An unexpected stop for Ugarte

Manchester United face the possibility of parting ways with Manuel Ugarte, as Galatasaray have unexpectedly taken the lead in the race to sign the Uruguayan midfielder in the January 2026 transfer window.

MU faces the possibility of parting ways with Manuel Ugarte (in the red shirt).

According to several sources, both Nice and Galatasaray are closely monitoring Ugarte's situation, but the Turkish club holds the biggest advantage. Fotomac reports that Galatasaray has made a loan offer with a buy-out clause worth €25 million.

Two Uruguayan players, Fernando Muslera and Lucas Torreira, are believed to have directly influenced and persuaded Ugarte to choose Istanbul as his next destination. Notably, Manchester United wants to receive nearly 30 million euros for the transfer.

Conversely, Manchester United quickly began planning for a replacement. Fabrizio Romano revealed that the "Red Devils" are preparing for a blockbuster transfer worth around £100 million, with Carlos Baleba as their top target. If successful, this would be the most expensive signing in the club's history, surpassing the record previously held by Paul Pogba in 2016.

Joining Old Trafford from PSG in the summer of 2024 for a fee of £50.7 million, Ugarte was expected to become a defensive midfielder who would bring balance to the Red Devils' midfield. However, reality did not live up to expectations. Despite possessing impressive physical fitness, Ugarte failed to maintain consistent form and often found himself on the bench.

The opportunity only truly opened up for Ugarte when MU faced a personnel crisis in midfield, especially with the absence of Bruno Fernandes. The 23-year-old midfielder took advantage of the situation quite well, notably with a convincing performance in the 1-0 victory against Newcastle in the Premier League. However, those efforts do not seem to be enough to guarantee his long-term future at Old Trafford.

Source: https://znews.vn/ben-do-bat-ngo-cho-ugarte-post1615233.html