Manchester United Can Do Better Than Manuel Ugarte

• Manchester United Are Closing In On Signing Manuel Ugarte
• The Red Devils Can Find A Better Defensive Midfielder

Manchester United want to sign Uruguayan defensive midfielder Manuel Ugarte as part of a needed midfield revamp at the club. The 23-year-old joined PSG last summer but failed to get nail down a starting spot in Luis Enrique’s team for most of last season.

The former Barca boss often preferred other players to the former Sporting Lisbon enforcer, and the French champions are looking to cut their losses early.

Manchester United want the PSG midfielder because they expect to lose some midfielders this summer.

United’s interest in Manuel Ugarte is understandable, but the reason why he doesn’t fit in at PSG should be a red flag for United sporting directors.

Ugarte struggled at PSG last season due to the French giant’s approach to the game. Ugarte offered little when it came to progressing the play, maneuvering the ball in difficult spaces, and handling pressure. This was why Enrique mostly opted for the highly technical trio of Vitinha, Warren Zaire-Emery, and Fabian Ruiz.

Nowadays in the Premier League, players who find it hard to play under pressure do not last long, especially when they play for a top team.

More teams press higher than ever before in the Premier League, so midfielders must be comfortable playing under pressure. It is the sole reason why Kobbie Mainoo broke into the Manchester United first team last season.

A defensive midfielder is responsible for breaking up play, and Manuel Ugarte is good at that. However, he is very limited in the progressive phase of the game and definitely not better than Casemiro.

A different Option To Manuel Ugarte

Manchester United can consider other options. One that stands out is Crystal Palace’s Adam Wharton.

Wharton has previously played as a right winger, an attacking midfielder, a left & right midfielder, and a center midfielder before settling into the defensive midfield role at Blackburn.

His history shows how technical and adaptable he is in every phase of play. He is not as limited as Manuel Ugarte, and at the young age of 20, he can reach even higher levels with time.

Manchester United’s squad revamp should include players that can last at the club beyond the immediate need. Adam Wharton looks like that type of player, and for a fee that could be lower than PSG’s valuation of Manuel Ugarte, signing the Palace midfielder is much more reasonable.