Manchester United have told Paris Saint-Germain that they are unwilling to meet the £58.9m asking price for Manuel Ugarte, according to reports from France.
This summer has been busy for Manchester United as they have quickly secured two significant signings.
They completed a £36.5m deal for Joshua Zirkzee last week and followed that up with a £52m acquisition of Lille centre-back Leny Yoro on Thursday.
These signings demonstrate United’s intent to bolster their squad ahead of the new season.
After these deals, United are now more determined to firm-up the midfield.
Manuel Ugarte is a name on Erik ten Hag’s list of must-haves to reinforce it.
The Uruguay international is said to have agreed on personal terms with United for the move, despite it not being a Champions League team.
Such commitment suggests that the player believes a significant role alongside Erik ten Hag is practically guaranteed.
But negotiations have been frustratingly slow, with reports from L’Equipe claiming that PSG are standing firm over their £58.9m asking price for the 23-year-old midfielder.
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United, currently unable to match this fee without offloading some players, finds themselves in a challenging position.
The club’s leadership is now contemplating proposing a loan arrangement to PSG, which would include an option to purchase Ugarte at the season’s end.
This approach could provide a viable solution, allowing United to secure the player while managing their financial constraints.
PSG signed Ugarte from Sporting CP last year in a deal worth £51.1m and is keen to recoup their investment.
Ugarte had a strong season, featuring in 27 matches across all competitions for PSG.
Despite his contributions, Luis Enrique chose to bench him for both legs of the Champions League semi-final against Borussia Dortmund, suggesting he might not be central to PSG’s future plans.
In a May interview with Prime Video, Ugarte shared his hopes of remaining at PSG, saying,
“I hope so, I’d love to stay here. We will see what’s going to happen.”
This sentiment reflects his initial commitment to PSG, despite the current transfer speculations.
As of now, Ugarte is on holiday after participating in the Copa America with Uruguay, where his team reached the semi-finals.
His future remains uncertain, hinging on the outcome of ongoing negotiations between Manchester United and PSG.
