Manchester United will face a problem in getting rid of Manuel Ugarte in the coming years, according to a report.
Man Utd wanted to sell Ugarte in the summer transfer window.
The Red Devils’ co-owner, Sir Jim Ratcliffe, was personally keen on getting rid of Ugarte from Man Utd, according to a report in The Athletic in April.
The report in the reputable publication claimed that INEOS chief Ratcliffe wanted the midfielder ‘sold’ after watching him live in action for Man Utd against Leeds United earlier that month.
However, Ugarte suffered a long-term knee injury while playing for Uruguay at the 2026 World Cup finals this summer.
This meant that Man Utd will have to keep the 25-year-old midfielder until next summer at least.
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How Man Utd face a major issue with Manuel Ugarte
According to ESPN, Ugarte staying at Man Utd is now a problem for the Red Devils.
The report has stated: ‘Manuel Ugarte is one example.
‘The Uruguayan arrived at Old Trafford for a fee of more than £50 million in 2024 and after two underwhelming campaigns, he was available for transfer in this window.
‘The club knew that to balance the books, they would need a bid of around £20 million – something that was unlikely given his recent form and wage demands.
‘The best they could hope for was to arrange a loan with a club willing to cover Ugarte’s salary.
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‘In the end, a serious knee injury at the World Cup ended any hopes of a move, and United will have Ugarte’s wages paid by the FIFA Club Protection Programme for players injured while on international duty.
‘However, the injury only kicks the issue down the road.
‘Ugarte has a contract until June 2029, which means United will be left looking for another solution next summer and possibly beyond.
‘It’s a problem that could potentially drag on for another three years, and it’s exactly the type of situation Berrada and Wilcox want to avoid.’
Joshua Zirkzee happy at Man Utd
Along with Ugarte, Man Utd also wanted to offload Joshua Zirkzee in the summer transfer window.
However, the Netherlands international forward is still at Man Utd, and manager Michael Carrick is willing to work with him.
Carrick told BBC Sport: “For sure Josh is important, for the team, for the squad the depth.
“Josh is happy here and I have a really good relationship with Josh.
“He wants to play more than he has but that is good healthy competition.
“We have a lot of games coming up, we have a shorter period between games,
“Josh can do some really top things, I have seen it myself.”
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