Man Utd can finally sign 'tireless' £51m star on preferred terms, replacement found - report

Manchester United have the opportunity to sign one of their top summer targets on loan.

The Red Devils are eyeing a new defensive midfielder this summer and they have identified Manuel Ugarte as their priority target. The 23-year-old has already agreed personal terms over a long-term deal, but he could now be signed on reasonable terms.

Paris Saint-Germain are currently on the verge of signing Joao Neves from Benfica and this is expected to pave the way for Ugarte’s exit. The Uruguayan was largely out of favour under manager Luis Enrique during the back end of last season.

The French champions are open to sanctioning his exit on a paid loan with a high option to buy. The news is a huge boost for United, who are aiming to bolster their holding midfield department ahead of the new Premier League season.

A loan deal for Ugarte would present lesser risk

Ugarte made only 27 starts for the Ligue 1 giants after his move from Sporting Lisbon last summer. He was an unused substitute on 14 occasions. His situation is unlikely to improve with the club’s decision to sign Portuguese wonderkid Neves.

A summer exit appears the right solution for him. The midfielder has his sights on moving to Old Trafford and United’s chances of signing him have been boosted by PSG’s willingness to negotiate an initial loan.

The Parisian club spent £51 million to land his signature last year and they will probably request the same as a buy clause. In our view, a loan deal with a buy option would present low risk for the Red Devils.

They can assess whether Ugarte can find his feet in English football before considering a permanent deal.

Ugarte, who is described as a ‘tireless‘ player by PSG’s official website, is strong with his distribution. He had a passing accuracy of 91 percent last term with 3.9 tackles and 6.4 duels won per game. He made 7.2 recoveries on average.

He was also dispossessed on less than eight occasions per appearance and would be an upgrade on Casemiro, who is no longer in his prime. United should step up their pursuit such that the midfielder is not enticed by any other club.

Stats from Transfermarkt.com & Sofascore.com