Manuel Ugarte has struggled to assert himself in a Manchester United shirt since moving to Old Trafford from Paris Saint-Germain in the summer of 2024.

Even under Ruben Amorim, the manager who got the best out of him at Sporting CP, the midfielder failed to find any kind of form. 

Having only played 791 minutes of Premier League football this season, the equivalent of just 8,7 full 90s, Ugarte is reportedly keen to take the next step in career this summer.

Galatasaray were strongly linked to Ugarte in January, but United were reluctant to sanction a move for the Uruguay international as they would've needed to sign a replacement.

Given  Amorim had only just been sacked, and United opted to appoint an interim head coach in Michael Carrick, the club were not willing to sign any players at the time, preferring to wait until the summer.

Ugarte is reportedly attracting interest from Serie A, with reigning champions Napoli and Juventus said to be following his situation ahead of the summer transfer window.

According to NapoliMagazine, Napoli are looking to bolster their midfield this summer and have been offered the chance to sign Ugarte by his agent, Jorge Mendes. However, Napoli are now said to be targeting a move for reported United target Joao Gomes.

A potential reason why Gomes is attractive for Napoli is that he will likely be available for a discounted price, with Wolves almost certain to be relegated.

Various reports also claim that Juventus have scouted Ugarte. A deal would likely be difficult, though. The Italian club would want to sign Ugarte on loan, while United would prefer a permanent transfer.

Ugarte should be one of the first players out of the door at Old Trafford this summer, especially if Carrick is appointed on a long-term deal.

Ugarte has not started a single game since Carrick took over, making it very clear he simply isn't rated by the United head coach.

There is a reason he was sold by Paris Saint-Germain after only one season. He offers next to nothing on the ball. Opposition teams often trigger their press as soon as Ugarte receives the ball, as they know how vulnerable he is. Out of possession, he is very good in the high-press, but apart from that, he offers very little else.

Another year on the bench will only decrease Ugarte's value further, meaning United should sell now, even if it's for less than what they would ideally want. Any funds from Ugarte's sale could be put towards United's midfield rebuild this summer.