Manuel Ugarte looks set for an exit away from Man Utd in the summer, but a manager once tipped to be at Old Trafford could spoil his plans.
After two seasons of failing to flourish at Man Utd, the Omar Berrada rule is set to come into effect for Manuel Ugarte.
A recent renaissance for Uruguay is unlikely to erase two years of underperformance, with Man Utd already moving to sell Ugarte.
Juventus was looking like a possible destination for the Uruguayan, but a wrench could be thrown into those plans courtesy of a manager once tipped as perfect for the Old Trafford job.
Manuel Ugarte blocks a cross vs Newcastle
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Manuel Ugarte’s Juventus move could be ruined by Cesc Fabregas
There aren’t many clubs in world football who could use Ugarte, pay money for him, and keep him permanently.
Ineos’ new wage structure makes it at least mildly possible that they will be able to shift him, and his Uruguay performances provide hope.
For players leaving United, Serie A has been a safe haven, from past examples like Henrikh Mkhitaryan, Ashley Young, and Matteo Darmian, to Scott McTominay and Rasmus Hojlund right now.
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So when Juventus came to be linked to Ugarte, United would have been happy, were it not for Cesc Fabregas.
Corriere Dello Sport reports that any deal for Ugarte will be difficult for Juventus if they don’t qualify for the Champions League.
UCL qualification is generally a formality for Juventus, but they’re fifth in the league right now due to the miracles Cesc Fabregas is working at Como.
Fabregas has Como sitting fourth, a point ahead of Juventus, with seven games left to play in the league.
The irony of Fabregas ruining United’s chances of offloading Ugarte is funny because the Spaniard was marked as the perfect Man Utd manager not so long ago.
Fabregas was championed as a future Man Utd manager
Fabregas’ Como have picked up wins with an attractive style of football. He is tactically a genius, manages the dressing room well, and trusts young players with big roles.
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All these traits made him the perfect Man Utd manager, which is what he was tipped to be when Ruben Amorim was close to being sacked.
Michael Carrick has worked miracles of his own since then, and Fabregas has fallen off the radar, but through no fault of his own.
He has continued to exceed expectations with Como, but United will hope that he doesn’t qualify for the Champions League and Juventus do.
It could be the difference in offloading Ugarte for a good price or settling for a loan deal as usual.
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