Diogo Dalot says that he already feels settled at Manchester United following his transfer from Porto, despite being unlikely to feature until September at the earliest following knee surgery.
The Portuguese teenager, who arrived at Old Trafford in July in a £19 million deal ($25m), is yet to play a game for the Red Devils but has travelled with the squad to the USA for their International Champions Cup campaign.
And the 19-year-old, who has only made eight senior appearances to date, is enjoying the experience so far, despite mixed fortunes for United in pre-season.
“It’s amazing. The team-mates have received me very well and I’m so thankful for that,” Dalot told MUTV. “It’s very good to be here. It’s a first experience for me, but I am ready for it.
“I am trying to recover well [from my injury]. Hopefully I’m ready to know them better. They are a great team.”
Dalot, who won the European Under-17 Championship with Portugal in 2016, has enjoyed a meteoric rise in reputation over the past two years, and is hopeful of replicating that level of personal success at United over the coming months.
“I hope to be a better player and a better man, to grow up and win,” he added. “I just want to help the club and my team-mates.
“Hopefully in 12 months, [I can] get better things like I have in the past.”
Jose Mourinho’s side won their first ICC match 9-8 on penalties following a 1-1 draw with AC Milan in California, before they fell to Premier League rivals Liverpool 4-1 in Ann Arbor.
Though he will sit out the match with Champions League holders Real Madrid at Hard Rock Stadium in Miami Gardens, Dalot thinks that his team may be able to spring a victory in Florida.
“It’s going to be a tough game,” he noted. “They have great players for sure but we’ll be ready for them. We are preparing and we will hope we can finish the tour with a win.”
United play one more friendly after the conclusion of the ICC, against Bayern Munich at Allianz Arena, before they kick-off the new Premier League season at home to Leicester City on August 10.
The 19-year-old only came off crutches last month and has just been doing light work away from his team-mates since rocking up at Carrington earlier this month.
United have been keen not to rush him back – despite having so few options at right-back following Antonio Valencia’s injury and Matteo Darmian’s expected departure – and have put Dalot on an individual rehabilitation programme in the US.
On Friday, Dalot was reunited with the ball for the first time in two months and appears to be on track for making his debut n September as Mourinho previously predicted.
Dalot was taken on United’s pre-season tour of the United States as Mourinho wanted him to integrate himself with his new team-mates but the club harbour little hope of him featuring in any matches/ However, the teenager confirmed on Friday that he was back in training with a message to his followers on Instagram.
‘Finally, we meet again,’ said Dalot, accompanied with a photo of him kicking a ball. ‘I miss you #MUTOUR #PreSeason’
United expect to be without Antonio Valencia for their Premier League opener against Leicester and Matteo Darmian has confirmed he wants to leave. Mourinho urged Ashley Young to cut short his holiday in order to play at right-back against the Foxes.