The United manager will be hoping his new star can have the same impact as a club legend.

It’s been a challenging month for Manchester United on the pitch, but they’ve found a reason for optimism off it with the signing of Patrick Dorgu. The highly-rated 20-year-old has joined from Lecce for an initial fee of £25 million, marking Ruben Amorim’s biggest acquisition of the transfer window.

While there’s potential in the Danish international, the move carries a certain risk, as Dorgu remains largely untested at the highest level.

Nonetheless, Amorim has addressed one of his most pressing issues since taking charge, and Dorgu’s shirt number has fans dreaming he could replicate the impact of a former club hero.

The Nordsjaelland youth product will wear the No. 13 jersey, previously donned by South Korean star Park Ji-Sung from 2005 to 2012. Park is often regarded as one of Sir Alex Ferguson’s most underrated players during his illustrious tenure.

Park made 205 appearances for United, scoring 27 goals, but his contributions went beyond statistics. His work ethic and versatility allowed him to excel in both defensive and attacking roles, contributing to four Premier League title victories.

His importance was underscored in 2008 when he was left out of the squad for the Champions League final, despite having started both semi-final legs against Barcelona. Ferguson later described that decision as the “hardest” he’d ever made at United.

Like Park, Dorgu has shown the ability to play in multiple positions. Primarily a left-sided defender, he has had to step in for the injury-stricken Tyrell Malacia and Luke Shaw. This season, Dorgu started all of Lecce’s Serie A matches before transferring to Manchester, showcasing his adaptability by playing left-back, right-back, and even both wing positions under former manager Marco Giampaolo.