Manchester United's Manuel Ugarte Dilemma: A Long-Term Commitment
Manchester United are bracing themselves for a Manuel Ugarte headache that could run for years, with the club locked into a long, expensive commitment to a midfielder their new hierarchy were already ready to move on from.
Ratcliffe’s early verdict – and the deal that never came
Ugarte arrived at Old Trafford in 2024 for a fee of more than £50 million, a signing meant to anchor United’s midfield for the long term. Two flat seasons later, the mood around him inside the club had shifted sharply.
According to The Athletic, co-owner Sir Jim Ratcliffe had already made up his mind by April. After watching Ugarte in person against Leeds United, Ratcliffe was described as personally keen to see the Uruguayan sold, a blunt verdict on a player still only 25 and theoretically entering his prime.
United went into the summer window ready to listen to offers. He wasn’t just available – he was actively on the market.
The problem? His form and his wages.
Numbers that don’t add up
ESPN report that United accepted they would have to take a heavy hit to move Ugarte on. To help balance the books, they needed a bid in the region of £20 million. That would already have represented a loss of more than £30 million in just two years.
Even that reduced fee looked ambitious. Ugarte’s recent performances had done little to tempt suitors, and his salary at Old Trafford only pushed potential buyers further away. The most realistic scenario was a loan, with United hoping to find a club prepared to cover his wages in full.
The best-case outcome was no longer a clean sale. It was damage limitation.
Then came the World Cup.
World Cup injury changes everything – but not enough
Playing for Uruguay at the 2026 World Cup finals this summer, Ugarte suffered a serious knee injury. Any chance of a move – permanent or loan – disappeared in an instant.
Instead of trimming the wage bill and resetting the midfield, United are now committed to keeping Ugarte at least until next summer. The FIFA Club Protection Programme will cover his salary while he recovers, easing the immediate financial strain, but that doesn’t solve the underlying problem.
It only delays it.
Ugarte is under contract until June 2029. That’s nearly five more years on the books from his arrival, and at least three more seasons in which United may still be searching for a way out if his form and fitness don’t rebound.
As ESPN put it, this is exactly the sort of long, awkward contract situation that new chief executive Omar Berrada and technical director Jason Wilcox are determined to avoid as they reshape the squad. Yet here they are, stuck with a case study in what they want to move away from.
What began as a bold midfield investment is now a slow-burning issue that could drag on until the end of the decade.
Zirkzee stays – and Carrick leans in
Ugarte wasn’t the only player United were prepared to sacrifice this summer. Joshua Zirkzee was also made available, another big-name asset the club were open to cashing in on.
He’s still there too. But his situation feels very different.
While Ugarte’s future looks like a puzzle to be solved, Zirkzee’s is more of an opportunity. Manager Michael Carrick has made it clear he sees value in keeping the Netherlands international forward around.
Speaking to BBC Sport, Carrick underlined Zirkzee’s importance to the squad and the season ahead. He stressed the striker’s role in the team’s depth, highlighted their strong relationship and welcomed the fact Zirkzee wants more minutes, calling it “good healthy competition” with a packed fixture list looming. Carrick has seen “really top things” from him and expects more.
One player is an expensive problem waiting for a resolution. The other is a talent United still believe can deliver.
For Ratcliffe, Berrada and Wilcox, the contrast is stark. Can they turn Ugarte from a long-term burden back into a useful asset, or will his contract become a symbol of the old regime’s missteps just as the new project takes shape?
