Manuel Ugarte’s World Cup ended in a nightmare as he was stretchered off in a game where Uruguay were eliminated.
There is no good time to get injured, but this one to Manuel Ugarte comes at the worst possible time for all parties involved.
Ugarte’s length of absence effectively writes him out of a transfer and a reset at another club, while Man Utd can’t raise funds anymore.
There were reports at least that FIFA will pay his salary, but United in Focus spoke to a financial expert to understand that even that zone has hidden costs attached.
If Manuel Ugarte’s injury is as bad as feared, what should Man United do?
It is claimed Ugarte could miss 9-12 months through his knee injury.
Manuel Ugarte injury payout by FIFA
When a player gets injured on international duty, FIFA are obliged to pay the club his salary, and the player is also insured by the club.
It’s why there were earlier reports of Man Utd receiving a payout for each player in their squad playing at the World Cup this summer.
Now that the player is injured, Ugarte in this case, United will see his salary get paid by FIFA, but GRV Media’s Head of Football Finance and Governance, Adam Williams, explains that it’s not as simple for United.
He said that there are hidden costs attached to FIFA’s programme, and United are still on the hook for quite a lot of money.
He said: “The FIFA compensation scheme covers player wages for 365 days, up to a maximum of €7.5m. That’s about £6.5m. That starts 28 days after the date of the injury and is paid pro-rata until the player returns. So, if Ugarte is out for nine months, United will get eight months of his salary paid.
“What’s important to note here, though, is that the FIFA Club Benefit Programme says that it’s only the fixed part of the player’s salary which is covered. Bonuses linked to team performance aren’t.
“That’s significant. United players receive a 25% bonus if they qualify for the Champions League, for example. FIFA won’t pay that, nor will they fork out for Ugarte’s image rights, which might be, say, 10% of the value of his contract. United will still need to pay National Insurance on Ugarte’s wages. That’s another 15%.
“So the reports suggesting that United will get his wages covered in full are wide of the mark – it’s probably closer to half of the total pay packet for 2026-27. There is still a significant cost to the club, and that’s before you even get to the opportunity cost of not being able to sell him in the summer, which it appeared was the plan.”
Ugarte’s injury won’t impact Man Utd’s transfer plans
Ugarte has promised to come back stronger in his message after injury, and despite this significant cost, United will still be okay with getting at least some part of the salary paid.
What is a realistic asking price for Manuel Ugarte in 2026?
Will Man Utd have to accept a huge loss on Ugarte?
The transfer plans to sell the player are finished now, but to say that this injury will fundamentally impact their window is far off the mark.
As it stands, United were not going to find a permanent buyer for Ugarte anyway, so a minuscule loan fee would hardly be the difference between a second and a third midfielder.
In fact, United are now in a position they would have found themselves in with a loan move anyway, which is having a part of Ugarte’s wages covered.
The bonus is that they keep the player who is very resilient, and for all his faults as a footballer, is made of tough stuff mentally.
If he can return in 2027 and power a late-season surge for Michael Carrick en route to a move in the summer of 2027, this story will have a happy ending.
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