Manchester United have slapped a £30 million price tag on Manuel Ugarte as the midfielder faces an uncertain future at Old Trafford. AC Milan are considering a move to rescue the Uruguayan from his Manchester United nightmare, potentially reuniting him with former boss Ruben Amorim.
United Desperate to Sell
United are desperate to offload Ugarte to the highest bidder this summer. The Italian giants Milan are weighing up a deal to bring the midfielder back together with Amorim, who has agreed to become Milan's new head coach. United signed Ugarte from Paris Saint-Germain in 2024 for £42 million, but he has failed to make an impact, starting just 30 league games in two seasons. He fell down the pecking order when Kobbie Mainoo regained his place in the team during the second half of the last campaign, and Michael Carrick has told Ugarte he is not part of his long-term plans.
Mendes in Talks
Ugarte knows he has no future at Old Trafford and has instructed his agent, Jorge Mendes, to find him a new club. Mendes has opened talks with Milan about a possible deal. United have signed Brazilian midfielder Ederson from Atalanta and are about to make a bid for West Ham's Mateus Fernandes, further reducing Ugarte's chances of playing time.
Amorim's Previous Praise
Amorim worked with Ugarte during his successful stint at Sporting and then again during his miserable time in the Old Trafford dugout. Much was expected of Ugarte, particularly after Amorim's arrival, but he failed to justify his transfer fee. Speaking two months before he was sacked as United boss, Amorim admitted he was working closely with Ugarte to help him rediscover his best form. "You can sense a lot of very good players come here, and sometimes they struggle. He is struggling at the moment but it is our job to try to help and help him to feel like I felt when he was a Sporting player," Amorim said. "But it is a different world. He needs to adapt, and he needs to improve, especially in training."
World Cup Impact
United would like to recoup a large chunk of the fee they paid for Ugarte and are holding out for around £30 million. Milan CEO Giorgio Furlani is reluctant to meet the asking price, but further talks are planned in the hope of reaching a compromise. A positive World Cup could help United's cause; Ugarte started Uruguay's opener as they failed to beat Saudi Arabia. They face Cape Verde next before rounding off the group stage against Spain on June 27.
