Sir Jim Ratcliffe has become so fed up with one Manchester United star that he is now ready to sanction his sale this summer, despite having only limited involvement in transfer activity itself.
The club’s co-owner oversees the day-to-day running at Old Trafford and would have been one of the key decision-makers behind the decision to sack Ruben Amorim at the turn of the year in favour of Michael Carrick’s interim appointment.
It is not yet decided whether the former midfielder – who has exceeded expectations in the short-term role, with United topping the Premier League in the table since his arrival – will be given the chance to continue beyond this summer. But his boss’s willingness to sell one player could spark tension between ownership and management, with a clear disagreement over his future.
Sir Jim Ready to Sanction Manuel Ugarte’s Sale
Signed from Paris Saint-Germain in 2024 for an initial £42m, which could rise to £50.7m with bonuses, Manuel Ugarte has often stuck out like a sore thumb in United’s midfield. The Uruguayan defensive midfielder has a tendency to pick up yellow cards, and his erratic tackling in the engine room has meant his reputation at Old Trafford has taken a very obvious hit.
As a result, the club is reportedly seeking around £35 million this summer to wave him goodbye, cutting their losses as the Red Devils go about rebuilding their midfield unit, according to Sky Sports. This comes as Casemiro’s departure is also confirmed, with the former Real Madrid midfielder seeing out the final months of his contract.
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With five matches left in the Premier League season, the 25-year-old has played 69 times since his move to England. In that time, he’s managed two goals and six assists, while also picking up a worrying 16 yellow cards.
Michael Carrick Likes Ugarte ‘A Lot’
A move in the coming months looks to be the right decision for all parties. But Carrick, whose future also remains uncertain, remains a big fan of the ‘unseen’ qualities Ugarte brings to the team. After a month in charge of United, Carrick said, as per Manchester Evening News:
“I like Manu a lot. He’s been terrific around the group, and I’m hugely impressed with his attitude and how he goes about it and his training qualities.
“He has a lot of really good attributes. When the team is winning, there’s obviously a big upside to that. And there’s always, for the one or two boys that maybe haven’t played so much, obviously it makes it a little bit tougher to get in the team, but I think that creates that competition as well, in a real healthy way, that everyone’s pushing each other.”
He added: “Manu’s obviously desperate to get on the pitch more, and he’s doing everything he can in training, and he is a big part of the group, so I think it’s just a case of the results and the boys playing so well. There’s going to be times when we might need to change things and freshen things up and then certainly he is a big part of that.”