Manchester United are expected to target a new midfielder this summer, and Ruben Amorim might’ve already revealed the profile he wants.
Over the past three weeks since the summer transfer window opened, Ineos have been prioritising the attack with Matheus Cunha through the Old Trafford doors as signing number one.
The Brazilian looks likely to be followed through the doors by Bryan Mbeumo, with United still in talks with Brentford over signing the Cameroon international.
Ineos are then likely to target a striker, but United are also seeking a new midfielder, with Christian Eriksen gone and Casemiro another year older.
The kind of midfielder is likely to be a number six, and Amorim may have already revealed the profile he wants back in 2024, which spells trouble for Manuel Ugarte.
Manuel Ugarte of Uruguay celebrates with Facundo Pellistri.
Photo by Ernesto Ryan/Getty Images
Ruben Amorim’s favoured defensive midfielder is the opposite of Manuel Ugarte
Despite only being signed last summer, Ugarte is already at a crossroads in his United career. Amorim dropped Ugarte for the Europa League final, which was a sign that he doesn’t exactly trust the Uruguayan.
Ugarte has been poor in possession for United during his debut campaign, and it finally cost him his place in Amorim’s plans, despite the pair having an existing relationship at Sporting CP.
However, back in 2024, Amorim may have revealed his true stance on Ugarte, admitting he wasn’t a massive fan of the style of defensive midfielder the £42m star was, during a press conference via Visao de Mercado.
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“I know that Ugarte and [Joao] Palhinha will be upset, but for me, [Morten] Hjulmand is the most complete player in that position.”
Hjulmand is more of a play-dictating number six, which suggests that Amorim prefers his midfielders to be good on the ball. If this is the case, Ugarte could struggle to be a long-term option for United.
Ruben Amorim also had a worrying verdict for Casemiro
Not only has Ugarte been mentioned by Amorim as a player he isn’t completely a fan of, but Casemiro has also been mentioned in the past.
It was back in 2017, Amorim named Casemiro as a player he was not a fan of in midfield during an interview with Tribuna.
“I’ve always admired Zidane a lot. Xabi Alonso also did incredible things. When I played as a ‘six’, I looked up to what Xavi and Busquets were doing,” Amorim admitted.
“I often discuss with my fellow coaches because they all love Casemiro and players like him. But I prefer those who rely more on intelligence than speed or aggression when recovering the ball.”
This explains why Casemiro was instantly disregarded by Amorim when he took charge of United, before the Brazilian won the head coach over with stellar performances in the Europa League.
Whether this has changed Amorim’s stance on midfielders remains to be seen, but it will give Ugarte a reason to be hopeful.