Defeat to Leeds United on Monday evening served as a sobering reality check for Michael Carrick and Manchester United. The resurgence has taken a hit, but they still hold third place in the Premier League.
Rome wasn't built in a day, and neither will the Red Devils return to the top of continental football, winning the biggest trophies, without a few hiccups along the way.
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To have lost at home to Leeds is doubly painful, and it's crucial that Bruno Fernandes' side now rally and secure a seat at Europe's elite table. To do that, though, Manuel Ugarte cannot go anywhere near the starting line-up again, and a replacement must be signed this summer.
Man United want to replace Manuel Ugarte this summer
Against Leeds, Ugarte showed why he had not started in Carrick's system this season, only peripherally involved since that 2-2 draw with Burnley under Darren Fletcher in January.
As pundit Roy Keane said at half-time, "He has to go."
Manuel Ugarte vs Leeds
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From a defensive perspective, the Uruguayan did okay, but his errant passing and failure to proect Senne Lammens' goal underscored the point that he must leave. He is one-dimensional and unsure of himself.
Casemiro, 34, may be leaving, but Ugarte cannot stay. While the likes of Elliot Anderson and Sandro Tonali have been identified as top targets, United do have another midfielder in their sights.
According to Caught Offside, Sporting Lisbon's Morten Hjulmand has been identified as a target for many clubs across Europe, though interest from England is strongest. Man United are joined by Liverpool in their interest, with both players said to be leading the race to secure his signature.
Morten Hjulmand for Sporting Lisbon
The 25-year-old Ugarte shares with Hjulmand a connection to the Portuguese giants, having left Lisbon to join Paris Saint-Germain in 2023, but there's a strong chance that lightning would not strike twice if INEOS were to land the Danish star, a midfielder who would prove a big upgrade on Ugarte.
The midfielder boasts a release clause of £69m, meaning it should be relatively straightforward to prise hm away from Portugal.
Why Morten Hjulmand would be a big Manuel Ugarte upgrade
Hjulmand, who is 26, has been with Sporting for nearly three years, joining from Lecce in Italy and developing into one of the most well-rounded midfielders in Europe. Though he's still waiting to ascend to the very top of the continental pecking order, the Denmark international has been described as "one of Europe’s best defensive midfielders” by analyst Alex Brice.
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The complete player, Hjulmand might not have as high a ceiling as some of United's other transfer targets, but his strong baseline underscores the sense in striking a deal and ensuring Ugarte has a clear passage away from the INEOS project.
In the Champions League, Hjulmand has been immense, crunching and combative when fighting off attacks but also positive on the ball, creating 1.3 chances on average each game.
Moreover, he is energetic and active across the park. This season on the European front, he has averaged 6.1 ball recoveries per game. Ugarte, conversely, managed just the one against Leeds, underling the fact that he's not quite what the Manchester side thought they would be paying for.
Sometimes, it's best to cut your losses. This is the case for United, who will not hit new heights with Ugarte in their team. Hjulmand would help reshape a midfield that is about to lose a veteran in Casemiro who once again showed his strength in attacking phases.
The sharp-minded will perhaps remember Hjulmand's thumping strike against England at EURO 2024 as an illustration of his offensive quality, but he is a number six at his core, and this kind of roundedness is exactly what United - and Ugarte - have been missing.
After all, though Ugarte has failed to meet expectations since joining Old Trafford from PSG in a £50.5m deal, the signs were these in Ligue 1. He only won 53% of his ground duels in 2023/24 (though he did make many), and he only created one big chance across 26 appearances. This has always been a shallow skillset, and for the good of the United project, he needs to leave this summer.
Let's hope that INEOS and director Jason Wilcox manage to convince a Premier League superstar such as Anderson or Tonali to join, but Hjulmand could be the perfect additional signing to ensure enough depth is packed into an ambitious and progressive project.
Man United midfielder Manuel Ugarte Related
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