Who is Manuel Ugarte? The Sporting ace wanted by Chelsea, Liverpool and Aston Villa

Robin Bairner

Updated: 23 May 2023 08:37 CDT
14 min read

Sporting CP midfielder Manuel Ugarte is a player to watch in the summer transfer window of 2023.

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The Uruguay international has caught the eye of several leading clubs, with Liverpool credited with an interest in the young player and FootballTransfers exclusively revealing that Chelsea want him and also able to confirm that Aston Villa are among the clubs also looking at him.

But why is he a player who has become so coveted by leading teams?

What position does Manuel Ugarte play?

Manuel Ugarte is a central midfield player.

He typically behaves like a ball-winning midfielder, which means he typically performs defensive roles for Sporting.

Ugarte has also filled in as a centre-back for a few minutes in the 2022/23 season, but this is certainly not a primary position for him.

How good is Manuel Ugarte?

Ugarte has been among the strongest central midfielders in Liga Portugal Bwin this season.

His qualities are primarily in stopping the opposition playing effectively. He recovers possession particularly well and has a strong sense of positioning.

There are few significant weaknesses in his game, even if he does not absolutely excel in one particular category. Where he has struggled over the past season is around the opposing box, particularly in terms of his shooting, though clubs looking to sign him are unlikely to be too interested in this aspect of his game.

Manuel Ugarte vs Liga Portugal midfielders: 2022/23

What clubs are interested in Manuel Ugarte?

FootballTransfers has been able to confirm interest in Ugarte from Liverpool, while we have also exclusively revealed that Chelsea are watching the player. In addition, we can confirm that Aston Villa are a third Premier League side for sure following the player.

Tottenham are another club linked with the midfielder, particularly with Sporting boss Ruben Amorim linked with the Spurs job.

Sporting have reportedly blocked him from speaking to clubs, although he has a €60 million release clause in his deal. FootballTransfers understands that a transfer might be possible around the €45m mark.

His Estimated Transfer Value (ETV) is €20m.