Amorim stance on €50m Man Utd flop revealed amid midfield struggles

Eyebrows were raised when Manchester United failed to sign a midfielder during the summer transfer window but Ruben Amorim is said to ‘really like’ one of his options in the middle of the park despite his side’s struggles.

United spent more than €250 million on players in the summer but no midfielders arrived even with Amorim’s system desperately needing a more creative, energetic and complete option in the middle of the park.

The team’s imbalance in midfield has been apparent during their start to the season, which has left United tenth in the Premier League, while also conceding more goals than any other team in the top half.

Amorim has largely preferred the duo of Casemiro and Bruno Fernandes as his two-man pairing but transfer reporter Ben Jacobs has told GIVEMESPORT that the United boss believes Manuel Ugarte has all the right attributes to succeed at Old Trafford.

Jacobs said: “I’m going against the grain here, because I’m told that Amorim really likes Ugarte and thinks he’s exactly the right kind of profile, and just needs to get that extra bit out of him.

“Because he’s one of those signings, like several Man Utd signings, that when they joined, you look at what the player had done, and you look at the age and the potential, and you think these are all going to improve this side.”

Ugarte: My form at Man Utd has not been good enough

Amorim managed Ugarte at Sporting and developed the 24-year-old enough that he was eventually joined Paris Saint-Germain for €60 million in 2023, however he was sold to United just a year later at a €10m loss.

Ugarte has only made two Premier League starts this season and played just five minutes in the win over the Sunderland, leading to speculation over his future, with the Urugayan international admitting last month that his performances had not been good enough.

“We haven’t started the season very well. My level wasn’t the best either, we have to be realistic and honest,” Ugarte said.

“But I’m very confident, I have a very good relationship with the coach. I work well and I’m very excited and eager to earn a starting spot.”