Manchester United are reportedly set to push for an agreement to sign Erik ten Hag's next new star in the coming days.
Man Utd transfer news
So far, so good for Manchester United. They've strengthened their backline with Noussair Mazraoui, Matthijs de Ligt and Leny Yoro and they've added much-needed firepower to their attack by welcoming Joshua Zirkzee. And to really cap things off, the new striker scored the winner in an opening-day 1-0 victory over Fulham.
That said, things could yet get even better for the Red Devils. The one missing piece to their transfer window has been a central midfielder to replace Casemiro. The Brazilian struggled throughout the last campaign, showing all the signs that his legs were beginning to struggle amid the intensity of the Premier League.
At 32 years old, those signs are unlikely to slow down, creating quite the problem for those at Old Trafford to solve using the transfer window. On that front, names such as Youssouf Fofana and Sander Berge have been mentioned, but one man has always been the main target, with a recent update indicating that's still very much the case.
According to Pete O'Rourke of Football Insider, Manchester United are now set to push for an agreement to sign Manuel Ugarte in the coming days. The midfielder has already been given the green light to complete a move to Old Trafford, but the Premier League giants are yet to reach Paris Saint-Germain's reported £50m+ valuation.
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Whether that changes in the coming days remains to be seen as United step up their pursuit. In a summer-long saga, Ugarte could finally get his move.
"Magnificent" Ugarte would seal superb Man Utd summer
After finishing as low as eighth in the Premier League last season, anyone at Old Trafford would have been quick to admit that Ten Hag's side needed additions all across the pitch. Now, by the end of the summer transfer window, the Red Devils could have exactly that if they complete their overhaul with the arrival of Ugarte, who could slot straight into Casemiro's role.
Progressive Carries
16
12
Progressive Passes
87
112
Tackles Won
57
56
Ball Recoveries
181
133
Ugarte's ability to recover possession would be particularly crucial when replacing Casemiro, who struggled off the ball last season as he edges past the peak of his powers.
Earning plenty of praise at PSG, former manager Luis Enrique said via PSG Report last season: "He was magnificent, wonderful, with or without the ball. He recovered balls, pressed very high, intercepted balls. He had a 10/10 performance.”
Now, it's United who are looking to benefit from that magnificence to complete a summer they will hope to see quickly become a turning point. The Red Devils are certainly among the winners of the window this summer, given their clear upgrades.