One Manchester United star is likely to be demoted to squad player status next season but he will still be able to repay Ruben Amorim’s faith on the pitch.
Manchester United had a difficult season last year and are trying to address their misfiring attack at the beginning of this summer transfer window.
After bringing in Matheus Cunha, the Reds have now submitted their second bid for Bryan Mbeumo, which is expected to be completed soon.
Both of those players are set to come into the two no.10 positions in Ruben Amorim’s 3-4-3 system and that will have a knock-on effect throughout the team.
One of those changes is that Amad will likely play more consistently as a right wingback. The United boss has wanted to have at least one of those wide players be a natural attacker.
Dalot likely to be demoted to squad player at United
Diogo Dalot played most of his football last term as one of the wingbacks in Amorim’s system. He started every game bar one until his calf injury late in the season.
The Portuguese defender was essentially a guaranteed starter for the last two seasons at Old Trafford but he will likely revert to being a squad player once again in 2025/26.
It is clear that Dalot doesn’t have the required attacking ability to be the flying wingback Amorim desires. Some have suggested that he could excel by making the same switch as Noussair Mazraoui to being a wide centre-back.
But there will still be football for Dalot to play even without European competition. As things stand, there’s no other natural backup to Amad on the right, while Harry Amass is the deputy to Patrick Dorgu on the left.
Dalot actually played 17 times at left wingback last term, and has previously showcased his ability to play on either flank.
Dalot can still have influence at United
Despite becoming less important to the team, Dalot is somebody who Amorim appreciates – and that ability to play on both sides will come in use.
“He is a very good player, very powerful that can play both sides and nowadays, a player that can play on both sides is perfect because you can put him in different positions,” Amorim said shortly after he arrived at the club last year.
Dalot’s form did seem to take a huge dip last season and that was partly due to the amount of football he was playing. Between August 2023 and February 2025, he had played over 100 games for club and country.
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That calf injury was inevitable at some point and perhaps it has allowed him time to properly rest and recover ahead of the new season.
It wasn’t too long ago when he won the Player of the Year award for the club during the 2023/24 campaign, and he will hope to return to similar form to repay Amorim for the trust he’s placed in him, even if he won’t be a consistent starter to begin with.
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