What Man Utd can expect from Manuel Ugarte

Robin Bairner

• Updated: 23 Aug 2024 07:43 BST
• 9 min read

Manuel Ugarte is finally poised to join Manchester United from PSG after weeks of negotiations.

The Transfers Podcast, in conversation with David Ornstein, revealed how a battle of egos has dragged out the Man Utd deal in a protracted manner, but the end is finally in sight for the Uruguayan to move to Old Trafford.

However, Ornstein explained that there is still work to be done.

EXCLUSIVE: Man Utd loan move for Ugarte set to be finalised

Current ETV

Manuel Ugarte

M, DM (C)

PSG

Manuel Ugarte

M, DM (C)

PSG

€41M

ETV Range

€30.7M - €51.2M

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“Ugarte has only had a year at PSG and he was targeted very high on Manchester United's list from before this summer window coming into the market,” Ornstein said. “And so they started conversations.

“He was being pursued heavily by PSG and Chelsea and others too. It has not gone to plan and so there's this opportunity to strike for Manchester United and for other clubs who are interested in him. It's not like they're the sole suitor but PSG initially wanted what they paid for him - around €60m.

“Despite what everybody is seeing and asking us relentlessly, there's not an agreement in place yet.”

But Man Utd are moving in the right direction, so what can fans expect from the 23-year-old, who has an Expected Transfer Value (ETV) of €41 million.

READ MORE: Premier League summer transfers 2024: All the Done Deals

More a Casemiro than a Kante

Ugarte has been favourably compared to N’Golo Kante, who revolutionised the role of defensive midfielder while with Chelsea, but is this fair?

Ugarte is an easy player to sum up: a defensive monster. He offers little going forward, but ask him to destroy the opposition’s attacks and he will be quite at home.

He won 4.33 tackles per 90 last season and 1.97 interceptions last season with PSG. This put him in the 99th and 97th percentile among defensive midfielders last season – putting him amongst the elite of the elite - according to FBRef.

His pass completion was high, showing particular aptitude in terms of medium- and long-range passing, while he also rated surprisingly well in successful take-ons.

Manuel Ugarte vs Casemiro: Playing Style (2023/24)

But don’t expect the all-action of Kante. Ugarte is not as mobile as the World Cup winner and does not have the same box-to-box capacity of the Frenchman. Going forwards, he is limited. These are the key reasons why he has lost his place in Luis Enrique’s very precise and prescribed style at PSG.

Data analytics firm SciSports compare him more in style to Casemiro or, perhaps more intriguingly, Real Sociedad’s Martin Zubimendi, who has been linked with a string of Premier League clubs this summer and turned down Liverpool.

SciSports, meanwhile, actually ranks Ugarte below Casemiro and Scott McTominay in terms of current ability but indicates that he has a very high ceiling. The data analytics experts indicate that he could reach the standard Bruno Fernandes is currently at.

Ugarte, then, can excel for Man Utd given the precise role of breaking up play at Old Trafford and can develop into a key player for Erik ten Hag’s side, just don’t expect him to have the generational impact that Kante has offered in the past.