Manchester United have a lot to prove this coming season.
The 2024/25 season was a disaster from start to finish as Manchester United lost the Europa League final and finished 15th in the Premier League.
It made for a difficult first six months for Ruben Amorim at Old Trafford, but only time will tell if he can bounce back next season. Ineos will hope that the team can improve results on the pitch when the competitive campaign begins.
United are currently on a pre-season tour in the United States following a 2-1 win over West Ham at the weekend. That means preparations are underway as the players work on their fitness and sharpness levels.
Some players have already stood out in the pre-season friendlies, including new signing Matheus Cunha and club captain Bruno Fernandes. They will hope that continues over the coming weeks.
Manuel Ugarte optimistic ahead of new season
Uruguay international Manuel Ugarte had a challenging first season at United.
Joining from Paris Saint-Germain in a £42 million deal last summer, Ugarte was profiled as the defensive midfielder United were crying out for to edge Casemiro out of the team. It didn’t work out that way, and United were reliant on the veteran Brazilian towards the end of last season.
Furthermore, Amorim dropped Ugarte for the Europa League final defeat against Tottenham. He didn’t end the season strongly, and the head coach had a big decision to make. Unfortunately, it backfired and United had a final to forget in Bilbao.
Ugarte is still relatively young at 24, but he started pre-season on a positive note with a strong performance against West Ham in New Jersey.
Ugarte was man of the match and United fans will hope the midfielder can carry that form into the new season.
Speaking to The National, Ugarte discussed that more players will be settled at the club after their first year, including himself.
“Last year we made some changes, we changed our coach, we changed our formation,” Ugarte said.
“We got to know the Premier League. This year I am good; I am very excited. It is important to perform well in this club. You must have responsibilities when you play for United. I am very happy – and we must keep going.”
He added: “I know the rivals, I know the teammates. All of this is important. Sometimes the connections take time to get to know each other. I already know the league, the rivals, which is important.
“So I’m very happy, but we must keep going. We must improve things. We are all very motivated, because we believe in the coach, we believe in what he wants and that is very important.”
Ugarte also stresses that the United first team is firmly behind Amorim and that they all believe in what he is trying to do at Old Trafford. That bodes well with all the matches they’ve got coming up.
Ugarte’s close relationships at Man Utd
The Uruguayan has several close friends in the United dressing room.
Ugarte believes the addition of players like Matheus Cunha will help give everyone a lift.
He also revealed that he speaks daily to Casemiro, while discussing stuff for younger people with Kobbie Mainoo.
“We talk about younger things, compared to Casemiro, because Casemiro is older. But we all have a good relationship, there is a lot of optimism on the team.”
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