Manchester United defender Diogo Dalot surprised his former side Fintas Football School with a new team bus from his first wage packet at the Red Devils.
The full-back left Fintas when he was nine, yet has maintained strong links with the club ever since, so much so that he felt it was time to repay them for the small part they played in his footballing development.
Dalot joined Porto from Fintas and matured into one of the best young full-backs in Europe, with hiis superb performances in Portugal leading United to sign him last summer for £19m ($25m).
The youngster has struggled with injury since moving to the Red Devils, but with Antonio Valencia’s contract set to expire at the end of the season and Ashley Young turning 34 in the summer, it is thought he will play a bigger role in the years to come at Old Trafford.
Despite Dalot’s remarkable rise, he remains humble and has not forgotten his roots, and gifting the bus to Fintas could have huge long-term benefits for the club.
“We spoke to Diogo by Skype. He was on the [Manchester United] coach on his way to the match,” Luís Travassos, coordinator of the institution, told A Bola.
“He told us to go outside, where we found a bus for the club. It was certainly a shock! He prepared everything secretly, and saved a part of his first salary in England for the surprise.
“To us, an institution with so many financial problems and so little resources, the gift was enormous. Every bit of help we receive is wonderful.”
Dalot will be hoping Liverpool feel equally as charitable when they come to Old Trafford on Sunday.
The Red Devils are in a superb run of form and have won eight out of Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s first nine league matches in charge.
The upturn in results has seen United overtake Arsenal and Chelsea in their march towards the Champions League spots.
A win against their old rivals on Sunday would further help Dalot and his team-mates’ hopes of finishing in the top four and would also put a serious dent in Liverpool’s title hopes.
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