Not only Mainoo – ‘Terrific’ Man Utd star liked by Carrick destined to stay after major U-turn | OneFootball

While many felt that the departure of Manuel Ugarte was a foregone conclusion, several signs now point towards an extended stay at Manchester United.

The Premier League giants signed the Uruguayan from Paris Saint-Germain in the summer of 2024 for circa £51 million, identifying him as the right long-term replacement for Casemiro in the No.6 role.

However, Ugarte has struggled to justify his hefty transfer fee, and not even an unexpected reunion with his old Sporting Club boss, Ruben Amorim, was able to trigger a revival. On the contrary, the Portuguese head coach confirmed Casemiro as his ultimate first choice, with the 25-year-old acting as his understudy.

Michael Carrick heaps praise on Manuel Ugarte

Following his appointment in January, Michael Carrick kept Amorim’s pecking order intact for the holding-midfielder role.

(Photo by George Wood/Getty Images)

But while the former Man Utd head coach had privately expressed his disappointment with Ugarte, the current interim boss only had words of praise for the Uruguay international, lauding him for his positive comportment on the training ground.

“I like Manu a lot, he’s been terrific around the group with his attitude and how we go about it, his training qualities, he’s got a lot of good attributes, when the team is winning, there is a big upside to that,” said Carrick in his pre-match press conference on Friday (via the Manchester Evening News).

“For one or two boys who haven’t played as much, it makes it a little bit tougher to get in the team, but everyone is pushing each other. Many are desperate to get on the pitch a bit more. There are times when we might need to change things, and he’s a big part of that.”

Why Ugarte could be destined to stay at Man United

This season, United’s tendency to concede goals while Ugarte is on the pitch has been well-documented. While this link remains inconclusive, many would argue that the 25-year-old hasn’t been able to shield the backline as effectively as Casemiro, an opinion probably shared by Amorim and Carrick, as evidenced by their midfield hierarchy.

Therefore, Ugarte has been tipped to leave the club, with Galatasaray said to be determined to land him in the summer, having already launched an unsuccessful attempt to recruit him in January.

Nevertheless, if Carrick truly sees value in Ugarte in the locker room and on the training ground, then perhaps the latter still has a future at United.

After all, every club need back-up players, and if the former PSG man is willing to accept this role, the management should be happy to accommodate him, whether Carrick is confirmed or not.

Moreover, it should be remembered that MUFC already need to sign two new midfielders in the summer: One to replace the departing Casemiro, and another to fill in for Bruno Fernandes, who resumed his attacking-midfield duties, but left a gap in the double pivot.

Therefore, all signs suggest that next season’s midfield department will consist of Ugarte, Kobbie Mainoo, and two new signings, whose identities remain undefined, with a host of players being linked to the club.