Paris Saint-Germain sold Manuel Ugarte to Manchester United this past summer for a reported €50 million, with another €10 million possible in add-ons and a 10 percent sell-on clause.
However, it’s been a challenging start to life with the Premier League side. The Red Devils struggled out of the gate, which led to the sacking of former manager Erik ten Hag. Now under new manager Ruben Amorim, Ugarte could benefit from the managerial change.
In an interview with TNT Sports, the Portuguese boss noted that he’s excited to have Ugarte once again as his player and believes that the midfielder has yet to hit his potential.
“All the Uruguayans I managed are incredible and that’s why I love all Uruguayans,” Amorim told the outlet. “Ugarte is a very talented boy and has a lot of room to grow. I am very happy to know that I have him back at Manchester United!”
Manuel Ugarte reflects on his time with PSG
Before he begins a new chapter under Amorim, the Uruguayan defender took the opportunity to look back on his lone season in the French capital. While it didn’t work out, the player only has good memories from his tenure with PSG.
“Paris is a great club, known worldwide for its stars,” Ugarte said. “I enjoyed it a lot and learned a lot. You train with the best. Marking Kylian [Mbappé] helps you a lot. He was fantastic. Very humble. I am grateful for this experience.
Ugarte : "Paris est un grand club, connu dans le monde entier pour ses stars. J'ai beaucoup apprécié et j'ai beaucoup appris. Vous vous entraînez avec les meilleurs. Marquer Kylian [Mbappé] t'aide beaucoup. Il a été formidable. Très humble. Je suis reconnaissant de cette… pic.twitter.com/VHkSIfucwf
— Manchester United (@MUnitedFR) November 12, 2024
“Without a doubt [this experience in Paris gave him a taste for trophies]. Paris is a team that wins. It was also the mentality at Sporting and obviously at United. The fans and the club expect trophies, and that’s great.”