Juventus turn to Man Utd wantaway after dropping interest in Ligue 1 midfielder | OneFootball

Juventus have reportedly identified Manuel Ugarte as their new target after ending their pursuit of Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg.

The Danish midfielder has been on the Old Lady’s shortlist since 2023, when he was still playing his football at Tottenham Hotspur.

However, he ended up joining Olympique Marseille in the summer of 2024 on an initial loan deal before sealing a permanent transfer last year.

Juventus abandon Hojbjerg pursuit

Despite his move to Southern France, Juventus kept following Hojbjerg, who remained a target for the club, especially following his exploits under Roberto De Zerbi last season.

But according to TuttoJuve, the Denmark international has fallen down the Old Lady’s pecking order due to his declining performances this season.

The source argues that Adrien Rabiot’s departure to Milan has taken its toll on Hojbjerg, who has been struggling without his former midfield partner.

In fact, OM as a whole have been enduring a challenging campaign, which prompted a mid-season managerial change, in addition to the resignation of club president Pablo Longoria, and the imminent departure of sporting director Mehdi Benatia.

Therefore, Juventus are no longer interested in Hojbjerg, and have decided to turn their attention to Manchester United’s Ugarte.

Why Juventus prefer Ugarte over Hojbjerg

Curiously, the Uruguayan midfielder has been enduring a poorer campaign than Hojbjerg. The 24-year-old has been struggling for form since joining the Red Devils in the summer of 2024, failing to justify his €50 million transfer fee.

The former Sporting and Paris Saint-Germain man is currently considered a backup option for Casemiro in Michael Carrick’s plans.

That being said, Ugarte is six years younger than Hojbjerg, so perhaps Juventus feel he still has time to reignite his career and fulfil the early promise he showed during his time in Lisbon.

Nevertheless, making a large investment in the out-of-sorts Man Utd man could be a risky move from Damien Comolli and Marco Ottolini.