Lecce's president has said Manchester United were "stubborn" in negotiations for Patrick Dorgu.

United officially announced the signing of Dorgu for €30million (£25m), with a potential €5m (£4m) in add-ons, from Lecce last Sunday and the youngster could make his debut this week.

Dorgu signed a contract until the summer of 2030, with the option of an additional year, and will be available to face Leicester City at Old Trafford in the FA Cup fourth round on Friday night.

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United were locked in talks with Lecce to sign Dorgu for two weeks and a deal was finally agreed near the end of the winter window. The Italian club didn't want to sell Dorgu, but they banked a club-record transfer fee for the 20-year-old after persistent negotiations from United.

During a press conference on Wednesday, Lecce president Sticchi Damiani answered questions about Dorgu's exit and provided insight into United's tactics to complete a deal.

“We said several times that Dorgu would not leave in January, and now I will explain why the opposite happened,” said Damiani, via TuttoMercatoWeb.

“Then Manchester United arrived, who made themselves heard with us and with the lad’s entourage. We told them that we had no intention of letting Dorgu leave in January.

"We didn’t talk about figures, nor ask for increases. But instead of stopping United, this approach had the opposite effect. They insisted. We asked several times to postpone everything until the summer, also promising the young man that he would not miss the opportunity.

"For us too it was a historic step, we just wanted to do it in July. The Premier League communicated their desire, the club and its coach, to make an immediate deal. There was an ultimatum, now or never.

"They also told the player the same. You cannot blame Dorgu. Imagine you’re 20 and Manchester United knocks on your door with such an offer. The combination of these factors led us to think that we would have gone from being consistent to being stupidly stubborn.”

When Dorgu signed for United, he said: “I am incredibly proud to be able to call myself a Manchester United player; this is a very special day for my whole family.

“I cannot wait to work with Ruben Amorim; his vision for this team and the future of the club is incredibly exciting. There is a clear plan set out for my development, and I feel that Manchester United is the perfect place to fulfil my potential and complete my huge ambitions.”

United's technical director Jason Wilcox added: “Patrick is a really exciting talent; his strong defensive and attacking attributes, adaptability and work-rate will make him a key part of Ruben Amorim’s squad.

“Patrick has had a superb start to his career, and at the age of just 20, we know he will continue to develop under the guidance of our excellent coaching team.

“Patrick is the latest exciting young player that we have brought to the club. We believe that each of these talents has world-class potential and the ability to play a key role in achieving the success that everyone at Manchester United is striving for.”

Dorgu made 23 appearances for Lecce this season and contributed three goals in Serie A.