Manuel Ugarte: Tottenham tracking Man United star but Euro giant leads race
Manuel Ugarte: Tottenham tracking Man United star but Euro giant leads race Tottenham Hotspur have emerged as a shock contender to rescue Manuel Ugarte from his Manchester United misery, but a European rival is leading the race to secure his signature, according to the latest report. Failing to adapt Despite the Red Devils spending the entire summer window in 2024 tracking Ugarte , no one at the club was able to spot the obvious issues he would face in adapting to Premier League football. The 24-year-old Uruguay international had lost his place in Paris Saint-Germain’s starting eleven after Luis Enrique decided his limitations on the ball were too severe to justify his strengths without it.
However, Ugarte’s worst performances that season came in the Champions League against Newcastle United, with the Magpies’ midfield duo of Bruno Guimaraes and Sandro Tonali overwhelming their Ligue 1 counterparts en route to a 4-1 demolition at St James’ Park. Ugarte was simply incapable of matching the speed and strength of the Tyneside club, despite his reputation as a ball-winning enforcer – an immediate red flag for any English side who may have been interested in his services. In conjunction with his obvious weaknesses in possession, it is baffling that United agreed to pay over £50 million to sign him (£42m up front, £8.
7m in add-ons); firstly, a player his club were so desperate to shift; and, secondly, one who would clearly struggle in the Premier League. United are open to Ugarte’s departure this summer provided a suitable offer arrives. From a PSR perspective, the former Sporting CP star would need to be sold for around £25m to break even – a price his abject performances in a red shirt have done little to justify.
Galatasaray expressed interest in a deal in January, though the Red Devils were reluctant to further weaken a position which is already low on bodies. The Turkish champions are expected to revisit a move this summer. Juventus are also in the running, though Serie A clubs are notoriously difficult to negotiate with, often preferring convoluted loans to straight transfers.
Interestingly, there is even interest in England for Ugarte’s services, with Aston Villa and Newcastle keeping close tabs on his situation at Old Trafford. However, TEAMtalk reveals Spurs are also understood to be tracking developments. Spurs enter the race “Juventus are long-term admirers, while Premier League sides Aston Villa, Newcastle United and Tottenham have all previously tracked his situation and remain informed on developments,” the report states.