The INEOS regime at Manchester United has rightly come in for criticism over the last 18 months or so, not least for their hesitation over sacking Erik ten Hag in the summer of 2024.
Credit where credit is due, however, the Old Trafford hierarchy might well have finally cracked it with regard to recruitment, with Sunday’s win at Arsenal having been a glowing endorsement of the club’s recent business.
While the Gunners unleashed their trio of attacking summer signings off the bench, with little success, United’s new men were far more impactful, with each of the three scorers on the day having arrived in 2025.
£71m man Bryan Mbeumo cooly slotted home the away side’s opener, while £62.5m signing Matheus Cunha lashed in the winner from range.
Sandwiched in between was arguably the pick of the bunch from Patrick Dorgu, with the £30m man having finally had lift off after 12 months in Manchester.
Man Utd holding talks over another Dorgu-style deal
It was a year ago that INEOS opted to prise Dorgu from Serie A side Lecce, gambling on a relative unknown who had made just over 50 senior appearances for the Italian outfit at that stage.
It’s been a difficult ride since then, having been singled out by Ruben Amorim for looking ‘anxious’ on the ball late last year, although since the move into a more attacking role, the 21-year-old has flourished.
The scorer against the likes of Newcastle United, Manchester City and now Arsenal in recent weeks, the versatile left-footer has showcased the benefit of taking a risk on a young, raw prospect. Could INEOS repeat the trick this month?
Indeed, Guardian journalist Ed Aarons has reported that United are holding talks over a possible move for Stade Rennais starlet, Mohamed Kader Meite, having been in contact with the forward’s representatives.
According to Aarons, the Old Trafford side are considering ramping up their pursuit of the 18-year-old, not least with Saudi side Al Hilal also in the frame.
In terms of a price tag, any deal would be in a similar ballpark to Dorgu’s capture, with Aarons suggesting a fee of €30m (£26m) could be needed.
Why Kader Meite could be another Dorgu at Man Utd
There is something special about witnessing a star being born at the Theatre of Dreams, with the at-times maligned Dorgu having looked like a different player since Amorim’s exit, thriving as a genuine left-winger under both Darren Fletcher and Michael Carrick.
While now cruelly struck down by a hamstring injury which could see him miss the next ten weeks, Gareth Bale’s – oh sorry, Dorgu’s – stock is certainly on the rise, with INEOS’ 2025 investment having undoubtedly begun to pay off.
It would well be something of a similar deal to bring Meite to Manchester, if the Red Devils can strike an agreement, with the teenager also something of an unknown, albeit high-potential talent who has shone in his embryonic first-team career in France.
Still just 18, the towering forward has scored five times in 32 senior games for Rennes, three of which have come in Ligue 1 this season, boasting a similar record to the five goals in 57 games that Dorgu recorded in Italy.
Like the Denmark international, any deal would be a risk considering Meite’s lack of regular senior action to date, although United must surely be looking at his sky-high potential, having been described as “one of the most exciting young forwards in Europe right now” by journalist Bence Bocsak.
Again, like Dorgu, one of Meite’s defining features is his physical prowess, even while still in his teenage years, standing at 6 foot 2, while boasting that ability to hold off and fend off defenders with ease.
The promising Frenchman – who is a centre-forward by trade – notably ranks in the 100th percentile for aerial duels won per 90, as per DataMB, encouraging signs for such a young, raw striker.
U18 – Top-scoring strikers*
Player
Games
Goals
Robinho Vaz
16
4
Kader Meite
17
3
Prosper Peter
17
3
C. Kostoulas
13
2
Francesco Camarda
17
1
*Europe’s top five leagues
A player who is also “very technically gifted”, in the view of Bocsak, Meite could well prove something of a bargain at £26m, with United already looking to have struck gold with their similar deal for Dorgu last year.
While January might not be the time to fork out the big bucks to land high-profile, ready-made targets, it represents the perfect chance to look to the future, giving a player like Dorgu, or now Meite, the time to bed in ahead of starring next season.
With the centre-forward ranks also in need of reinforcements, not least if Joshua Zirkzee is to depart, then this is a move that certainly has a lot of upsides for INEOS and for Carrick.
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