Galatasaray among the frontrunners to sign Manchester United flop Manuel Ugarte this summer | OneFootball

The Manuel Ugarte era at Manchester United appears to be drawing to a close, with Turkish giants Galatasaray emerging as leading contenders for his signature.

Signed from Paris Saint-Germain for £50m in the summer of 2024, Ugarte was expected to become United’s long-term midfield anchor.

However, the 25-year-old Uruguayan has instead been labelled one of the worst signings of the INEOS era, and the club are now ready to cut their losses.

United chiefs have privately conceded that Ugarte is unlikely to ever be a successful fit at Old Trafford, with the midfielder’s lack of technical quality exposed by the physicality and pace of Premier League football.

It is a damning indictment of the club’s decision to invest such a significant sum, especially given how eager PSG were to move him on.

Galatasaray are keen to land Ugarte, with president Dursun Ozbek and the recruitment team ready to push their transfer budget to the limit to bring him to Rams Park. Ugarte has reportedly given the green light to a move to Istanbul.

The prospect of Ugarte partnering fellow Uruguayan Lucas Torreira in midfield is being touted as a potential game-changer for Galatasaray’s European ambitions next season.

From United’s perspective, Ugarte’s sale is not just desirable—it is financially necessary. The outstanding book value on his deal means the club will be best placed fund a third midfield signing this summer if he is sold first.

United would be willing to accept a fee in the region of €40m—a loss of over €15m on a player bought less than two years ago, and a humbling admission that one of the more expensive mistakes of the INEOS era must simply be written off.