Man Utd transfer news: Ugarte plan emerges after PSG blink first

Manchester United have kicked off their Premier League campaign, but work is still going on behind the scenes in the summer transfer window.

United have completed four transfers, with Joshua Zirkzee, Leny Yoro, Matthijs de Ligt and Noussair Mazraoui arriving for a combined fee of £145.5million. But they are still actively pursuing more deals, with Paris Saint-Germain midfielder Manuel Ugarte the number one priority for Erik ten Hag with two weeks left of the window.

Ten Hag knows that some exits are needed if they are to afford Ugate, who was bought by PSG for Sporting Lisbon for £51m last summer. Scott McTominay, Christian Eriksen and Casemiro are all the subject of interest from outside and could follow Aaron Wan-Bissaka out the door.

United’s success in the 2024/25 season – and Ten Hag’s chances of keeping his job – could depend on the next few weeks of transfer business. So let’s take a look at how things are going, shall we?

United are still focusing on the signing of Manuel Ugarte this summer and are confident they can get the deal done.

The MEN reports that United and Ugarte are on the same page in both being determined to get the transfer sorted. The only stumbling block is the difference in valuation between United and Paris Saint-Germain, who are insisting on around £50m despite having already brought in Joao Neves from Benfica for €60m (£51m).

Ugarte was left out of PSG’s squad for their match against Le Harve on Friday night and Luis Enrique wants to get rid of him in the coming weeks. It’ll be a case of who blinks first, it seems, but with Ugarte and United on the same page, it appears likely a deal will be done.

Much of the talks between United and PSG have centred on the idea of a swap deal involving Ugarte and Jadon Sancho, who is keen to leave United this summer.

United dismissed the idea of Marcus Rashford going the other way and are more than happy to do business for Sancho, who still has a frosty relationship with Ten Hag after their falling out last season.

United’s hand could have been strengthened by fresh interest from Chelsea, if reports from German publication Fussball News are to be believed. The Blues have already signed scores of players this summer, including the £54m winger Pedro Neto, yet are reportedly interested in signing Sancho on loan with an obligation to buy. He would be their 10th signing of the summer, if things went ahead.

The signings of De Ligt and Mazraoui has added to the Ten Hag-Ajax influence at United, with Andre Onana, Lisandro Martinez and Antony already on the books.

But the United manager has rejected the suggestion that he is calling the shots in the transfer window.

“First of all, it is club’s decision, none of them is only my decision,” he said. “It is always backed or even brought up through the scouting, recruitment, technical director, sporting director, it is a decision made by more than only one. But, some, you know also players and personalities and it has to fit also in the finance."