Erik ten Hag may not have expected to have to thank Jose Mourinho for assisting his revolution at Manchester United, but the rebirth of Diogo Dalot, a player who has quietly become one of the Dutchman’s ‘MVPs’ in the team, suggests he should. Dalot has been a regular starter for the former Ajax coach this season, and he capped his impressive recent form with a goal in Thursday’s 3-0 Europa League victory over FC Sheriff.
Ten Hag clearly prefers the 23-year-old Portuguese to out-of-favor right-back Aaron Wan-Bissaka, who has started all 16 of United’s matches this season, including 11 in the Premier League. Ten Hag’s faith has been rewarded with some outstanding performances, with only Casemiro (25) making more tackles than the Portugal international’s 20.
It is another step forward in Dalot’s rise to prominence at Old Trafford after years on the outskirts under previous managers Jose Mourinho and Ole Gunnar Solskjaer.
According to ESPN, Dalot made a special effort across pre-season to ensure he was in the best shape possible to impress Ten Hag and perform for United. That included using part of his holiday back in his native Portugal to work with a nutritionist and physio to ensure he stayed in a healthy condition.
On the fitness front, he worked with a personal trainer to improve his agility and speed, and it appears to have paid off, as Dalot’s top speed has increased. Ten Hag’s specific instructions for his defenders have given him the ability to carry them out, with the 52-year-old pushing both full-backs high up the pitch and demanding creativity.
“He likes offensive full-backs,” Dalot said of Ajax’s former manager. “He prefers proactive full-backs, so we must always think a step ahead of what the game requires, rather than reacting to the game when the ball is on the other side.”
Some critics argued that Mourinho paid over the odds for Dalot at £19m back in 2017, given he was just 19 at the time and had only made eight senior appearances for Porto.
But he came highly recommended by the Portuguese tactician when they clinched his signing, who labeled him the “best full-back for his age group” at the time, only for Mourinho to be sacked a year later.
Injuries hampered Dalot in his early years with the Red Devils and he played only 11 times in his second season at the club.
Those fitness issues were thought to have been linked to growing pains, however, and he has been able to put together a run of games in the first team after making 30 appearances last season.
While some figures may credit Ralf Rangnick for giving Dalot a chance to win back his place in 2021-22, the right-back has pointed to his loan spell at AC Milan in 2020-21 as the reason behind his transformation.
“If I’m a better defender I owe it to Milan,” he said. “Italian football is different from the Premier League and I had to adapt in just one year and playing in Serie A has helped me a lot.”
Some may insist Ten Hag has had some part in facilitating Dalot’s rise in Manchester. But the Dutch coach might not care too much, just as long as he continues to thrive in his team as they push for a top-four finish.
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