Manchester United are open to selling Manuel Ugarte and would listen to offers in January, according to ESPN.
The midfielder arrived at Old Trafford from Paris Saint-Germain in a deal worth just over £40million in August 2024, but his performances under Ruben Amorim have come under scrutiny this season.
Amorim himself recently admitted that the 24-year-old has been below par with reports suggesting he was singled out in front of shocked United teammates, and is surprised by the extent of the drop-off having worked with him for two years at Sporting Lisbon.
Ugarte has started just twice in the Premier League this campaign, and speculation is now building that United could look to cut their losses next month, despite an apparent lack of depth in his position.
Man United Open To Ugarte Offers In January
Manuel Ugarte in action for Manchester United
It has been claimed that the club's priority is strengthening in central midfield and out wide, but they will not have a war chest to spend like several of their rivals. Instead, they may be forced to rely on selling players and securing bargain deals.
Four first-team names, Ugarte, Kobbie Mainoo, Joshua Zirkzee and Tyrell Malacia, are all on the chopping block, and potential sales would free up resources for Amorim to secure one of his preferred targets.
Nottingham Forest's Elliot Anderson, who has recently been linked with Manchester City, Crystal Palace's Adam Wharton, Brighton's Carlos Baleba and Stuttgart's Angelo Stiller are said to be on United's shortlist.
There may be limited movement before the end of the African Cup of Nations on January 18, but United could be in for a hectic end to the window. However, ESPN have reported that out of Amorim's four-man wishlist, only Stiller is likely to be affordable.
That, of course, raises questions over Ugarte's long-term future at Old Trafford, and Amorim has warned him he must improve.
You can sense a lot of very good players come here, and sometimes they struggle. He is struggling at the moment, but it is our job to try to help and help him to feel like I felt when he was a Sporting player.
But it is a different world. He needs to adapt, and he needs to improve, especially in training.
Man United Must Sell Ugarte
Manuel Ugarte in action for Manchester United
United only have one acceptable course of action: offloading Ugarte. His time at the club has been nothing short of a nightmare, while his performances have showcased exactly why Paris Saint-Germain were so open to letting him go.
Amorim has preferred to partner captain Bruno Fernandes with Casemiro in his double pivot, and Ugarte has not done enough during his appearances this season to prove he should start instead.
The £150,000-a-week Uruguayan is especially poor in possession and has been caught out of position too many times, forcing his team-mates to work even harder. His displays have also irritated supporters, who, judging from social media reaction, have already had enough.
Ugarte is also rash when closing down opponents, which leaves gaping holes behind. For this United team, that is typically fatal.
Whether his slump can be attributed to a lack of confidence or quality remains to be seen, but in the here and now, the club must get rid and set about finding a replacement better suited to the demands of Amorim's intricate system.
Three Others Face Uncertain Future
kobbie mainoo manchester united-1
It is not just Ugarte facing the prospect of leaving United in the near future. Indeed, Mainoo is one of the group Amorim is open to selling, according to ESPN. That may suit the midfielder just fine.
Mainoo is looking to leave Old Trafford next month, with West Ham among his admirers, but United want to keep him. As such, they are understood to have made it clear to the midfielder that they do not want to see him go, with Amorim valuing his abilities.
The 20-year-old is tied down under contract until the summer of 2027, with an option to extend his stay by a further year.
United are also said to be willing to listen to offers for Zirkzee despite his winning goal against Crystal Palace at the weekend, and forgotten man Malacia.