Manchester United’s questionable transfer history over the past decade has been frequently highlighted by the underperformance of those individuals on the field.
Harry Maguire, Jadon Sancho, and Antony are all examples of stars who have flopped since signing for huge fees.
However, there are a few players who have been hits since joining and have even risen in value.
With that in mind, let’s take a look at the star in Erik ten Hag’s squad who has been a success since joining.
Diogo Dalot’s early career at Man United
Portuguese defender Diogo Dalot joined United in 2018 from Porto after impressing as a flying right-back in just eight games for the first team, where he provided three assists and was “insanely good,” as per Football Talent Scout Jacek Kulig.
Jose Mourinho forked out £19m to acquire the youngster’s services, and in his first season, he started 12 league games, featuring as both a right back and a left back.
In the following season, Dalot was sent on loan to AC Milan, where he once again interchanged between both full-back positions over 33 matches.
His return from Italy saw the former Porto star feature much more frequently in the United starting XI, featuring in 19 games from the off, and at the end of the 2021/22 season, he was estimated to be worth close to the amount that United signed him for – €20m (£17m), as per Transfermarkt.
Diogo Dalot under Ten Hag
The arrival of Ten Hag has seen the 24-year-old enjoy his best spell with the Red Devils badge on his chest, as last season he started 24 matches, scored one goal, and registered two assists.
With the absence of Aaron Wan-Bissaka for most of the season, Dalot has been a consistent performer for the boss this time around, starting 22 games already in the league and becoming the first-choice right-back.
According to CIES Football Observatory, Dalot is now estimated to be worth £51m, with his increased inclusion in the starting XI seeing his value rocket this season, to the point where he’s one of the most valuable assets in the squad.
MUFC’s Squad Value
Player
Value
Rashford, Hojlund, Garnacho
£86m
Fernandes
£69m
Dalot, Antony, Onana
£51m
McTominay
£43m
Martinez
£34m
Via CIES’ Football Observatory
One of the main reasons why his value is so high is simply due to his versatility, which allows him to thrive at both right and left back. Not many full-backs have the ability to perform with both feet while being press-resistant at the same time, and with Luke Shaw’s continuous injury problems, having Dalot in the squad gives Ten Hag so much breathing room in terms of squad selection.
Dalot can also drift into plenty of different roles, and he isn’t restricted to just one playing style. For example, he can drift inside to overload the midfield while also providing options on the overlap, which is extremely desirable in modern football.
Identifying these traits and attributes early on in Dalot’s career was a masterstroke, and signing him for just £19m – a value that has now increased by 168% – has been one of the best deals in recent times for United.