Former United boss preparing to rescue World Cup star from Old Trafford nightmare, club-to-club talks have started – report

It is not all about incomings at Manchester United as INEOS look to find buyers for several stars who are not in Michael Carrick’s plans for next season. Chief among them is Manuel Ugarte, with the co-owners already informing the Uruguayan that he has no future at Old Trafford. The problem is that the defensive midfielder’s suitors value him at £24 million, and the Red Devils would like to earn substantially more than that. That is because the South American was signed for an initial £42 million from Paris Saint-Germain, and even though United are unlikely to recoup the whole fee, they would like at least £30 million, considering the 25-year-old has a contract until 2029. Manuel Ugarte has struggled at United The Mirror have now reported that former United boss Ruben Amorim, who has taken over at AC Milan, would like to reunite with the midfielder. It was at Sporting CP where Manuel Ugarte first came into the spotlight, and Amorim was his boss at that point. The duo were expected to recreate the good times in Manchester, but the Uruguay international flattered to deceive. But the Rossoneri remain keen, and further talks are planned in the coming days as the Serie A giants look to drive the price down. Amorim ready to work with Manuel Ugarte again The 20-time English league champions are banking on the Montevideo-born star to succeed at the World Cup, which would see his price skyrocket. “AC Milan are considering a move to rescue Manuel Ugarte from his Manchester United nightmare. United are desperate to off-load Ugarte to the highest bidder this summer. And Italian giants Milan are weighing up a deal to reunite the Uruguayan midfielder with Ruben Amorim. “Ugarte knows he has no future at Old Trafford and has instructed his agent, Jorge Mendes, to find him a new club. Now Mendes has opened talks with Milan about a possible deal. “United would like to recoup a large chunk of the fee they paid for Ugarte – and are holding out for around £30m. Milan CEO Giorgio Furlani is reluctant to meet the asking price, but further talks are planned in the hope of reaching a compromise.” Price remains a sticking point Interestingly, should Manuel Ugarte end up staying, he will likely be fourth choice, which explains why he is eager to jump ship. If the former PSG ace leaves, United will try to sign a third midfielder alongside Ederson and Mateus Fernandes, with the likes of Tyler Adams, Alex Scott, and Ayyoub Bouaddi among the names being tracked. Feature image Carl Recine via Getty Images The Peoples Person has been one of the world’s leading Man United news sites for over a decade. Follow us on Bluesky: @peoplesperson.bsky.social Ayantan Chowdhury After failing to become a professional footballer, Ayantan switched to the next best thing: writing about the greatest football club in the world. He has extensive sports journalism experience, having worked for over 10 years in the Indian sports media industry, writing for the biggest newspapers and websites. Currently an editor at The Peoples Person. You can follow him on X: @ayantanc_25