Share this @internewscast.com

Manuel Ugarte will not be the first player to be chewed up and spat out by the Paris Saint-Germain machine.

Manchester United’s £50million signing joins a list including Mauro Icardi, Goncalo Guedes, Jese Rodriguez, Julian Draxler and Grzegorz Krychowiak who arrived at huge cost but never delivered in the French capital. 

PSG coach Luis Enrique has made his call on Ugarte barely a year after he was signed.

Because if Ugarte thought PSG brought global scrutiny, he has seen nothing yet. With the exception of Real Madrid and Barcelona, no football club on the planet generates as much attention, discussion and debate as United. 

Manuel Ugarte is not be the first - nor likely will he be the last - PSG star to be chewed up and spat out by the French side

Manuel Ugarte is not be the first – nor likely will he be the last – PSG star to be chewed up and spat out by the French side

PSG boss Luis Enrique has made his mind up on Ugarte scarcely a year after signing for the club

PSG boss Luis Enrique has made his mind up on Ugarte scarcely a year after signing for the club

Erik ten Hag will be under pressure despite only being handed a new contract back in July

Erik ten Hag will be under pressure despite only being handed a new contract back in July

Ugarte is a dodgy debut away from being written off as a waste of money by the more zealous members of the United online community. 

The good news is that he has the pedigree. A basic rule of modern football is that if Marcelo Bielsa rates you, you’re probably a decent player, and Ugarte is a key member of the Uruguay side who thrilled at this summer’s Copa America.

Life at PSG does not define every player, either. For every Icardi or Jese, there is a Christopher Nkunku or Kingsley Coman. 

Yes, both were academy players, but neither was backed by PSG and both flourished elsewhere, with Coman even scoring the winner against his old club for Bayern Munich in the 2020 Champions League Final.

It will not certainly be easy for Ugarte to follow their example. United remain a work in progress and even though Erik ten Hag was given a new contract in July, the Dutchman will be under pressure again soon enough if results are poor.

Here Mail Sport takes a look at United’s latest big buy.

Strengths

Ugarte is a simple enough player to assess. He’s a ball winner. He’ll fight like a lion to regain possession and when he does, he’ll usually play a simple pass to the nearest team-mate. 

Casemiro (left) turns 33 in February, so Ugarte could be the perfect heir to let Kobbie Mainoo (centre) flourish further forward

Casemiro (left) turns 33 in February, so Ugarte could be the perfect heir to let Kobbie Mainoo (centre) flourish further forward

The Uruguayan star's main talents lie in winning the ball back in the middle of the pitch

The Uruguayan star’s main talents lie in winning the ball back in the middle of the pitch

With Casemiro turning 33 in February, Ugarte could be the perfect heir to the Brazilian and give Kobbie Mainoo more freedom to operate closer to the opponents’ goal. 

This isn’t a United panic buy, either: the club were very interested in Ugarte a year ago after his outstanding campaign with Portuguese giants Sporting Club, only for the player to choose Paris instead.

Back then, the feeling was that Ugarte was reluctant to move to England to be Casemiro’s deputy. That shouldn’t be a problem now, as Ugarte is surely being signed to be in Ten Hag’s first-choice XI.

So Ugarte should release Mainoo a little and allow Bruno Fernandes to concentrate more on what he does best. 

Having played for Sporting, Ugarte also understands what it is to face a demanding crowd. And if United fans are looking for omens, another of their former players also represented both clubs – a certain Cristiano Ronaldo.

Ugarte is not a panic buy from United – the club have been tracking him for over a year, before he signed for PSG

Ugarte's ball-winning skills would also give Bruno Fernandes more freedom to stay high

Ugarte’s ball-winning skills would also give Bruno Fernandes more freedom to stay high

Weaknesses

The problem with Ugarte is that his best asset can also become a flaw. Against most teams, his reliable, if limited, style is more than enough. Against the best, however, there are questions about it. 

Ugarte has been compared with Claude Makelele, who anchored midfield brilliantly for Chelsea, France and Real Madrid, but football has changed since then. At the elite level, holding midfielders now need to be more than mere destroyers. 

That is why Luis Enrique preferred a midfield trio of Vitinha, Fabian Ruiz and Warren Zaire-Emery in PSG’s biggest games towards the end of last season. Let’s not duck the issue here – Vitinha is a more complete footballer than Manuel Ugarte.

