Manuel Ugarte and his agent are working overtime to ensure that the Uruguayan makes his move to Old Trafford before the summer transfer window closes. However, the Red Devils have been rumored to be in on other midfield alternatives.
The Red Devils have been tracking Ugarte for several weeks, but ESPN’s Rob Dawson reports that the club aren’t willing to overspend on the 23-year-old midfielder.
Ugarte is eager to join Manchester United, with their latest verbal offer reportedly reaching €45 million. Nonetheless, the Premier League side does have other players in mind to bolster their midfield.
Diario AS (h/t TeamTalk) reports that Manchester United and Aston Villa are ‘in the picture’ to sign Atalanta star Ederson Silva.
The report from the Spanish outlet mentions that the Red Devils are in ongoing discussions with everyone involved and are considering him as an option if they can’t secure Ugarte.
However, he’s clearly a sought-after player. AS adds that Atlético Madrid is also interested and had a £38 million bid for the 25-year-old, whose contract runs until 2027, turned down earlier this summer.
Transfer expert Fabrizio Romano reported this week that Ugarte is pushing “like crazy” to join Manchester United, with his agent Jorge Mendes leading the negotiations. More talks are expected to take place in the coming days.
Still, it seems the English club won’t be putting all their eggs in the Ugarte basket and will keep their options open in this final stage of the summer transfer window.
