Manuel Ugarte’s future at Manchester United has taken yet another twist, and it’s not a positive one for any parties involved.
The 2026 World Cup was the perfect opportunity for several of Man United’s fringe players to impress, using the tournament as a shop window.
Marcus Rashford, especially, is thriving on the international stage, and should have no shortage of suitors should he leave Old Trafford permanently this summer.
Ugarte, on the other hand, was always going to be a much more difficult figure to move on, with a severe lack of links to other clubs thus far.
It’s not like the Red Devils are holding out for any miracle profit on the midfielder. They just want him off the books, but even that might be impossible.
Ripping up his contract might have to be spoken about now, with the latest scenes at the World Cup only adding to Man Unitd’s woes before the summer window has truly got going.
Manuel Ugarte at centre of distressing World Cup scenes
Marcelo Bielsa’s Uruguay have crashed and burned out of the World Cup, losing 1-0 to Spain on Saturday, 27 June, seeing them finish third in Group H.
Two points, of course, isn’t enough to advance as one of the best third-placed teams, so the South Americans have limped out of the tournament, to say the least.
But it’s so much worse for United’s Ugarte. Despite starting the game, the 25-year-old needed to be stretchered off due to injury just short of the half-time whistle.
It was quite a difficult moment to watch unfold, having injured himself attempting to regain possession, and it’s not clear just how serious the issue is.
Supporters are beginning to speculate, with many believing that the midfielder has injured his ACL, and that really would throw a spanner in United’s transfer plans.
Who else must Man United sell this summer?
While Ugarte’s future remains uncertain, Michael Carrick can’t allow for this setback to derail United’s plans ahead of the 2026-27 campaign.
Players like Mason Mount, Joshua Zirkzee and Altay Bayindir could all be upgraded, and definitely should be, with Champions League football on the horizon.
The current squad is nowhere near good enough to compete at the very top level. If Bruno Fernandes’ assists dry up, there’s very little cover at Old Trafford.
Last summer was an exciting one, with Bryan Mbeumo, Benjamin Sesko and Senne Lammens all coming in, but this time around, it could be a little more frustrating for the fans.
