Could Manuel Ugarte be the perfect replacement for Casemiro at Man United?

The midfielder has agreed terms over Manchester United transfer…

Manchester United are closing in on Manuel Ugarte’s signing from PSG. The club has agreed terms over his move but is yet to finalize the transfer fee, with the Parisians demanding no less than £59 million. Reports suggest United could offload Casemiro or Scott McTominay to raise funds, but either way, he could be a vital addition to manager Erik ten Hag’s squad.

At 23 years of age, the Uruguayan is still in the early stages of his career but has been developing rapidly. He came of age at Sporting CP before cementing his stature as the next big midfield talent at PSG last season. Although he struggled for regular game time, Ugarte’s performances were promising enough to keep European giants alert.

A defensive midfielder by trade, Ugarte could effectively replace Casemiro, should the Brazilian head through United’s exit door this summer. Following a great debut season at Old Trafford, the former Real Madrid ace struggled to build on that last season, but still managed five goals and three assists.

While he may not replicate that, for Ugarte contributed only two assists for PSG last season, the Uruguayan remains an aggressive defensive midfielder who specializes in ball recovery and offering a protective cover for the back-four. Last season, he averaged 1.86 interceptions per game, compared to Casemiro’s 0.82, and 4.56 tackles to his 3.77 per game.

Additionally, Ugarte is a safer bet at passing than his Brazilian counterpart, as the former completed 92.1% of his passing whereas Casemiro registered only an 81.8% success rate last season. The Uruguayan is also adept at managing the ball with either foot and while he isn’t the most progressive passer, Ugarte more than makes up for that with his tactical brilliance.

Ugarte’s presence would also allow Bruno Fernandes and Kobbie Mainoo more freedom to drive forward and join up the attack, balancing out their team just about right.

During Casemiro’s three-month-long absence last season, United failed to win seven of their 13 games without him, and most of their wins came against sides languishing in the bottom half of the Premier League table. This underlines his importance in the squad, and Ugarte will certainly have big boots to fill.

Also, Casemiro is 32 now and is in the twilight of his career. Signing Ugarte would assure Manchester United of some stability in their squad for years to come, making for an ideal replacement for the Brazilian legend. All that remains now is for the Red Devils to meet his asking price, which seems reasonable on paper given his age and talent.

As for Casemiro, the former Real Madrid star has been linked with a move to Saudi Arabia, whose top-flight has seen quite a few marquee players come in from Europe recently, with Cristiano Ronaldo, his ex-teammate, being the biggest name of them all. Although the identity of the club is still unknown, transfer expert Fabrizio Romano confirmed the interest on his Daily Briefing, while also revealing that agreeing on a contract or a fee takes time.

Also Read: Manchester United to make space for Manuel Ugarte with departures of familiar faces: Report