The prototype for the modern No 6 is Sergio Busquets. Not only was the former Barcelona and Spain player a brilliant retriever of possession, he was also a master of moving his team along again when he had regained it. 

Now Rodri does the job better than anyone and also has 22 goals and 21 assists in 172 Premier League games for Manchester City. Ugarte would be doing well to reach those numbers and PSG have replaced him with Joao Neves, the young deep-lying playmaker from Benfica. 

Neves has registered four assists in his first two games – one more than Ugarte managed in 37 last term. That statistic goes to the heart of why PSG were willing to sell him, and why some fear he may come up short at Old Trafford.

The Uruguayan midfielder's primary talents can also at times prove to be his biggest limitation

The Uruguayan midfielder’s primary talents can also at times prove to be his biggest limitation

Inter Miami's legendary Spanish star Sergio Busquets is the prototype for a modern No 6

Inter Miami’s legendary Spanish star Sergio Busquets is the prototype for a modern No 6

Ugarte is a key member of Marcelo Bielsa's Uruguay side who thrilled at the Copa America

Ugarte is a key member of Marcelo Bielsa’s Uruguay side who thrilled at the Copa America

Verdict

Ugarte was born the same month United coach Ruud van Nistelrooy signed for the club as a player – April 2001 – and will hope to emulate the great Dutchman, who won four trophies at Old Trafford. There is also the example of Diego Forlan to follow. Although Ugarte’s fellow Uruguayan had his best years after leaving United, he is still fondly remembered by most supporters.

The 23-year-old is used to handling pressure. He made his debut at just 15 for Fenix in his homeland and at 19 he moved to Portuguese club Famalicao – relocating nearly 6,000 miles from home while still a teenager. While the Portuguese top flight is not at the same level as the Premier League, Benfica, Sporting and Porto are European giants with exacting fanbases. You need character to handle that.

If he is used correctly, Ugarte is the type of player who can help United push closer to the top of the Premier League again. Whether he is the man to go toe to toe with Rodri and prevail is another matter entirely.

Share this @internewscast.com
You May Also Like

PSG Players Display Maximum Respect for Lionel Messi After Club World Cup Match

Paris Saint-Germain may be the newly crowned champions of Europe and have…

Can you identify the renowned royal couple in this photo, invited as special guests by friend Billy Slater to join Queensland’s State of Origin dressing room celebration?

Two members of the Royal Family participated in Queensland’s exuberant State of…

Kylian Mbappe Honors Diogo Jota with Incredible Scissor Kick as Real Madrid Fends Off Borussia Dortmund in Dramatic Finish Featuring Three Injury-Time Goals, Setting Stage for Semi-Final Showdown with PSG

Kylian Mbappe scored an acrobatic scissor-kick to set up a Club World…

Player Ratings for State of Origin Game 3: Discover the Standouts and the Unexpected Player Who Failed in Queensland’s Historic Victory

Billy Slater’s Queensland left New South Wales astounded as they reclaimed State…

Uncovered: Cristiano Ronaldo’s ‘message to Diogo Jota’s family’ following the Liverpool star’s tragic passing – before missing the Portugal team-mate’s funeral

Cristiano Ronaldo has reportedly told Diogo Jota’s wife that he will always…

Newcastle Transfer Rumors: Surprise Premier League Targets After Elanga, Isak’s Contract Update, and Will Trafford Join This Week?

Newcastle United are on the verge of their first signing of the…

Matildas Shocked by Lower-Ranked Opponents as Experienced Striker Michelle Heyman Misses Easy Shot

New Matildas coach Joe Montemurro is confident his team are headed in…

Reece James Reveals Chelsea’s Activities During the Two-Hour Thunderstorm Halt

Chelsea secured a spot in the Club World Cup quarter-finals after defeating…

Lionel Messi Reportedly Negotiating with Unexpected Saudi Club as Inter Miami Contract Nears End, Hinting at Possible Cristiano Ronaldo Reunion

Lionel Messi is reportedly in talks with Saudi Arabian side Al-Ahli as…

AS Monaco Unveils Debut Mizuno Home Kit with Help from Paul Pogba

AS Monaco have unveiled their new home kit for the 2025/26 season…