Manchester United Caved to PSG’s Demands for €50M-Rated Midfielder, Expert Says

According to one journalist, Paris Saint-Germain stood their ground on the asking price, and eventually, Manchester United caved in. Despite the Red Devils wanting to pay less for Manuel Ugarte, they ultimately lost the standoff.

In the final hours of the summer transfer window, the Premier League side and PSG agreed to a transfer for Ugarte. Multiple reports indicate that PSG will receive a fixed fee of €50 million, along with €10 million in add-ons and a 10 percent sell-on clause, as part of Ugarte’s transfer to Manchester United.

ESPN’s Julien Laurens stated that the English club had no desire to pay that amount for Ugarte. Nonetheless, as the summer transfer window went along, they eventually found themselves between a rock and a hard place needing to pay that amount for the player.

“The problem with Ugarte is that United has wanted him since July,” Laurens said on RMC Sport (h/t Le10Sport). “They had him on their radar as the player to sign. From the beginning, they knew PSG would ask for €50 million plus €10 million in bonuses. PSG made it clear from day one: ‘If you want him, that’s the price. Otherwise, you won’t get him.’

“United’s first offer was €35 million. Honestly, that’s a bit of a joke; it just wasn’t realistic. They ended up waiting and finally offered the €50 million plus €10 million, getting him on August 30. But they could have signed him on July 15 for the same amount, and he would have been there for the summer preparations.”

While PSG had to sell the midfielder, it’s not a sale because the player flopped. Ugarte simply didn’t fit what manager Luis Enrique wanted, and the Parisians were able to secure a sum before his value took a hit. It will be interesting to see if the standout finds success at Old Trafford.