Manchester United is setting its sights on Paris Saint-Germain midfielder , Manuel Ugarte, as it aims to make him its third summer signing. The Red Devils have had a successful week, securing the signatures of striker Joshua Zirkzee and defender Leny Yoro.
And now they're looking to bolster their midfield. Erik ten Hag's squad has already spent $47.2m (£36.5m/€43.3m) on Zirkzee from Bologna and a potential $75m (£58m/€69m) for Yoro from Lille, leaving not much in the kitty for Ugarte. But the Daily Mirror reports that the holding midfielder is now the number one priority in the market for Manchester United, with PSG aware of that.
PSG only brought Ugarte over from Sporting Lisbon last year in a deal worth $65m (£51m/€60m) and naturally, it is keen to recoup its investment and then some. The French heavyweight is holding out for $76m (£59m/€70m) for the 23-year-old Uruguayan international.
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United has managed to agree personal terms with Ugarte, who has now become their top target, even ahead of Matthijs de Ligt. Ten Hag is eager to bring in the Bayern Munich defender after losing Raphael Varane and Willy Kambwala, but recognises that strengthening the midfield is a more pressing concern.
With PSG refusing to budge on their valuation of Ugarte, United needs to concentrate on offloading surplus players first. The sales of Kambwala ($13m to Villarreal), Mason Greenwood ($34m to Marseille), Donny van de Beek ($0.65m to Girona) and Alvaro Fernandez ($6.5m to Benfica), along with the exits of high earners Varane and Anthony Martial after their contracts ran out, have helped, but more departures are required.
Manchester United are ready to listen to offers for Victor Lindelof, Casemiro and Scott McTominay, with the club also hoping to pocket around $19m (£15m/€18m) from the sale of Aaron Wan-Bissaka. The right-back has caught the eye of West Ham, while a bid of less than $38m (£30m/€36m) from Fulham for McTominay has already been turned down as the midfielder continues to attract interest in this summer's transfer window.
United's pursuit of Ugarte could be aided by super-agent Jorge Mendes the same man who facilitated Yoro's move to Old Trafford. Mendes is representing Ugarte and also manages Benfica starlet Joao Neves , who is on PSG's radar as a potential replacement.
Neves' release clause stands at well over $100m, and PSG will need to cash in on Ugarte before they can make a move for the Portuguese prodigy. However, with Mendes orchestrating both deals, there's optimism that mutually beneficial agreements can be reached. For instance, United is hopeful that a season-long loan with an initial fee and a commitment to buy next summer could work for all involved.
Ugarte, a defensive midfielder, featured in 37 matches for PSG in all competitions last season, contributing three assists. However, he found himself sidelined towards the end of the season and was left out of the starting line-up by Luis Enrique for both legs of their Champions League semi-final clash against Borussia Dortmund.
Liverpool.com says: Ugarte is a decent player but he was left out of the PSG team frequently for a reason. He is an upgrade for Manchester United, but not a player that transforms the center of the field and makes a side a title-winning one. Liverpool , Manchester City and Arsenal won't be concerned.
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