A €60 million blow for PSG? Various sources report that the club of the capital has set out to recruit the young (22 years) Uruguayan international midfielder (8 sec.) Manuel Ugarte, under contract until 2026. €60 million is the amount of its release clause. From the top of his 82 meter, the interested should be the first Parisian recruit of the offseason according to L'Equipe. Good pickaxe? Presentation of this player presented aggressively and tireless.
Arrived through the back door in Europe
Trained at CA Fénix, a Montevideo club, arrived through the back door in Europe and in this case in Portugal, within the modest club of Famalicao, in January 2021. Transfer estimated at €4.1 million. It took him only half a season and 21 matches (1 goal, 2 assists) to catch the eye of Sporting CP recruiters, who bet €10.5 million on him the following summer. Regularly used but not always a starter in his first season (38 matches, 1 goal, 2 assists), he has established himself as a permanent member of the starting 11 for the second (47 matches, 1 assist), notably playing the two matches against OM (2-4 and 0-2) in the Champions League.
Manuel Ugarte may soon have the opportunity to meet Jordan Veretout again. Gerardo Santos
Present at the World Cup... without playing
His arrival at Sporting coincided with his great debut in the A selection. It was on September 6, 2021, with 20 minutes in a 4-2 win against Bolivia. Since then, the Montevideo native has worn the Celeste jersey seven times. He was part of the Uruguayan squad at the 2022 World Cup but... did not take off from the bench in Qatar. It remains to be seen if the new coach, a certain Marcelo Bielsa, will make him one of his basic men for the future.
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A well-known agent in Paris
This will not surprise anyone: Manuel Ugarte's agent is none other than Jorge Mendes. Or rather, the all-powerful Jorge Mendes, always more present in Paris since the appointment of his compatriot Luis Campos as football advisor of PSG. Yesterday it was the late Mino Raiola, today it is clearly him. Last summer, Mendes already placed Vitinha and Renato Sanches with the Red and Blue. Danilo Pereira is too. Last but not least, the Portuguese agent also represents the titi El Chadaille Bitshiabu. Many sources also lend PSG the intention to put the grapple on another of its customers, Bernardo Silva.
Already eight caps with the Uruguayan national team for Manuel Ugarte. Yoshio Tsunoda
The archetype of the Uruguayan environment
Ugarte is a recuperating midfielder, hardworking, snarling and even stubborn, as evidenced by the most faithful followers of the Portuguese championship. A tireless player and good at recovery, but who also has a beautiful vision of play, a vista, a good paw. Clearly, he is not clumsy to the recovery. At Sporting, this midfielder between 6 and 8 regularly plays as a double-pivot, alongside Japanese international Hidemasa Morita, more 8 than 6 for his part. This gives an idea of the possible associations in Paris. Observers fear that he will still be a little tender to make the leap to a giant of Europe. Above all, they are surprised by the amount mentioned for his transfer... Remember that the last "kid" arrived in Paris from Sporting CP did not take long to blend into the mold, it is Nuno Mendes. Still, it is not difficult to find votes to say that Ugarte was Sporting's best player in 2022-23.
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Liverpool in the ranks?
This is not the first time we talk about Manuel Ugarte at PSG. The first rumors date back to... September 2022. He would have no secrets for Luis Campos. The 22-year-old, however, is not envious only at the Parc des Princes. Several English clubs are pinching for him according to some sources, including Tottenham, Chelsea, Aston Villa and Newcastle, but also and especially Liverpool. In recent days, however, the Reds seemed more inclined to bet on Brighton's Argentine world champion Alexis MacAllister in order to strengthen their midfield. In Spain, we read that Jorge Mendes proposed him to Barça to succeed Sergio Busquets.