Masterful Man Utd swap deal to hand Carrick ‘explosive’ star as Liverpool let INEOS win £40m race | OneFootball

Manchester United are reportedly looking to offload Manuel Ugarte as part of a brilliant swap deal, while they will no longer face competition from rivals Liverpool for a second target.

Ugarte cost £50.5million when joining Man Utd from Paris Saint-Germain in August 2024. His Old Trafford career was expected to improve following the arrival of his former Sporting CP boss Ruben Amorim that November, but things only got worse.

With Ugarte having fallen down the pecking order, United could use his exit to get a promising midfielder in return…

New Man Utd target named

The Red Devils are aiming to use Ugarte as ‘bait’ to land Sunderland star Noah Sadiki in a masterful swap deal, according to GiveMeSport.

United remain ‘willing to sanction the Uruguayan’s departure’ either through a loan or permanent transfer this month.

Sadiki only arrived at Sunderland in a £15m deal in July but has quickly impressed scouts from a host of clubs.

Despite being only 21 years of age, Sadiki has brought ‘intensity and tactical awareness’ to the Sunderland team, ‘attracting plenty of attention’ from United and other sides.

The DR Congo international ‘fits the bill’ for INEOS as he is a ‘dynamic, energetic and quick player’. Indeed, The Scouting App have called him a ‘complete and reliable midfielder’ who possesses ‘explosiveness’ and ‘outstanding physicality’.

GiveMeSport add that Sadiki has emerged as a low-cost alternative to Brighton & Hove Albion’s Carlos Baleba for United. While Baleba is valued at around £100m, Sadiki would not cost anywhere near as much, while the price could be brought down further if Ugarte heads in the opposite direction.

United handed midfielder boost

Sadiki is far from the only midfielder United are interested in, with Wolverhampton Wanderers’ Joao Gomes also on their radar.

Liverpool have decided against stepping up their interest in Gomes, according to CaughtOffside, which has put United in a great position to sign him.

Liverpool have ‘cooled’ their pursuit of Gomes and ‘walked away’ from talks, setting up a potential £40m transfer to Old Trafford instead.

Wolves were previously looking to keep the Brazilian during the January window, but our transfer insider Graeme Bailey revealed on Thursday that they have softened their stance.

United see Gomes as a potential solution to their midfield issues and are keeping close tabs on his situation ahead of a possible move.

Although, the Red Devils will have to fend off other interested parties to secure the 24-year-old’s services. Our sources state that Atletico Madrid made contact for Gomes last week after selling Conor Gallagher to Tottenham Hotspur.

CaughtOffside claim Napoli have made Gomes a ‘major target’, while Crystal Palace are also showing interest.

Carrick eyes permanent United role

There is a clear understanding between interim boss Michael Carrick and United that he is in contention for the permanent manager’s job, our transfer correspondent Fraser Fletcher has revealed.

We understand Carrick is convinced he possesses the tactical nous, man-management skills and deep connection to the club’s identity to lead them forward successfully.

The former midfielder has impressed from the outset, having steered United to a 2-0 home win over rivals Manchester City on Saturday.

But United chiefs are not getting carried away and will make a final decision on their next manager at the end of the season, with Carrick set to be considered.

Sources state that funds are available to Carrick this month if his targets align with those of INEOS executives Jason Wilcox and Omar Berrada.