BBC journo: It’d be a ‘major shock’ if Man United didn’t complete deal for £42m midfielder after Ederson

It would reportedly be a ‘major shock’ if Manuel Ugarte were still a Manchester United player by the end of the transfer window.

That’s according to BBC Sport’s Simon Stone, who adds that there is an overwhelming ‘lack of faith’ in the 25-year-old after two seasons in M16.

Manuel Ugarte headed for Old Trafford exit

It remains to be seen what kind of fee the Red Devils will demand for Ugarte, whom they shelled out an initial £42 million for when bringing him in from Paris Saint-Germain in August 2024.

His arrival came just before Scott McTominay’s departure was facilitated, and if you ask the United faithful, the majority would’ve preferred that they kept hold of the Scotsman instead.

Yet, INEOS have conceded defeat that Ugarte simply doesn’t have what it takes to start each week in the Premier League, so they are actively trying to find suitors who might be willing to take him off their hands.

Any potential deal will likely have to wait until Uruguay have finished their World Cup campaign, as the out-of-favour Red has been included in Marcelo Bielsa’s selection.

Why United are pushing to offload Ugarte

By the end of 2025/2026, it was clear that even Michael Carrick had decided Ugarte wasn’t a suitable fit.

Ugarte’s record under Carrick (Transfermarkt)

After being forced to start him for the home clash with Leeds United in April due to Kobbie Mainoo’s injury, Ugarte proceeded to oversee a calamitous display in the middle of the park.

The Reds slumped to a shock 2-1 defeat at the hands of their arch-rivals, and the Montevideo native did not play again for the remainder of the season – not even for a single minute.

Still, his age and experience will make him an ideal target for some European clubs.

It’s recently been reported that Galatasaray have set their sights on a deal, while Ajax also made enquiries over Ugarte’s availability back in January.

Galatasaray, Manchester United’? zorunlu olmayan sat?n alma opsiyonuna ikna etmeye çal???yor.” pic.twitter.com/c6qVq5X6Ok

— Forza Cimbom (@forzacimbom) January 3, 2026

Ali Naci Küçük: “Manuel Ugarte, Galatasaray’a gelmeye haz?r durumda. ?artlar? kabul etmi? durumda. Oyuncunun yar?m sezonluk maliyeti 5 milyon euro.

Galatasaray, Manchester United’? zorunlu olmayan sat?n alma opsiyonuna ikna etmeye çal???yor.” pic.twitter.com/c6qVq5X6Ok

— Forza Cimbom (@forzacimbom) January 3, 2026