Man United: Is Diogo Dalot’s time done at Old Trafford under Ole?

Jose Mourinho signed the Portuguese right-back, Diogo Dalot from FC Porto for a reported fee of £19 million in the summer transfer window of 2018.

The player was touted as the best full-back in his age group by the “Special One” but he has lost track at Old Trafford. The pundits thought that the player would flourish under Ole Gunnar Solskjaer but now the Portuguese international has become a fringe player.

Jose signed Diogo Dalot as a cover and backup for an aging Antonio Valencia, who had one year left on his contract in 2018. With Jose Mourinho falling out with the players and the club, he was sacked in December after a 3-1 loss against Liverpool. The board appointed Ole Gunnar Solskjaer as a temporary manager for the rest of the season.

Under OGS in the 2018-19 season, Diogo Dalot experienced first-team football 12 times in the Premier League. The player started games quite regularly for the Red Devils and was part of the famous Champions League comeback in Paris. It was his cross forcing a Kimpembe handball blocked, which resulted in a penalty for the Old Trafford outfit.

However, things started to fall apart for the right-back when Manchester United signed Aaron Wan-Bissaka to fill the void left by the Ecuador international, Valencia. On top of it, a groin injury to the player at the start of the season did not do him justice.

The emergence of Brandon Williams on the left flank is potentially the last nail in the coffin in Dalot’s career at Manchester United. All the problems have made the Portuguese international a fringe player under OGS.

This season Diago played a small role at the club. He has made as few as 11 appearances for United, starting only seven of them. The aforementioned full-backs are trusted by the manager more and the reason he stays out of selection.

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His last game came against Norwich City in their 4-0 FA Cup victory. Following that, he was overlooked by the manager, who opted to go with Timothy Fosu-Mensah instead in their Palace win. In their latest FA Cup outing, he wasn’t even named on the teamsheet. United lost 3-0 to Chelsea in the semi-finals.

The real Dalot questions

The question remains is the player done and dusted? Should he move to another club to resurrect his career? Diogo is one of the fastest players on the pitch for the Manchester club. He is more of an offensive player rather than a defensive full-back.

The aggression and versatility to play across the flanks is a major advantage offered by Dalot to Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s setup. As the manager himself has said, there should be challenges for all positions and Diogo Dalot can challenge Brandon Williams for his spot on the left flank.

On the other hand, Manchester United are looking for a right-winger in the transfer market. Though Jadon Sancho is all set to join the Red Devils, it cannot be said until it is done. Diogo Dalot has time on his side because of his young age and can prove himself as a winger if deployed by Norwegian manager.

Against improved sides like Liverpool and Manchester City, Ole fielded a 3-5-2 or 5-3-2 with a counter-attacking setup to contain the opposition from scoring goals against them. With his offensive and crossing capabilities, Diogo Dalot can be an excellent wing-back should he remain at Old Trafford.

Nemanja Matic’s patience has paid off and is getting regular game time under Ole, signing a new contract for Manchester United recently. It can be the same with Diogo Dalot, whose chances might be around the corner. With the club giving a fair share of chances to youngsters, Dalot should train hard and has to wait for his chances.

At Manchester United, there is no shortage of games to be played. The club will represent themselves across multiple competitions and the team requires players to contend for the title. It is a win-win situation for both the club and the Portuguese international. Can the player hit top form and reach significant heights under Ole Gunnar Solskjaer? I think he can.