Man Utd player 'is one of the best in the world' and it's not Bruno Fernandes

Diogo Dalot is “one of the best players in the world,” according to his agent Carlos Goncalves, who believes the Manchester United right-back doesn’t get the recognition he deserves.

The 2024/25 season has been a bruising one for Manchester United. A poor start under Erik ten Hag bled into an equally troubled run under Ruben Amorim, with the club struggling to find consistency or identity in the Premier League.

Yet, amid the chaos, two bright spots have emerged: an impressive Europa League run and the continued leadership of captain Bruno Fernandes.

Fernandes is regularly singled out as the lone “world-class” talent in the squad.

Emerging stars like Amad Diallo, Kobbie Mainoo, Alejandro Garnacho, along with Casemiro and Harry Maguire, have earned praise for individual performances this season.

But according to Goncalves, Dalot deserves to be in that conversation too.

“Diogo is an exceptional player, an exceptional person,” he told A Bola.

“What he has done doesn’t surprise me, as he has always been very focused, very professional, very hard-working. He knows exactly what he wants and how to achieve it.”

Goncalves pointed to Dalot’s long journey at United as proof of his resilience and quality — from joining with an injury, to overcoming tactical changes and intense competition for his spot.

“Let’s not forget that he left Porto injured, when José Mourinho took him to Manchester United,” he explained.

“There is a recovery phase there, he doesn’t start playing straight away. Then, when he starts playing, the coach changes, and a coach comes in with a different idea — who then signs an English right-back, who is no longer at the club, who had cost a lot of money [Aaron Wan-Bissaka].”

One pivotal moment in Dalot’s journey was his loan move to AC Milan, which Goncalves credits as a turning point in the defender’s career.

“Diogo was always working. At the time, AC Milan showed interest in having him, I think it was an important year,” he said, reported the Manchester Evening News.

“He came back later, and everyone can see what Diogo has been doing. United are one of the biggest clubs in the world, regardless of the current situation — and there is no doubt Diogo is also one of the best players in the world.”

Currently, Dalot is sidelined with a calf injury sustained late last month. It's unclear whether this will rule him out for the remainder of the season, but United are hopeful he can return in time for the campaign’s final stretch — especially if they reach the Europa League final.