Manchester United were willing to facilitate Manuel Ugarte’s exit this summer – just 12 months after his arrival at Old Trafford.
Around deadline day last August, Ugarte signed for the Reds in a £50.5 million deal from Paris Saint-Germain.
United had spent the best part of the window trying to hash out a deal for his signature that would see him spend 2024/2025 on loan with the club before signing permanently in 2025.
However, PSG were adamant about receiving a lump sum upfront, having already signed off on Ugarte’s replacement in the form of midfield starlet Joao Neves.
From early on in his United tenure, it became increasingly evident why Luis Enrique only utilised the Uruguayan international in a sporadic role before green-lighting his exit after only one season.
Remarkably, the same could’ve happened again this time around with United.
Fabrizio Romano revealed last night that numerous offers arrived for Ugarte throughout the window after INEOS had seemingly privately opened the door to a premature departure.
The only reason nothing materialised is because the suitors expressing an interest in taking Ugarte off United’s hands were only intending on doing so on a loan basis. No cash proposals arrived, hence the board eventually diverting their atention elsewhere.
“I can reveal to you that, for Manuel Ugarte, there was a possibility of an exit this summer,” said Romano on his YouTube channel. “For example, Italian clubs were interested in Ugarte, but Manchester United decided to close the doors to an eventual loan move, so this is why nothing happened.
“For Manuel Ugarte, we’ll have to see if some club will arrive with a permanent deal proposal in 2026, because this might change the situation.”
The 24-year-old is contracted to the club until 2029, plus the option of an additional year.
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