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£42m Man Utd deal finally turns the tables on £44m exit for World Cup winner, same success needed
Manchester United are set to conclude a deal for Uruguay international midfielder Manuel Ugarte.
Manuel Ugarte will soon be announced as a Manchester United player, having undergone his medical, and the finishing touches being applied on his move.
United are paying an initial £42 million for Ugarte, a good fee for a proven international player and the top tackler in Ligue 1.
There is a belief at United they are signing one of the world’s top young midfielders, and looking at the deal, it has also struck us how it inverts a previous high-profile transfer between the Red Devils and Paris Saint-Germain.
Ugarte move flips the script on Di Maria
The move for Manuel Ugarte is the biggest transfer between Manchester United and Paris Saint-Germain since Angel di Maria moved between the two clubs for £44 million.
And there are a few similarities in circumstances, with Manchester United finally turning the tables on the French club.
Di Maria/Ugarte lasted one year: Angel di Maria lasted only one year at Manchester United before forcing through a move to Paris Saint-Germain. He had failed to settle in England.
Manuel Ugarte has spent just one year at PSG, before being moved along. He is now heading for a bright future at Manchester United.
Di Maria/Ugarte performed well: Both players actually performed well during their respective singular seasons at their clubs.
Ugarte led French football for tackles last season and featured in 37 games for the club. He has been made available for transfer amid a shift in approach at PSG, with manager Luis Enrique now looking to build his team around Joao Neves.
Di Maria forced his exit from United, which was frustrating as he showed promise. He scored three goals and provided 10 assists. Like Ugarte, his debut season was not always perfect, but there was something to build on.
Both teams took a slight loss: Paris Saint-Germain bought Manuel Ugarte for £51 million. United have paid £42 million for his services. There are add-ons which could later take a deal up to £50 million – but the Uruguayan’s price tag has slightly decreased.
Manchester United took a bigger loss on Angel di Maria. He cost £59 million, with the club selling him for £44 million.
Club’s second biggest exit at the time: Manuel Ugarte will become PSG’s second biggest ever transfer sale, behind the fee received from Al-Hilal for Neymar.
Di Maria became Manchester United’s second highest sale when his departure was confirmed. He ranked behind the exit of Cristiano Ronaldo, although Romelu Lukaku’s exit in 2019 subsequently bumped his fee down to third.
A quality player who needed to feel at home
So what can we learn from the coincidences between these two transfers, which this time breaks in Manchester United’s favour?
Angel di Maria settled in Paris, and went on to play 295 games for PSG during seven seasons at the French club. He later went onto enjoy individual success at World Cup 2022 with Argentina.
Manchester United will be looking for this kind of longevity and success from Manuel Ugarte, who is expected to sign a five-year deal.
Like with Di Maria’s singular year at United, that will quickly become a forgotten memory if Ugarte settles in Manchester and becomes a pivotal part of Erik ten Hag’s team.
Di Maria became an instant hit at PSG, and United hope Ugarte will acclimatise quickly to the Premier League, where his dynamic all-action style is a perfect fit.
United fans have taken to South American stars in the past like Lisandro Martinez and Gabriel Heinze, players who perform with fire and fight. This is what Ugarte has in spades, he has been described as a ‘warrior‘.
These are traits Di Maria lacked, which was part of the reason United fans struggled to connect with him.
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