Manchester United are hoping to facilitate the sale of midfielder Manuel Ugarte to AC Milan in order to free up funds for a third central midfield addition this summer, according to reports from The Sun. The club has already secured a £35million deal for Atalanta’s Ederson and are optimistic about adding either Mateus Fernandes of West Ham United, Alex Scott of Bournemouth, or Carlos Baleba of Brighton & Hove Albion.
Ugarte joined United in August 2024 for a fee of £50.5million, but has seemingly fallen out of favour under manager Michael Carrick. The club are reportedly willing to accept a loss on the Uruguayan to expedite his departure, with AC Milan emerging as the frontrunners for his signature. A reunion with former manager Ruben Amorim, now at Milan, is being tipped as a key factor in the potential move.
Strengthening the midfield is a priority for INEOS, the club’s new ownership group, following the departures of Casemiro, Jadon Sancho, and Tyrell Malacia. They initially pursued Elliot Anderson of Newcastle United, but were deterred by a reported £120-125million price tag. This led them to Ederson, and now a focus on more attainable targets.
West Ham’s Fernandes is a particularly appealing option, as he has expressed a desire to play alongside Bruno Fernandes. However, competition is fierce, with Tottenham Hotspur, Liverpool, Arsenal, and Real Madrid all also showing interest in the 21-year-old Portuguese player. While Tottenham are making progress in negotiations, sources in Portugal still anticipate a move to United. Should a deal for Fernandes not materialize, Bournemouth’s Alex Scott, valued at £60million, and Brighton’s Carlos Baleba, at £80million, are considered viable alternatives. A successful sale of Ugarte would allow United to potentially spend around £200million on midfield reinforcements this summer.
