 THE EVOLUTION OF DIOGO DALOT

by Stefan Attard

Of all the baffling recruitments by Manchester United over the last 10 years, squandering £50million on a right-back a year after they had signed a right-back takes some beating. The fact that Diogo Dalot has started all the games and is the only outfield player to have lined up in all the fixtures this season (with the exception of the Fulham game due to suspension) marks a remarkable turnaround.

Under the previous permanent regime, Timothy Fosu-Mensah was playing second fiddle to Aaron Wan Bissaka ahead of Dalot. It has taken the best part of four years, but Dalot is now living up to Jose Mourinho’s billing as United’s right-back for the next 10 years. At £19 million, Dalot is one of a handful of logical long-term investments made by Manchester United in the post-Ferguson era. Mourinho was in charge when United signed Dalot in 2018 and on the day he arrived, he labelled the 19-year-old as “the best full-back in Europe in his age group.” It seemed a remarkable tag for a player who had only made seven senior appearances for Porto. Jose Mourinho once hailed former Manchester United goalkeeper Joel Pereira, now playing in the Netherlands with RKC Waalwijk, as “the best Portuguese goalkeeper of the next generation.” Despite not being always right, he can certainly afford himself a smile at what Diogo Dalot is doing at Old Trafford this season.

A meniscus injury delayed his introduction to United supporters until he lined up against Young Boys in the Champions League. In an otherwise vibrant debut, Dalot erred in the first‑half with his manager within earshot. Moments later, Dalot dutifully approached the dugout for a drink, anticipating a pointer or two. Mourinho respectfully stayed mum. When asked about Dalot at his post-match debrief Mourinho diplomatically demurred, extolling Luke Shaw first before lauding his compatriot. “First match for the club after knee surgery, I think very good, solid performance, I think everybody could see the potential and everybody could see that he is a 19-year-old player who has more than 10 years to play for Manchester United.” At various points, that quote has been dredged up to deride Mourinho’s judgement. Dalot started once in the Premier League in his second season and his third was spent on loan with AC Milan.

After two injury‑laden first seasons, Dalot has been injury-free for over two years, coinciding with his work placement in Italy. Despite several stories saying that Ole Gunnar Solskjaer never rated Dalot, Solskjaer did remain in regular contact during his time in Milan and when the Serie A side tried to sign him permanently in the summer of 2021, their interest was knocked back. Solskjaer was always an admirer of Dalot’s ability as an attacking full-back but did have doubts about his reliability defensively. The Norwegian noticed an improvement following his return from San Siro, something Dalot put down to the influence of Italian football. “If I’m a better defender, I owe it to Milan,” he said. “Italian football is different from the Premier League and I had to adapt in just one year and playing in Serie A has helped me a lot.”

So far this season, only Casemiro (25) has made more tackles in a United shirt than Dalot (20); only Martinez (46) and Varane (39) have made more clearances than his 21. Only Fernandes (111) has won more duals than Dalot’s 91 (statistics correct as at 31st October). The game against West Ham highlighted Dalot’s defending ability and was perhaps man-of-the-match worthy but for David de Gea’s heroics. Dalot and Kieran Trippier - coveted by Solskjaer last year - have been the standout Premier League right-backs in the first three months of the season. The trust Erik ten Hag has in Dalot is shared by the United media staff, for whom Dalot has become the dependable voice of the dressing room in mixed zones.

On the pitch, Dalot communicates in Portuguese, Spanish and English with teammates and is fluent in Italian from his

year in Lombardy. The polyglot Mourinho would approve of the quadrilingual protege he considered re-signing at Roma last year. Ten Hag has favoured the Portuguese to play at the full-back position and Dalot has embraced defending as ardently as Lisandro Martinez as well as powering down the wing with his overlaps in attack.

Ten Hag has benefitted from Dalot being more certain of his defensive duties but has also pushed him to embrace his natural attacking instincts, something that has seen him usurp Wan-Bissaka, who can be limited going forward, in the first XI. Ten Hag has also asked Dalot to become an auxiliary central midfielder during different phases of the game, allowing him to see more of the ball.

“He likes offensive full-backs,” Dalot said of the former Ajax boss. “He likes proactive full-backs, so we have to always think a little bit ahead of what the game is asking, not be like feeling the game when the ball is on the other side.”

When asked about Diogo’s impressive form this season the manager had many positive things to say. “I think he’s developing quite well from the start,” Ten Hag said of Dalot. “You could see he has the power, the physical strength, power that he can bring in his attacking game, but I think he is progressing game from game in the defending part as well, and finding his position, anticipation, cooperation with the back four, cooperation with his winger. So he is making really good progress and I am happy with that.”

Despite Aaron Wan-Bissaka’s return to training, he is still absent from matchday squads, with Ten Hag opting to list two goalkeepers on the bench. He was listed as a substitute against Real Sociedad in September yet took his seat in the directors’ box as kick-off loomed. It is easy to forget Wan-Bissaka actually played for United this season (the last four minutes against Liverpool) yet he has not started since April. United’s enquiry about the Barcelona rightback Sergino Dest in the summer can only mean that Aaron’s United career is over. WanBissaka was given an advance notice that he was surplus to requirements even before the end of last season. Eventually, United will have to find a way to cut their losses on the most expensive footballer never to play for England.

Into the final 12 months of his current agreement, United do hold the option to extend the Portugal international’s deal by an additional year, however, such is his form, improved terms have been suggested to reflect his vastly improved status within the squad.

Barcelona are firm admirers of Dalot, who has also beeped on the radars of the likes of Juventus, Borussia Dortmund and Atletico Madrid. Milan were keen on retaining the Portuguese and it is churlish of United to delay a decision on extending Dalot’s contract. It is a matter of time until United exercise their plus-one option and that strategy buys them time to negotiate a completely new renewal. It would certainly be a shrewd investment.

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