 | 3.4 |
| Balls recovered* | 3.1 | 4.9 |
| Successful dribbles* | 0.3 | 0.6 |
| Errors leading to goal | 2 | 0 |
| Stats via Sofascore | ||
As the statistics show, while Dorgu is competitive in some areas, Estupinan leads in crucial metrics like tackles and interceptions, ball recoveries, successful dribbles, and pass accuracy, highlighting his stronger performance both defensively and offensively.
This doesn`t mean Dorgu should be dismissed prematurely, but at 20, his consistency at the Premier League level is questionable. As club legend Gary Neville put it, he`s among players `not good enough` yet, and journalist Samuel Luckhurst suggested he looked `out of his depth` in a previous appearance.
Considering these points, signing a competitor or direct rival for the Denmark international this summer is crucial. Acquiring the Brighton star could give Amorim an immediate upgrade at left-back.
