Ugarte doesn’t have to play again as Man Utd target £35m star after enquiry
2026 can’t come soon enough, with Manchester United rounding off a dismal 2025 in desperate fashion following Tuesday’s 1-1 draw with winless Wolverhampton Wanderers.
The start of a new year provides the chance for Ruben Amorim and co to turn over a new leaf, however, with the start of the January window also marking the perfect time to implement such change.
As the recent stalemate showcased, the United boss must surely consign his much-maligned 3-4-3 set-up to the past, with the same also perhaps true of midfield struggler, Manuel Ugarte.
The Uruguayan – who ranks in the top 1% of midfielders in Europe’s top five leagues for tackles per 90, as per FBref – can’t be faulted for effort, but his quality in possession is sorely lacking, having also scored just twice since his arrival back in August 2024.
Reportedly given a dressing down by Amorim following last season’s Europa League final, the 24-year-old is already on borrowed time, with midfield replacements now in the works.
Man Utd lining up potential Ugarte replacement
The suggestion was that after the Bilbao showpiece in May, in which Ugarte was an unused substitute, he was targeted by Amorim for looking like a different player to the one he had coached at Sporting CP.
Is there truly any way back from such criticism? Well, if recent reports are to be believed, perhaps not, with United said to be open to offers for their £42m signing.
Turkish giants Galatasaray are among those believed to be ready to strike in January, bringing a possible end to a disappointing 18 months in Manchester for the ex-Paris Saint-Germain man.
In need of midfield depth, the Daily Mail has named Atletico Madrid’s Conor Gallagher as one of the players on INEOS’ January shortlist, with the Red Devils said to have already made an enquiry regarding the Englishman over the summer.
The report suggests that the 25-year-old would be available for a fee of around £35m, with Diego Simeone’s side unlikely to sanction a loan exit for the former Chelsea man.
Why Gallagher could be the perfect January signing for United
If the Istanbul-based interest in Ugarte does ramp up in the near future, there is an argument to be made that the Wolves draw could have been his final outing for the club, not least with Kobbie Mainoo nearing a return to action.
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Unfancied by Erik ten Hag from the off, the defensive-minded asset appears to lack the quality required to thrive at the elite level, with scout Liam Canning suggesting that he “doesn’t even look like a Premier League footballer”.
Gallagher, while cast off by Chelsea in the same summer as Ugarte arrived in Manchester, has at least proven he can thrive in England’s top tier, with his final season at Stamford Bridge proving particularly fruitful.
Indeed, the eye-catching all-rounder scored and assisted 16 goals in all competitions in 2023/24, while even captaining the Blues on occasion, with it having been of some surprise when he was moved on by Todd Boehly and co that summer.
The midfield “machine”, as hailed by ex-teammate Moises Caicedo, had first truly caught the eye while on loan at Crystal Palace in 2021/22, registering 13 goals and assists for the Eagles across league and cup.
That box-crashing quality has again been evident in the Spanish capital, with Gallagher chalking up 14 goals and assists in 75 games for the LaLiga side, having creditably made himself a reliable presence under the enigmatic Simeone.
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Unlike Ugarte, who has scored just six senior career goals, there is an end product to Gallagher’s game, while he too compares favourably in a defensive sense, after ranking in the top 3% for interceptions.
Conor Gallagher – LaLiga record
Stat (*per game)
25/26
24/25
Games
18
32
Starts
4
19
Goals
2
3
Assists
0
3
Big chances created
1
1
Key passes*
0.2
0.4
Pass accuracy*
90%
87%
Total duels won*
2.1
49%
Recoveries*
1.8
3.3
Stats via Sofascore
He is the type of player that United seemingly need in the centre of the park, someone who can win the ball back in high areas and press effectively, as shown by how he ranks in the top 5% of LaLiga midfielders for tackles won in the final third.
It’s fair to say he isn’t the creative type, ranking in just the bottom 23% for assists and bottom 34% for shot-creating actions, but with Bruno Fernandes and Amad in tow, that burden is already being shouldered elsewhere on the pitch.
Simply put, having witnessed Ugarte toil for so long now, Amorim just needs a Premier League-proven talent to re-energise the midfield department.
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ByRobbie Walls