Why Manchester United believe Manuel Ugarte could become next N’Golo Kante
Manchester United have complete the signing of Manual Ugarte from Paris St-Germainfor an initial £42 million rising to £50.4 million.
The Uruguay midfielder has signed a five-year contract to June 2029 with the option of another 12 months.
Ugarte will be tasked with improving a midfield that has proven to be an Achilles’ heel under Erik ten Hag – but how will he give his side the edge?
What does Ugarte bring?
In Uruguay they use the phrase “tiene grinta” to describe Ugarte, which roughly translates as having grit and determination. That will be his main asset, to win the ball in midfield and drive his team forward from deep positions. He adds physicality to United’s midfield but does risk bookings with his flying tackles – he picked up 11 yellow cards for club and country last season. On the flipside, despite starting only 21 of PSG’s league games last season, he made more tackles than any other player in Ligue 1, with 98.
Who does he replace?
Scott McTominay leaves United at the same time, with Napoli moving for the Scotland midfielder. It is not a like-for-like replacement as McTominay was viewed as a squad player, while Ugarte was a priority recruit for United this summer. Casemiro started the season well in Ten Hag’s midfieldbut he struggled towards the end of the last campaign and Ugarte looks a more dynamic option alongside Kobbie Mainoo.
How good is he?
United were in a good position to negotiate a deal as he has the same agent, Jorge Mendes, as Leny Yoro, who joined the club from Lille in July. He had one season at PSG, where he played regularly in the first half of the season but was on the bench for the crunch Champions League ties against Barcelona and Borussia Dortmund. United believe they have landed one of the best midfielders in world football. He was a starter at the Copa America this summer and was in the team of the tournament.
How does he compare to other central midfielders?
Every club would like a player such as N’Golo Kanté from Chelsea’s 2020-21 season, when they won the Champions League. Ugarte’s stats from the last campaign at PSG are comparable to Kante’s in that great campaign at Stamford Bridge. As the numbers show, his game is about high energy, getting around the pitch and winning the ball. Ugarte played 1,934 minutes in Ligue 1 last season and compared favourably against 1,868 central midfielders in the top five European leagues across the past 10 years. In percentile terms, Ugarte ranked better than anyone else for defensive actions (when a player attempts to get the ball away from a dangerous zone on the pitch with no immediate target for receiving the ball) while better than 66 per cent of players in his ground-duel success rate.
Where is Ugarte from?
He grew up in Montevideo and played “baby futbol” on the mini-pitches scattered around the city. Ugarte says there was a pitch “every 100 metres”. From the age of six he played at the City Park club with his brother, driven to and from sessions by his dad. Ugarte was a child prodigy and made his debut for Fenix in the Uruguayan top flight as a 15-year-old. His move to Europe came as a teenager, joining Famalicão in Portugal before earning a move to Sporting Lisbon, where he followed in the footsteps of João Palhinha. Only Palhinha (5.05) averaged more tackles per 90 (4.56) across Europe’s big five leagues last season than Ugarte.
How will United look now in midfield?
Ugarte and Mainoo look a dynamic central-midfield pairing for Ten Hag. Mainoo gets all over the pitch and is instinctively more attacking, so Ugarte will be important in ensuring United are not overrun, as they were at times last season. There will be one central midfielder playing further forward in a No 10-type role. Bruno Fernandes could eventually play there once his false-nine duties are over. Mason Mount is back from injury and started the first two games of the season after an injury-curtailed first campaign at Old Trafford.
Why Manchester United believe Manuel Ugarte could become next N’Golo Kante
Manchester United have complete the signing of Manual Ugarte from Paris St-Germainfor an initial £42 million rising to £50.4 million.
The Uruguay midfielder has signed a five-year contract to June 2029 with the option of another 12 months.
Ugarte will be tasked with improving a midfield that has proven to be an Achilles’ heel under Erik ten Hag – but how will he give his side the edge?
What does Ugarte bring?
In Uruguay they use the phrase “tiene grinta” to describe Ugarte, which roughly translates as having grit and determination. That will be his main asset, to win the ball in midfield and drive his team forward from deep positions. He adds physicality to United’s midfield but does risk bookings with his flying tackles – he picked up 11 yellow cards for club and country last season. On the flipside, despite starting only 21 of PSG’s league games last season, he made more tackles than any other player in Ligue 1, with 98.
Who does he replace?
Scott McTominay leaves United at the same time, with Napoli moving for the Scotland midfielder. It is not a like-for-like replacement as McTominay was viewed as a squad player, while Ugarte was a priority recruit for United this summer. Casemiro started the season well in Ten Hag’s midfieldbut he struggled towards the end of the last campaign and Ugarte looks a more dynamic option alongside Kobbie Mainoo.
How good is he?
United were in a good position to negotiate a deal as he has the same agent, Jorge Mendes, as Leny Yoro, who joined the club from Lille in July. He had one season at PSG, where he played regularly in the first half of the season but was on the bench for the crunch Champions League ties against Barcelona and Borussia Dortmund. United believe they have landed one of the best midfielders in world football. He was a starter at the Copa America this summer and was in the team of the tournament.
How does he compare to other central midfielders?
Every club would like a player such as N’Golo Kanté from Chelsea’s 2020-21 season, when they won the Champions League. Ugarte’s stats from the last campaign at PSG are comparable to Kante’s in that great campaign at Stamford Bridge. As the numbers show, his game is about high energy, getting around the pitch and winning the ball. Ugarte played 1,934 minutes in Ligue 1 last season and compared favourably against 1,868 central midfielders in the top five European leagues across the past 10 years. In percentile terms, Ugarte ranked better than anyone else for defensive actions (when a player attempts to get the ball away from a dangerous zone on the pitch with no immediate target for receiving the ball) while better than 66 per cent of players in his ground-duel success rate.
Where is Ugarte from?
He grew up in Montevideo and played “baby futbol” on the mini-pitches scattered around the city. Ugarte says there was a pitch “every 100 metres”. From the age of six he played at the City Park club with his brother, driven to and from sessions by his dad. Ugarte was a child prodigy and made his debut for Fenix in the Uruguayan top flight as a 15-year-old. His move to Europe came as a teenager, joining Famalicão in Portugal before earning a move to Sporting Lisbon, where he followed in the footsteps of João Palhinha. Only Palhinha (5.05) averaged more tackles per 90 (4.56) across Europe’s big five leagues last season than Ugarte.
How will United look now in midfield?
Ugarte and Mainoo look a dynamic central-midfield pairing for Ten Hag. Mainoo gets all over the pitch and is instinctively more attacking, so Ugarte will be important in ensuring United are not overrun, as they were at times last season. There will be one central midfielder playing further forward in a No 10-type role. Bruno Fernandes could eventually play there once his false-nine duties are over. Mason Mount is back from injury and started the first two games of the season after an injury-curtailed first campaign at Old Trafford.
