Lecce president Sticchi Damiani has suggested that Manchester United were told earlier this week that Patrick Dorgu would remain at the club for the remainder of the season.
The 20-year-old has established himself as one of top young players in Serie A since the start of 2023-24, contributing five goals and one assist from his 52 appearances.
With four caps having also been earned with Denmark, the left-sided player has naturally attracted interest in his signature, most notably from United.
Earlier this week, it was widely reported that discussions had been held between the Premier League giants and Lecce regarding a potential deal for Dorgu.
A fee of €40m (£33.8m) has been mentioned as a price-tag for a player who still has four-and-a-half years remaining on his contract.
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Lecce "flattered" by offer
Speaking to Sky Italia, Damiani has revealed that "cordial" talks had been held with Lecce left "flattered" by what was being proposed by their United counterparts.
Nevertheless, Damiani has given every indication that priority is being given to retaining Dorgu's services until at least the end of the season.
He said: "The meeting was cordial and went well. For us, sitting down at the table with Manchester United to talk about a player who comes from our Primavera is a satisfaction, it means that the club's growth path is notable.
"We explained to them that our desire at the moment is to keep the team unchanged, keeping all the big names, Dorgu in particular. We made it clear that for us this year is an important appointment with history, we could achieve the third historic salvation.
"Although we are flattered by their offer, the priority for us is the sporting result."
Lecce currently sit in 17th position in the Serie A table, one point clear of the relegation zone. Napoli are also said to be interested in Dorgu and would allegedly be prepared to allow him to remain at Lecce on loan should a deal be finalised.
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Will United look at alternatives?
Since firm interest in Dorgu was reported, it has been claimed that United have identified Crystal Palace's Tyrick Mitchell as an alternative.
The general consensus is that Ruben Amorim will prioritise a new wing-back over other positions with Luke Shaw having barely played for a year and Tyrell Malacia reportedly available for a permanent or loan exit.
Noussair Mazraoui, Diogo Dalot and Amad Diallo are the three players that have been juggling the two wing-back roles.
Darren Plant
