Manchester United may be only one signing away from turning a B-plus transfer window into a shiny A.
The additions of Leny Yoro and Matthijs de Ligt – the latter a ‘phenomenal’ piece of business at an up front fee of £38 million – represent huge improvements to Erik ten Hag’s backline.
Noussair Mazraoui and Joshua Zirkzee, meanwhile, needed only one Premier League outing to prove their worth. The latter scored the winner off the bench against Fulham while the former impressed with those press resistant qualities and a few well-timed defensive interventions.
But if Manchester United have strengthened up top and the back, what about the middle? The area of the pitch where the Red Devils looked the most vulnerable last term, opposition teams streaking through at will?
The signing of Manuel Ugarte – seemingly closer now than ever – would surely help solve such an obvious issue, while ensuring that Man United have reinforced their ranks in every third of the pitch.
Manchester United close in on PSG ace Manuel Ugarte
According to Fabrizio Romano, talks between PSG and Man United are now at a very advanced stage.
The former Sporting Lisbon ace is likely to arrive in the next few days, albeit it has not been confirmed if the deal will be a permanent one or a loan with an option or obligation to buy.
Either way, if Ugarte can emulate the last Uruguayan who ended up at Old Trafford from the Parc des Princes – a certain Edinson Cavani – then whatever the 24-year-old costs will be money well spent.
It is no secret that Paris Saint-Germain boss Luis Enrique does not really see a place in his plans for Ugarte. A high-volume tackler and a ferocious presser, the former Barcelona, Roma and Spain boss prefers a more controlling sort of player in the centre of the park.
Enrique dropped a not-so-subtle hint about Ugarte’s future at his pre-match press conference.
PSG, he said, plan to “let go of those we no longer count on’, per Le Figaro.
He did add, via France 24, that no more signings are expected, commenting: “I are always open to improving the squad but it is very, very difficult to strengthen the team that we have.”
BeIN Sports report Enrique is head over heels for new signing Joao Neves, commenting: “Neves is a very high-level midfielder with the perfect characteristics that we look for in a midfielder, who does not lose the ball, who has a good physique, who under pressure is able to overcome situations, who is clear, who can play with his back turned, who can face the ball.”
Some may determine that as a dig at outgoing star Ugarte, who he evidently feels lacks some of these qualities.
PSG have now confirmed, via their official X account, that Ugarte is one of those who has been left out of the PSG squad for Friday’s clash with Montpellier in the French capital, alongside Nordi Mukiele and former Inter Milan stopper Milan Skriniar.
Uruguay ace is not in Luis Enrique’s plans
Considering where Ugarte now features in his plans, it does not take much reading of the lines to realise he is referring to the man who is Man United’s number one midfield target.
Saturday’s trip to Brighton and Hove Albion will obviously come too soon.
But with Liverpool arriving at Old Trafford the week after, Ugarte could yet find himself thrown in at the deep end provided United get a deal sealed and delivered over the next few days.
“(The) Ugarte deal? When we have news, we let you know,” Ten Hag said at his own press conference, while praising the impact Zirkzee has made following his £35 million arrival from Bologna.
“Very pleasing that a player who is a striker scores his first goal in is first game,” Ten Hag says of Zirkzee, converting an Alejandro Garnacho cross with 87 minutes on the clock when Marco Silva’s side came to town.
“That will give him confidence. Very pleased that it’s happened.”
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