Ratcliffe has told United to boot this big-money star out of Old Trafford, Wilcox got it wrong – report

Manchester United co-owner Sir Jim Ratcliffe has made his feelings known regarding the future of Manuel Ugarte this summer, according to an explosive report. A Downgrade in Midfield Ugarte arrived at Old Trafford in the summer of 2024 after a protracted pursuit by the Red Devils to strike a deal with Paris Saint-Germain. An agreement worth a total of £50.5 million (£42.3m + £8.2m in potential add-ons) was eventually reached on deadline day after weeks of negotiations between the two clubs. Scott McTominay‘s sale to Italian giants Napoli is understood to have been key to generating the funds needed to sign Ugarte, as the Scotland international’s status as an academy player meant the £25.7m fee received for him constituted ‘pure profit’ from a PSR perspective. However, this is the only part of the transaction that adds up. McTominay would go on to enjoy a historic season in Naples, propelling his new club to the Serie A title and winning the league’s MVP award. His efforts even saw him shortlisted for the Ballon d’Or. By contrast, Ugarte has proven to be an abject failure, lacking the physicality to justify his reputation as an enforcer in midfield, while offering nothing of worth on the ball either. The red flags should have been apparent to United, given Luis Enrique was desperate to boot the Uruguayan out of the Parc des Princes after his dreadful performance in the Champions League against Newcastle – a match which should have demonstrated to United’s recruitment team the struggles he would face in the Premier League. After two years at the helm in M16, Ugarte ranks comfortably as INEOS’ worst signing. Man United’s signings under INEOS – Ratings SigningsRating / 10 Leny Yoro9 Joshua Zirkzee4 Matthijs de Ligt8 Noussair Mazraoui8.5 Manuel Ugarte2 Ayden Heaven8 Patrick Dorgu5 Matheus Cunha8 Bryan Mbeumo9 Benjamin Sesko7 Senne Lammens10 Jim Wants it Fixed United are open to a sale this summer – but only if a suitable offer arrives to fund a replacement, or, more accurately, an upgrade. The outstanding book value on the deal with PSG sits around the £25m mark if the add-ons have not been triggered, meaning Ugarte must be sold for at least this amount to avoid incurring a negative PSR hit. However, the club may even be willing to take this loss if Ratcliffe’s assessment is anything to go by. The Athletic reports the INEOS chairman is “of the view that the 25-year-old should be sold”, a position which was only strengthened by his first-hand experience of the dismal 2-1 loss to Leeds United. Ugarte started alongside Casemiro in midfield after Kobbie Mainoo was ruled out with a last-minute injury in training. The effect was immediately felt, with United’s engine room failing to rev as Leeds dominated the first half, going 2-0 up after 30 minutes. The eventual 2-1 loss, aided by a controversial red card for Lisandro Martinez in the second half, stands in direct contrast to the 1-0 win over Chelsea six days later after Mainoo was welcomed back into the team by interim boss Michael Carrick. Final Thoughts United are planning to sign two midfielders this summer to replace the departing Casemiro and, if Ratcliffe has his way, Ugarte, with sourcing a suitable partner for Mainoo considered the priority. There is interest from Serie A in the Uruguay international, while Turkish champions Galatasaray made advances in January and could reignite a move at the end of the season. Featured image by Justin Setterfield 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 Darragh Fox Darragh is an editor for The Peoples Person who spent three years learning about the Cold War at the University of Sheffield slowly realising football was by far the most interesting thing to write about. Amad’s first touch should be officially recognised as the eighth wonder of the world.