Manchester United have set their sights on Paris Saint-Germain midfielder Manuel Ugarte, according to a source familiar with the matter speaking to ESPN.
The Red Devils are eager to bolster their midfield this summer, alongside securing a center-back and a striker, and have identified Ugarte as a potential addition to their squad.
The source disclosed to ESPN that there hasn’t been a formal approach to PSG yet, and the 23-year-old Uruguayan is among several options under consideration.
Ugarte featured prominently for PSG last season, making 37 appearances overall, including 25 in Ligue 1.
Manchester United had previously expressed interest in Ugarte while he was at Sporting Lisbon, closely monitoring his progress. Links with the player surfaced last summer before he eventually moved to PSG in a deal valued at approximately £50 million ($63m).
The club’s interest in Ugarte comes as they seek to strengthen their defensive midfield options, particularly with uncertainties surrounding the future of Casemiro. The Brazilian midfielder, who faced challenges in his second season at Old Trafford, is under contract until 2026 but is one of the club’s highest earners.
Manchester United have been actively managing their wage bill, allowing players like David De Gea, Raphaël Varane, and Anthony Martial to depart on free transfers in the past year. Casemiro, signed from Real Madrid in a £60m deal in 2022, has been linked with a potential move to Saudi Arabia.
Meanwhile, there are ongoing discussions regarding the futures of Christian Eriksen, with one year remaining on his contract, and Sofyan Amrabat, whose situation remains uncertain as United have yet to exercise their option to permanently acquire him from Fiorentina.
United continue to pursue deals for defensive reinforcements such as Jarrad Branthwaite and attacking options like Joshua Zirkzee. Progress on Branthwaite’s transfer has been sluggish, with Everton demanding more than £70m for the English defender. Other targets include Lille’s Leny Yoro and Crystal Palace’s Marc Guéhi, who has impressed during the Euros with England.
Zirkzee is among several strikers being considered by United, alongside Lille’s Jonathan David and Brentford’s Ivan Toney.
