Man Utd Linked With Signing Patrick Dorgu Replacement

United’s attacking options have been severely impacted by Dorgu’s injury.

Patrick Dorgu is set to be out for the long term. | Marc Atkins/Getty Images

Manchester United are reportedly considering a surprise move for Rennes striker Mohamed Kader Meïté in response to the severity of Patrick Dorgu’s hamstring injury which he sustained against Arsenal last weekend.

The Danish wideman turned world-beating winger by Michael Carrick is expected to be sidelined for 10 weeks, robbing United’s thin squad of a key player until April. The Red Devils have been credited with a cautious approach in the January window, avoiding short-term fixes before targeting long-term buys this summer. However, this injury blow may have changed their plans.

Meïté has emerged as a potential addition this month according to The Guardian. The 18-year-old France youth international is a striker—rather than a wide player like Dorgu—and is valued at €30 million (£26.1 million, $35.9 million). Rival interest from Saudi Pro League giants Al Hilal is also thought to complicate any pursuit.

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Who Is Mohamed Kader Meïté? Why Man Utd Would Want to Sign Him

Kader Meïté has represented France at Under-21 level. | IMAGO/PRESSE SPORTS

It’s clear that Meïté is not a direct replacement for Dorgu. United’s stocky Danish winger is a wildly different profile to Rennes’ teenage frontman, who stands at a towering 6'4" and has exclusively been confined to a centre forward position.

Invariably operating as one of a front-two in Rennes’ 3-5-2, Meïté doesn’t even have extensive experience of working as a single striker in United’s 4-2-3-1. However, when he is on the pitch, Meïté’s qualities are evident.

The towering France Under-21 forward is swift across the turf and a menace in the air, dominating the skies of Ligue 1 with a manic energy, all limbs and elbows propelling himself directly towards goal.

United co-owner Sir Jim Ratcliffe has shown plenty of disdain for the club’s analytics department—describing it as something from “the last century” last season—but even the whirring cogs of Windows 98 would be able to spot the abnormality of Meïté’s numbers.

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Mohamed Kader Meïté - Stats Snapshot

• Age: 18 (Oct. 11, 2007)
• Nationality: France
• Club: Rennes
• Debut: Nov. 10, 2024
• Senior Appearances: 32
• Senior Goals: 5
• 2025–26 Apps: 19 (7 starts)
• 2025–26 Goals: 3 (2 assists)

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Out of all Ligue 1 players with more than 500 minutes of action thus far this season, Rennes’ young prodigy boasts the second-highest expected goals (xG) ratio. That ability to consistently get into the best goalscoring positions is one of the most fundamental qualities of any forward. For reference, Erling Haaland, Harry Kane and Robert Lewandowski lead the Premier League, Bundesliga and La Liga respectively in this statistic.

Meïté’s prowess off the ground is also borne out in the numbers: No player in Ligue 1 to have contested more than 10 aerial duels can match Meïté’s staggering win-rate of 77%.

Should United push forward in their approach of the youngster, he would presumably be drafted in for a central role, freeing up Bryan Mbeumo to fulfil Dorgu’s role out wide. Even if Meïté doesn’t come through the door, Carrick may be forced into an attacking reshuffle.

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How Man Utd Can Replace Dorgu From Within

Man Utd once again have quality options in their forward line. | PETER POWELL/AFP/Getty Images

One of the defining aspects of Carrick’s United transformation has been the partnership of Mbeumo and Bruno Fernandes through the middle. The pair combined for the opening goal in the triumph over Manchester City while both racked up direct goal contributions in the victory over Arsenal over the weekend.

In both of Carrick’s matches, Matheus Cunha has been called off the bench to directly replace Mbeumo through the middle, with Dorgu occupying the left wing slot. Rather than the Brazilian shunted out wide, Carrick may be inclined to nudge Mbeumo to the flank, replicating that unusual profile of a left-footer on the left flank.

Dorgu’s importance for United has been seen both on and off the ball, acting as a second left back to support Luke Shaw when the Red Devils have been under pressure. Carrick won’t be up against teams nearly as dominant as Manchester City and Arsenal every week and there may be more attacking impetus shifted onto his team in the club’s upcoming slate of fixtures.

With the likes of Fulham, West Ham United and Everton on the horizon, Carrick may be inclined to inject some more craft and creativity into his frontline. Mason Mount could be afforded more than the smattering of stoppage-time minutes he has earned thus far, although the attacking options elsewhere are thin on the ground. It makes the interest in Meïté more understandable.

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