Man Utd signed Manuel Ugarte and Joshua Zirkzee in the summer of 2024 on long-term contracts but neither looks like making the grade at Old Trafford.
Manuel Ugarte and Joshua Zirkzee
Manuel Ugarte and Joshua Zirkzee could both leave United just two years after joining the club
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Manuel Ugarte and Joshua Zirkzee could both leave Manchester United this summer, just two years into the five-year contracts they signed in 2024.
The Uruguayan defensive midfielder and Dutch forward have struggled for game time at Old Trafford and have slipped further down the pecking order since the arrival of Michael Carrick as head coach.
Ugarte and Zirkzee have both come off the bench for Carrick, but neither looks close to starting, and there was loan interest in January in the pair, with Ajax keen on Ugarte and Roma wanting to take Zirkzee back to Serie A.
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United held on to both players as they push for a return to the Champions League, but it's expected they will both be keen to look for first-team opportunities elsewhere during the summer.
Ugarte's future is somewhat complicated by Casemiro's departure, with the 34-year-old Brazilian leaving when his contract expires at the end of June. United are eyeing a replacement as part of a midfield overhaul that will see at least two new signings arrive.
They might want those players through the door before sanctioning any move for the 24-year-old, with reports in Italy suggesting Juventus are running the rule over him.
Zirkzee has struggled for game time in United's flexible attack. Benjamin Sesko, Bryan Mbeumo and Matheus Cunha can all play as the No. 9, while the shift in formation and decision to restore Bruno Fernandes as an attacking midfielder and play just one No. 10 has reduced Zirkzee's chances there.
The 24-year-old did feature as one of the two No. 10s in Ruben Amorim's 3-4-2-1 system before the Portuguese head coach was dismissed in January.
Zirkzee has started just four Premier League games for United this season and none since lasting just 45 minutes against Wolves on December 30. He has played just 28 minutes in four substitute appearances for Carrick.
It is a similar picture for Ugarte, who has started seven Premier League games this season but has played just 65 minutes in six substitute appearances since the appointment of Carrick in January.
One potential issue for United in finding suitors for the two players in the summer is that they are less than halfway through the contracts they signed in 2024.
Ugarte cost £50.5million when joining from Paris St-Germain, meaning his book value remains around £30million. Zirkzee was a £36.5million signing from Bologna and will have a remaining book value this summer of around £21.9million.
Any sale below those fees will be recorded as an accounting loss for the year for United, although some of that will be offset by potential wage savings and could be balanced out by profits elsewhere.