Erik ten Hag is keen to add to his Manchester United squad – and Manuel Ugarte is high on his transfer wishlist.
After signing a two-year extension to his contract, Ten Hag has already spent £88million revamping his squad, with Sir Jim Ratcliffe keen to make his mark and restore United to its former glory.
This summer transfer window represents a period of significant change for United, with the Telegraph reporting that apart from Alejandro Garnacho, Kobbie Mainoo, and Rasmus Hojlund, no player is immune from being sold.
The club has already secured replacements for Raphael Varane and Anthony Martial under Ten Hag’s leadership. However, another defensive addition and a Uruguayan hard-hitter remain on United’s wishlist.
Joshua Zirkzee
Zirkzee was the inaugural signing of the INEOS era, arriving from Serie A outfit Bologna. United spent £36m on the 23-year-old Dutch international who appeared at Euro 2024 this summer.
Ratcliffe deemed it appropriate to make the Dutchman his first acquisition after Zirkzee helped guide his Bologna side to the Champions League with a fifth-place finish.
Zirkzee put pen to paper on a contract until June 2029 at Old Trafford, with the option of an additional year. The striker shared his excitement at joining United, saying: “I cannot wait to play my part in achieving success for Manchester United. I am a player who has always dedicated everything to winning.
“I’m ready for this next challenge, to go to another level in my career and win more trophies. It is a privilege to join such an iconic club. I have to take a short break now after being with the national team, but I’ll return ready to make an impact immediately.”
Leny Yoro
After Varane made his departure, United moved swiftly to secure the services of French defender Leny Yoro from Lille.
The 18-year-old centre-back cost the Reds a hefty £58.7m and has signed a contract until June 2029. Despite only making his debut for Lille two years ago, Yoro was named in the Ligue 1 Team of the Year last season and has shown rapid development in his position.
Upon signing, Yoro said: “Signing for a club with such stature and ambition so early in my career is an incredible honour.
“Since my first conversations with the club, they set out a clear plan for how I can develop in Manchester as part of this exciting project and showed a lot of care for me and my family. I know about the history of young players at Manchester United and feel it can be the perfect place to reach my potential and achieve my ambitions with my new teammates. I cannot wait to get started.”
Manuel Ugarte
Paris Saint-Germain’s Uruguayan defensive midfielder Manuel Ugarte, valued at £59m, is one of United’s top targets after the club secured the signatures of Zirkzee and Yoro.
Despite only joining PSG last summer for a substantial £51m, Ugarte has found himself out of favour with manager Luis Enrique, particularly following a disappointing performance against Newcastle in the Champions League.
The Daily Mail suggests that United will need to offload a midfielder if they hope to sign Ugarte as while personal terms have reportedly been agreed upon, a transfer fee has not. Casemiro and Scott McTominay are potential departures.
Casemiro has attracted interest from the Saudi Pro League, while Fulham have made a £17m bid for £30m-rated McTominay, which was rejected. If all goes to plan, Ugarte could become United’s third signing of the summer, but it remains to be seen whether the necessary player sales will happen.
Noussair Mazraoui
Ten Hag has also set his sights on Bayern Munich’s right-back Noussair Mazraoui to bolster the Red Devils’ defence. The 26-year-old Moroccan, who previously played under the United boss at Ajax, could be key to unlocking the potential of his former team-mate Anthony.
The Guardian reports that securing Mazraoui would cost United around £21m. However, this move hinges on the sale of Aaron Wan-Bissaka, who was listed for transfer this summer.
Wan-Bissaka joined United in 2019 for a staggering £50m, but it is believed that the club would be fortunate to recover even a third of that amount now. West Ham have shown interest in the defender, and talkSport claims he could be available for just £15m.
If both deals go through, Mazraoui’s arrival could see Antony thrive on Ten Hag’s right wing. However, the situation is complicated by the fact that Julen Lopetegui’s West Ham are not only interested in a bargain deal for Wan-Bissaka, but they are also in discussions with Bayern over Mazraoui.
Matthijs de Ligt
In addition to the Mazraoui links, there are ongoing talks about a possible deal for another Bayern defender, Matthijs de Ligt. Despite having already signed an expensive centre-half in Yoro, United are still considering the Dutch star.
Bayern value De Ligt at £42m, which is a fee the Red Devils would prefer to reduce, after spending almost £60m on Yoro. According to German publication Bild, Man United’s initial bid of £25million plus add-ons was swiftly turned down despite the defender agreeing personal terms.
However, honorary Bayern Munich president Uli Hoeness recently hinted at a potential exit for one of their central defenders this summer.
Speaking to Sky Germany, Hoeness said: “It’s possible that a defender will leave. I would have no problem if [De Ligt] stays and personally, I would not sell Upamecano.”