Manchester United are waiting to discover the extent of Manuel Ugarte's knee ligament injury after he was taken off on a stretcher for Uruguay against Spain in the World Cup. There are fears Ugarte has torn his ACL after he posted on social media overnight, and if that is the case, he is expected to be out for around nine months.
Impact on Transfer Plans
That will influence United's transfer plans in midfield. They had been looking to sell Ugarte this summer to fund a move for a third central midfielder as part of an overhaul in that area of the pitch. They won't be able to sell Ugarte now, but might feel they need cover if he is ruled out for the majority of the season. United will be due around £6.5 million in compensation from FIFA.
They have already agreed a deal with Atalanta for Ederson, who will join for an initial £35 million, with a further £3.8 million in add-ons, after the World Cup.
Mateus Fernandes Battle
United are now working on a deal to sign Mateus Fernandes from West Ham, but they have been put off by the Hammers' £85 million valuation and face competition from Tottenham for the 21-year-old. While Fernandes is the top target for a primary midfield signing this summer, they continue to monitor Bournemouth's Alex Scott, still admire Carlos Baleba, and would move for Real Madrid's Aurelien Tchouameni if he became available.
Other Options and Academy
United had looked at low-level midfielders for the third spot, including Championship duo Hayden Hackney and Shea Charles, as well as Fulham's Sander Berge. They could also turn to the academy, with 19-year-old Tyler Fletcher thought to be the midfielder closest to a first-team squad role.
