Manchester United willing to take transfer gamble to bring in top European midfielder
Manchester United have doubled down on their efforts to bring in Manuel Ugarte from Paris Saint-Germain, dumping their efforts elsewhere to concentrate on his signing.
The Uruguayan defensive midfielder has been superb for PSG since joining from Portuguese side Sporting last year, ranking as one of European football’s highest-performing players for both tackles and interceptions.
That could prove useful to a rather callow Manchester United side who conceded 58 goals in their 38 league games last season, conceding three or more goals on eight occasions in the league – including to Crystal Palace, Bournemouth and Brighton – and the same again in four of their six Champions League group stage games.
Manchester United ready to surrender Joao Neves to get Manuel Ugarte
United’s pursuit of Ugarte has supposedly now led them to drop their interest in Benfica’s 19-year-old starlet Joao Neves, who is also wanted by PSG.
Between the French and Portuguese media, the trigonometry on this transfer love triangle is this: United would ideally like to maintain an interest in both Ugarte and Neves, but prefer Ugarte. Therefore, if they drop out of the running for Neves to allow PSG to sign him as a replacement for Ugarte, it would make the Parisian club more open to selling. “If you dump your boyfriend I’ll let you have this lad I’ve been flirting with,” basically.
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We’re absolutely certain there is no way that could backfire and leave United with neither player while PSG wheel away into the night shouting ‘a plus tard, les connards!’ with both Ugarte and Neves high-fiving in the back of their Bugatti.
United are expected to have a busy summer as they aim to build on the disappointment of finishing eighth in the Premier League last season, though they did end the campaign celebrating a surprisingly convincing FA Cup final victory over cross-city arch-nemeses Manchester City.
They appear to be on the verge of a deal to sign Bologna forward Joshua Zirkzee, who will be in Manchester for a medical on Friday.
Bayern Munich defender Mathijs de Ligt has also been linked with a move to Old Trafford, with another Dutchman, Xavi Simons, has emerged as another potential target as ten Hag looks to bolster his squad ahead of the new season.
