“You see the level”: Tuchel singles out United star for special praise despite his Old Trafford struggles

England manager Thomas Tuchel had special words of praise for Manuel Ugarte after the 1-1 draw with Uruguay despite the midfielder’s difficulties at Manchester United. United struggles Ugarte has struggled to make an impact at United, having joined the club in the summer of 2024 from Paris Saint-Germain. The Red Devils shelled out £42m for him, but two years on, it’s hard to call it money well spent. On his day, he’s a solid ball-winner but his limitations in possession have increasingly frustrated supporters. He couldn’t nail down a regular spot in the lineup under Ruben Amorim, and things haven’t changed since Michael Carrick stepped in as interim head coach. Ugarte has made 21 Premier League appearances this season but only seven have come as starts. Earlier this month, transfer expert Fabrizio Romano revealed that there is a chance Ugarte will leave Old Trafford in the upcoming transfer window. Romano stated that the 24-year-old is attracting interest from Serie A. Ugarte vs. England Ugarte started and played for 87 minutes as England were held to a 1-1 draw by Uruguay at Wembley on Friday evening. Marcelo Bielsa paired him with Real Madrid’s Fede Valverde at the heart of his side’s midfield. Ben White broke the deadlock for England in the 81st minute, only for Valverde’s stoppage-time penalty to draw Uruguay level. After the final whistle, Tuchel was particularly complimentary of Valverde and Ugarte. Tuchel said, “I learned a lot, because it was a tough opponent and you just see it in the details. You learn a lot in the details, also the behaviour, and you see the level.” The German coach added, “If you play against (Manuel) Ugarte, if you play against (Federico) Valverde in midfield, you see the level.” “You play against the winners and these defensive players, it’s a high level and then you instantly see, so we needed this kind of test.” Ugarte received two yellow cards but bizarrely escaped a red card in very unusual circumstances. However, it then emerged that his second caution had been rescinded by the referee, hence he was allowed to remain on the pitch. Feature image Stu Forster 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 Derick Kinoti Derick Kinoti is a football writer at The Peoples Person who has covered Manchester United and the Premier League extensively for years. His work blends sharp analysis, tactical insight, and engaging storytelling that resonates with fans around the world. Derick has gained valuable experience in football journalism, developing strong expertise in SEO writing, digital content creation, and social media engagement. A tech enthusiast with a Computer Science degree from the University of Nairobi, he ultimately swapped code for football commentary, bringing an analytical, detail-oriented approach to his writing. Derick is convinced Wayne Rooney is the true GOAT and won’t hear otherwise!