Manchester United reject move for ex-Liverpool target who wouldn't fit Arne Slot 'style'
Liverpool FC transfer news: The Paris Saint-Germain midfielder isn’t considered for either club.
Manchester United reportedly have moved on from signing Manuel Ugarte, making the same decision as Liverpool.
The Paris Saint-Germain midfielder was highly regarded before his move to France last summer, starring as Sporting’s all-action defensive midfield star. Yet, his time in Paris failed to take flight as many expected and he has been linked with moves away after just one season. He made 21 starts in the league but just five in 12 European games and was often overrun by better quality sides which was a worrying sign.
To add insult to injury, the French champions opted to strengthen in his position as they spent big to bring Benfica’s Joao Neves to the club and they also welcomed 18-year-old sensation Gabriel Moscardo from Corinthians, who they signed in January - plunging Ugarte’s future into doubt.
It seems United had been exploring a deal for Ugarte but they did not intend to meet PSG’s asking price, which is reportedly around £51.4m. For Liverpool, he was a name featured last summer where they were targeting multiple midfield additions, but settled on Wataru Endo instead. Now, with the news from the Athletic that Liverpool have made that position a priority this summer, as well as the claim that their new target plays outside of the Premier League, could spark rumours of a move again.
However, Ugarte simply does not fit the Arne Slot mould, despite his exceptional defensive numbers. Slot desires to have a playmaker in his deep-lying midfield role rather than a ball-winner - which is exactly what the Argentinian is.
The 23-year-old ranks in the 99th percentile in Europe’s top leagues for tackles, averaging around four per game. As well as the 96th for interceptions and defensive actions and his strengths lie in winning the ball back regularly and efficiently. However, his on-the-ball quality leaves a lot to be desired. Sat in the 14th percentile for key passes and 31st for progressive passes show exactly why he would never be considered - despite his clear availability. It will be interesting to see who Liverpool do decide to bring in, with names such as Porto’s Alan Varela, Atalanta’s Ederson, Bayern Munich’s Joshua Kimmich and Benfica’s Orkun Kökçü are more natural fits for their new style - and it is likely we will see some transfer activity from the club across the next few weeks.