Manchester United continue to chase Manuel Ugarte with Paris Saint-Germain now open to striking a loan deal for the midfielder.
This has been a busy summer for Manchester United and Erik ten Hag, bringing in four important first-team additions.
Friday’s match-winner Joshua Zirkzee arrived from Bologna before wonderkid defender Leny Yoro came in from Lille.
United then pulled off a double deal, bringing in both Matthijs de Ligt and Noussair Mazraoui from Bayern Munich.
Mazraoui was the only summer addition to start against Fulham on Friday but it was substitute Zirkzee who secured a 1-0 win late on.
United still have more business to do and may find a breakthrough in a player who has been wanted for weeks now.
- READ MORE: Manchester United confirmed signings, transfers in, out, loan exits, releases for 2024/25
Manuel Ugarte to Manchester United latest
United want more legs in midfield after seeing Casemiro struggle last term.
The Brazilian impressed against Fulham on Friday but United have been eyeing a move for Paris SAint-Germain’s Manuel Ugarte.
Links to Ugarte first materialised on June 25th and United have been chasing a deal ever since.
United even agreed personal terms with Ugarte in July but United backed away due to PSG’s demands.
Hope has returned though and The Telegraph now claim that PSG have actually made an offer to United.
It’s suggested that PSG have proposed sending Ugarte on loan to Old Trafford with an obligation to buy in the summer of 2025.
PSG will only allow a loan deal if United commit to buying Ugarte next summer, having spent big on signing him from Sporting last summer.
PSG want €60million (£51million) for Ugarte whereas United are allegedly only offering €50million (£42.7million).
United actually prefer to do a permanent deal right now but PSG are hopeful of tempting United into a loan move if that will get the deal done.
Ugarte is just what United need
United beat Fulham but some of the worrying aspects of last season were still on show.
Fulham were still able to break through the middle of the pitch with ease and it’s clear that another defensive midfielder is needed.
Ugarte is an all-action defensive midfielder who can cover plenty of ground and break up play brilliantly.
That style of play has resulted in PSG teammate Lucas Hernandez comparing Ugarte to N’Golo Kante, as quoted by Sky Sports.
Ugarte’s former Fenix boss Juan Ramon Carrasco even told El Pais that Ugarte has ‘seven lungs’ and ‘never stops’ in the engine room.
“He takes over the middle of the pitch. As they say here, he has seven lungs, he never stops,” said Carrasco.
That is the kind of presence United need in midfield and with Ugarte still only 23, he could be the destroyer in United’s midfield for many, many years to come.
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