Manchester United striker Rasmus Hojlund has insisted that teammate Manuel Ugarte has yet to earn the level of recognition his performances deserve.
Ugarte joined United last summer from Paris Saint-Germain in a deal worth an initial £42m plus a further £8.5m in performance-related bonuses.
Initially, Ugarte struggled to break into the team under now-sacked manager Erik ten Hag, who demonstrated a clear preference for other midfielder options.
However, Ruben Amorim’s appointment as Ten Hag’s replacement late last year finally saw Ugarte get his opportunities in the side.
Amorim and Ugarte worked together at Sporting Lisbon before the latter sealed a permanent transfer to PSG.
Ugarte has had some good performances in a United shirt, especially in games against the perceived bigger sides like Liverpool and Arsenal. He has impressed with his ability to cover ground and engage in challenges in the middle of the park.
Hojlund spoke to Sky Sports and was put on the spot over which of his United teammates is the most underrated.
The Dane answered, “I think you’ve seen it a little bit more now with the new manager coming in, how well he’s been doing.”
“Obviously the results have not been good enough but he’s been a standout player lately. You see his quality, you see those workhorses in teams, they don’t get the appreciation.”
“For example, Amad has been doing amazing recently and he’s starting to get his recognition.”
“But Manu has also been very, very good. You’re starting to see now that he’s performing on another level.
United are back in action on Sunday when they go away to Tottenham Hotspur.
Featured image Nathan Stirk via Getty Images
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Derick Kinoti
Derick Kinoti is a football writer at The Peoples Person who has covered Manchester United and the game extensively for many years. He is a keen analyst with expertise in SEO and journalism standards. Derick is convinced Wayne Rooney is the true GOAT and won’t hear otherwise!
