By OkayGoal 
Manuel Ugarte’s exit from Manchester United is no longer a question of if but when, with Uruguayan journalist Rodri Vazquez reporting that his agent Jorge Chijane is set to meet with Jorge Mendes in the coming days to accelerate a permanent sale worth around €28m — roughly half what Man United paid PSG for him just two years ago.
Ugarte has made 22 appearances this season but started just eight of them.
He has not even come off the bench in United’s last two matches under Michael Carrick, and the club has already made a firm decision to sell.
Manuel Ugarte’s Manchester United exit takes shape
He has never convinced at Old Trafford, and Carrick’s squad management has made his status clear. United want a permanent deal rather than another loan, and the target fee of €28m reflects the reality of his situation rather than any optimism about a bidding war.
Ugarte’s agent is now actively working with Mendes to find a landing spot, and the player has already rejected approaches from outside Europe’s top leagues, prioritising a move to a club where he can compete at the highest level.
Napoli and Atletico Madrid lead the race
Napoli have been tracking Ugarte for some time and are now firmly engaged, according to the report.
Atletico Madrid have also emerged as a serious contender, adding a Spanish dimension to a race that previously centred on Italy. Juventus had already been monitoring him and are understood to be planning to watch him during international duty. Three clubs of genuine ambition chasing the same player gives Manchester United a reasonable chance of recovering close to their asking price.
The World Cup timeline is shaping everything. Ugarte wants clarity on his future before the tournament, which gives all parties a natural deadline and should compress negotiations considerably once formal talks begin.
What this means for Man United’s midfield rebuild
He has not developed the influence in the Premier League that his profile suggested he would, and holding onto a player who does not figure in Carrick’s plans while paying his wages would compound the original transfer error rather than correct it.
The funds freed up will feed into a midfield rebuild that is widely expected to be one of United’s primary focuses this summer. With Casemiro gone and Ugarte on his way, the engine room requires significant investment, and the Stiller situation at Stuttgart is one thread United have already been pursuing in that direction.
