Manchester United are now reportedly willing to use a £120,000-a-week star in a surprise swap deal to sign a Premier League rival.
Martinez: I "don't care" what Paul Scholes says
The Manchester derby arrived at the end of a frantic week for Man United, with Michael Carrick taking charge of his first game as interim boss. The former midfielder had been the subject of much debate in the build-up, but Old Trafford quickly acted as a platform for proving doubters wrong as the Red Devils eased past Manchester City to seal a 2-0 victory.
Brighton & Hove Albion's Carlos Baleba Related
Better than Baleba: Man Utd gearing up to sign £43m Casemiro replacement
Manchester United appear to have stepped up their interest in a new central midfielder.
It was clinical, it was free-flowing, it was everything that Ruben Amorim's reign wasn't. But Carrick wasn't the only one to prove doubters wrong. Lisandro Martinez also got the chance to hit back at Paul Scholes and Nicky Butt.
The latter jokingly claimed that Erling Haaland “would pick Martinez up and run with him”. By the time the full-time whistle sounded, however, the South American had dominated the subdued Norwegian to spark a firm rebuttle.
"No, honestly, he can say whatever he wants. I told him already if he wants to say something to me, he can come to wherever he wants. To my house, wherever. I don’t care.
“And I think, for me, I respect the relations when they want to help the club because everyone can talk on the television, but when you see (them) here face-to-face no-one says anything in your face.
“So, for me, I don’t really care what they say. I just put focus on my performance, the performance of the team and I give everything to this club until my last day.”
It could be the beginning of a turnaround for United this season and they could take that improvement into the transfer market to land a vital upgrade.
Man Utd willing to use Ugarte in Sadiki swap deal
According to GiveMeSport, Man United are now willing to use Manuel Ugarte in a deal to sign Noah Sadiki. The swap deal would see the Red Devils land an instant upgrade on the struggling midfielder to improve an area that they've been focusing on since the start of the campaign.
Rumours have suggested that the likes of Elliot Anderson are also key targets, but competition from Man City may yet see those at Old Trafford miss out on the Nottingham Forest star. And that's where Sadiki - who only signed for the Black Cats in the summer for £15m - could emerge.
PL stats P90 25/26 Sadiki Ugarte
Minutes 1,502 737
Progressive Passes 2.81 4.76
Tackles Won 0.72 2.8
Ball Recoveries 2.93 5.37
The concern for Man United is that Sadiki would be an investment for the future and his numbers haven't stood out compared to Ugarte so far this season.
What that means is that the Sunderland man would have to be one of at least two midfield reinforcements as United look to shift £120,000-a-week Ugarte.
Noah-Sadiki
That said, given how he's helped Sunderland to as high as ninth in their return to the Premier League, the future is certainly bright for the 20-year-old midfielder.