Manchester United continue to build a strong squad for the 2024-25 season. The Red Devils have been busy in the transfer market. The new ownership and change in upper-level management have led to a decent transfer window. Some top names joined the club, while some players were sold to bring in the funding. The current situation suggests that Manchester United are looking for a midfielder.
PSG’s Manuel Ugarte is looking like the most likely signing for Erik ten Hag’s side. The Uruguayan joined the French giants last season from Sporting CP. Luis Enrique rotated his midfield and that led to fewer appearances. PSG also made a few signings in the midfield. This was another setback for the Uruguayan. Manchester United are desperate to add a new midfielder and plan to sell Scott McTominay. These both have a different game style and play a different role. So what could Ugarte add to Manchester United’s midfield? Here is a look.
Guarding the defence
Manuel Ugarte plays as a defensive midfielder. He played in 25 Ligue 1 games for PSG last season. The above viz shows that Ugarte was a little bit careless in giving away fouls. He made several interceptions and contested defensive actions in crucial areas.
This scatter plot gauges the defensive midfielder’s role as the team’s anchor by their adjusted rate of interceptions and sliding tackles. Ugarte averaged seven interceptions and made around two sliding tackles per 90 minutes. He is a complete package while defending the goal.
The pizza chart shows the percentile rank of Ugarte in comparison to other defensive midfielders in Tier 1 league football. Manuel was ranked highly for his positioning and defensive work. His passing accuracy was also up to the mark. This scatter plot highlights the midfielder’s effectiveness in shielding the defence by engaging in and winning defensive duels. Ugarte contested more than 12 defensive duels per 90 minutes and won 56% of them. This shows that the player is not afraid to contest a challenge.
Manuel Ugarte is not a very creative player. He can play a key role in building plays from the back but providing a killer pass is not what Manchester United fans can expect from him every day. Ugarte ended the league season with two assists. This scatter reflects the midfielder’s passing ability, both in terms of quantity and quality, crucial for maintaining possession and dictating play. Ugarte’s passing accuracy of nearly 92% was one of the most impressive stat from last season.
Adding more energy
The Uruguayan enjoyed a good Copa America 2024 campaign. He was more disciplined for his nation. Ugarte will need to show the same class in England.
Ball recovery in attacking zones is a must for big teams. Manuel Ugarte played a key role in doing so for PSG. He was better than Casemiro in making high recoveries. This shows that Ugarte could be a good defensive cover for the attackers.
Manchester United will look to seal the deal soon and introduce a player to the playing 11 as soon as possible. He would add a different dynamism to the team.
Visuals via TFA data viz engine