I declined the opportunity to transfer to Manchester United in January; however, they subsequently altered my decision through the issuance of an ultimatum.

Lecce President Sticchi Damiani is resolute in his assertion that he exerted every effort to dissuade Patrick Dorgu from transferring to Manchester United during the January transfer window.

United ultimately completed the signing of the 20-year-old last weekend after they agreed an initial £25 million fee with a further £4.1m in potential add-ons. Ruben Amorim emphasised the importance of acquiring a left wing-back for his team during the winter transfer window and expressed a desire to secure this addition without delay until the summer.

This posed a challenge in their efforts to acquire Dorgu, as Lecce firmly maintained that they would not entertain the sale of the Danish full-back until at least the conclusion of the current season. United remained undeterred by their position and exerted all their influence to negotiate an agreement that aligned with their terms rather than those of the Serie A club.

The President has disclosed information regarding the sale of Dorgu. “We have repeatedly stated that Dorgu would not depart in January; however, I will now elucidate the reasons for the contrary outcome,” Damiani conveyed to TuttoMercatoWeb. Subsequently,

Manchester United made their presence known, engaging both with us and with the young man’s entourage. We informed them that we had no intention of permitting Dorgu to depart in January. We did not engage in discussions regarding numerical figures, nor did we request any increases. However, rather than hindering United, this strategy produced the contrary outcome.

“They maintained their insistence.” We made multiple requests to defer all activities until the summer, assuring the young man that he would not forfeit the opportunity.

For us as well, it constituted a significant milestone; our intention was to accomplish it in July. The Premier League has conveyed to us their intention, along with that of the club and its coach, to finalise an agreement promptly. An ultimatum was presented: it is now or never. They conveyed the same information to the player.

It is not appropriate to assign responsibility to Dorgu. Envision yourself at the age of twenty, when Manchester United approaches you with a compelling proposition. The interplay of these factors prompted us to conclude that we had transitioned from a state of consistency to one of unwarranted obstinacy.