It is an open secret for the rest of Manchester United’s transfer window that a defensive midfielder is next on the agenda and Manuel Ugarte is the top target.
Only Paris Saint-Germain’s asking price remains a stumbling block, forcing United to pivot from the chase initially.
However, the Uruguayan never really stopped being fancied by the club on priority and the fact that Ugarte was out of the PSG squad for their recent fixture means the story remains developing.
United need to sell some players to be able to afford Manuel Ugarte so Fabrizio Romano’s recent update on the future of a marquee United star could be significant.
Fabrizio Romano on the developing situation
PSG have been adamant about getting their asking price for Ugarte, who has been deemed expendable by the club.
Therefore, United have sought creative ways to make a deal work, with a loan with an obligation to buy mooted, or more ambitiously, a swap deal.
The latter became a more realistic option when the French side enquired about the availability of Jadon Sancho earlier in the window.
The situation hasn’t developed since and the player is also back in the United squad, strengthening their hand in negotiations, but Romano’s update on the developing situation has left the door open.
He said: “Understand Jadon Sancho’s future remains open as things could still happen before the end of the summer window.
“PSG spoke to player’s camp in July but no formal bid sent to Man Utd while clubs remain in contact for Ugarte. There are also more options, NO decision made yet.”
United started the window with a price tag of £40 million on Sancho but that was when the player was a written-off asset.
Since then, he has not only returned to the team but impressed in a new role too. So, United could be well within their rights to increase their asking price, which leads us to Ugarte.
A perfect deal
This has all the makings of a transfer that goes down to the wire on deadline day. A game of poker has begun between United and PSG and on the table both clubs have one valuable chip each, named Sancho and Ugarte respectively.
Whoever blinks first and gives their hand away could ultimately determine the winner of this deal but so far, United have played it well.
It would have been unthinkable at the start of the summer that Sancho would be a bargaining chip at all, let alone a stronger one than Ugarte.
Ugarte’s clear stance on wanting Man United has also helped further the club’s cause in the negotiations, as United are not in a bidding war.
Not wanting to bid against themselves is an understandable stance to take and with PSG in the situation with Ugarte that United were with Sancho at the beginning of the window, the Red Devils hold all the cards.
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