Midfield outcast Manuel Ugarte is seeking a fresh start in Serie A as Ruben Amorim’s squad overhaul gathers pace, leaving Jorge Mendes to broker a high-profile summer exit.
Who would be your perfect midfield signing?
Manchester United seem to have inadvertently named a new 'bomb-squad', similar to the one listed under Rúben Amorim last summer.
This saw the departures of Marcus Rashford, Rasmus Hojlund, Andre Onana, and Jadon Sancho on loan, as well as Antony's permanent exit.
It looks like those loan moves will become permanent this summer, and the board expects to see names like Joshua Zirkzee and Tyrell Malacia move on this summer.
Manuel Ugarte is another player expected to leave the Reds this transfer window, as the Uruguayan's agents are pushing for a move to a new club.
Ugarte plans to leave United
Ugarte arrived in 2024 with great expectations. The 25-year-old was expected to be the long-term replacement for Casemiro, who had set the bar high during his final season at United.
Ugarte was unable to fill his boots, having arrived with a £40 million price tag, the board expected immediate dividends, but since Erik Ten Hag's sacking, the midfielder has slowly been phased out of the starting eleven in favour of Casemiro's experiecne.
The 25-year-old last featured against Leeds in a 2-1 loss, in which he played 90 minutes. Since then, the partnership of Kobbie Mainoo and Casemiro has completely locked down that midfield double pivot.
Florian Plettenberg revealed that Ugarte held talks with Galatasaray in the summer of last year, but the move fell through, and that the player has now decided to leave United this summer.
Now, OneFootball has reported that Jorge Mendes, Ugarte's agent, has been offering the Uruguayan to several 'major' Serie A clubs, including AC Milan, Napoli, and Juventus, who are harbouring interest.
The departure is likely to happen, with both the club side and the player's camp pushing for a move.
Who could be the midfield replacement?
With both Ugarte and Casemiro's departures expected at the end of the season, and a crucial Champions League campaign on the horizon, multiple midfield players are required this summer to be serious challengers both in domestic competitions and in Europe.
Mateus Fernandes' links have ramped up of late. The Portuguese midfielder has had a stellar debut campaign for West Ham after signing for around £40 million from Southampton. The 21-year-old holds the potential to become a serious contender for United's midfield next season.
Elliot Anderson is an obvious candidate for a summer signing. Many top European clubs are fighting to secure his signature. The Englishman has been revolutionary both for England and Nottingham Forest this season, and a high-profile move away from Nottingham is expected this summer.
Carlos Baleba and Adam Wharton round up the Premier League names linked with the Reds, as the board targets players with English top division experience, but both players have been reported with high price tags, which may cause the recruitment team to look elsewhere.
Casemiro's exit will leave a humongous hole in the squad's midfield, and the sufficient depth Ugarte provided will also be detrimental. The board must make the perfect couple of signings this summer, as fans expect the end-of-season form to continue into next year.