Romano: 23 y/o ‘defensive monster’ is now ‘insisting’ on Old Trafford move before deadline day, talks ongoing

After watching Manchester United announce the joint arrivals of Matthijs de Ligt and Noussair Mazraoui yesterday evening, Manuel Ugarte has caught an intense case of FOMO.

Per a fresh update from Fabrizio Romano this morning, the Uruguayan international – deemed a ‘defensive monster’ by StatmanDave – is now ‘insisting a lot for [a] Man United move’.

His agent, Jorge Mendes, flew to England on Tuesday to begin face-to-face talks with the Red Devils over Ugarte, as well as with Chelsea regarding Joao Felix.

Luis Enrique has opted to leave Ugarte out of his squad for PSG’s final pre-season friendlies and first-team training, as the expectation remains that he will leave the Parc des Princes before deadline day.

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Why United cooled Ugarte interest

United already reached an agreement on personal terms with the 23-year-old last month. However, talks reached a roadblock when it looked as though the French outfit would not budge from their £51.1 million asking price – the same fee they forked out for him a year ago when he moved from Sporting Lisbon.

Should they lower their demands or should a player depart Old Trafford for a reasonable fee, it’s likely that a deal will come to fruition. If not, the Reds will pursue alternative, cheaper midfield options.