**Manchester United are reportedly prepared to accept a financial loss on Manuel Ugarte this summer, with the midfielder’s valuation now central to Michael Carrick’s midfield rebuild.**
Ugarte joined United from Paris Saint-Germain in 2024 in a deal worth £42.3million, potentially rising to £50.75million with add-ons, but his Old Trafford spell has not developed as planned. The 25-year-old is now being viewed as a possible departure, with United said to believe they can absorb a reduced fee if the right market opens.
The club would reportedly need around £25.38million to limit the accounting damage on any sale, while Ugarte’s £120,000-a-week wages are viewed as a major obstacle for potential buyers, according to a fresh update from [The Sun](https://www.thesun.co.uk/sport/39497226/manchester-united-transfer-news-midfield/).
Ugarte decision adds pressure to United midfield rebuild
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The timing matters because United have already moved decisively in midfield, with Atalanta’s Ederson lined up as Carrick’s first major addition and further recruitment still expected if room is created.
Ugarte’s contract runs until 2029, so United are not forced into a quick sale. That gives the club leverage, but also leaves them carrying a senior wage for a player who has slipped down the midfield pecking order.
Yet if United can shift his wages and recover enough of the original fee, it would give Carrick more flexibility in a window already shaped by Casemiro’s exit and the need for a sharper, more reliable midfield base.