Will Manchester United’s Purchase of Ugarte Displease Mainoo?

Kobbie Mainoo of Manchester United once revealed the type of midfielder he prefers to play alongside in midfield, but the new signing Manuel Ugarte may not be the right fit.

After more than two months of persistent negotiations, Manchester United has officially reached an agreement to sign Ugarte from Paris Saint-Germain for a total transfer fee of 60 million euros (50 million euros upfront and 10 million euros in performance-related add-ons).

It is expected that the Uruguayan star will arrive at Carrington today to undergo a medical examination before officially becoming a Red Devil. According to many reports in England, if all paperwork and procedures are completed promptly, the 23-year-old could be eligible to play for Erik ten Hag’s team in the match against Liverpool in the Premier League this weekend.

Manchester United fans are eagerly anticipating Ugarte’s appearance on the Old Trafford pitch as soon as possible, especially with Casemiro and Christian Eriksen aging and no longer maintaining the form needed to compete in the tough Premier League environment. The dream scenario of the Ugarte-Mainoo duo dominating the midfield with youthful energy could become a reality in the upcoming clash with Liverpool.

While fans are closely watching every move Ugarte makes, not everyone at Manchester United may be thrilled about the former Sporting Lisbon star’s arrival, possibly including Mainoo.

In a recent interview on MUTV, Mainoo, when asked about the type of midfielder he would like to partner with, didn’t hesitate to name Manchester United legend Paul Scholes.

“I would say Scholes. Even though if the two of us were to start together in midfield, we might lack defensive strength, I’ve always wanted to play with Scholes. I admire everything about him—his passing ability, movement off the ball, and shooting. Plus, Scholes had a unique tactical mindset. He was truly a fantastic player. Of course, this scenario will never happen because Scholes has retired, but I want to play alongside a midfielder with a similar style,” Mainoo said.

Mainoo mentioned passing, movement, and tactical thinking as ideal qualities in a midfield partner, but Ugarte is not the kind of maestro that Mainoo desires.

Rising to prominence during his time at Sporting, Ugarte has been praised as a destroyer similar to Joao Palhinha, a former player at Estádio José Alvalade before Ugarte arrived in Portugal. The Uruguayan star takes pride in his ball-winning and interception abilities.

“I’m very happy if I can win the ball back for the team,” Ugarte said on PSG.com at the start of the 2023/24 season.

Whether at Sporting or PSG, Ugarte has always been paired with midfielders who excel at distribution to compensate for his limited tactical vision when the team needs to advance the ball upfield. The Athletic described Ugarte as “a protector of the pianists rather than a craftsman.” Ugarte rarely makes progressive passes, often opting for simple lateral passes, which is a significant reason why coach Luis Enrique frequently benched him.

Enrique, a Spanish coach from a country known for producing technically gifted midfielders like Xavi, Andreas Iniesta, Sergio Busquets, and Rodri, does not favor a workhorse like Ugarte for the number six role.

Last season in Ligue 1, Ugarte averaged 4.1 progressive passes and 0.7 key passes per 90 minutes, numbers that are below the league average of 5.4 and 1.2, respectively.

Regarding positioning, which Mainoo also mentioned, Ugarte ranks among PSG’s top players in tackles and duels, but his movement off the ball when the team is not in possession is a persistent weakness.

The Athletic cited the Champions League match between PSG and AC Milan last season, where Ugarte started alongside two teammates skilled at progressing and building play—Vitinha and Warren Zaire-Emery. However, during his 60 minutes on the pitch, Ugarte was repeatedly tormented by Ruben Loftus-Cheek. The 2001-born player was easily bypassed with just one or two passes due to poor positioning, creating significant gaps between the midfield and defense for the opposition to exploit. Throughout the match, Ugarte won only 3 out of 15 duels, and after this game, Enrique replaced the 23-year-old with Fabian Ruiz for the remainder of the Champions League campaign.

Ugarte’s style of play might irritate Mainoo slightly, but it’s important to remember that the former Sporting star is a dream target for coach Ten Hag. The Dutch manager must have devised plans to integrate these two players, so Manchester United fans can still believe that Ugarte will completely transform the Red Devils in the near future.