Manchester United midfield transfer plans rocked by Ugarte injury, Flashscore understands

[p]The 25-year-old suffered a knee ligament injury in [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/uruguay/xMk44orG/"]Uruguay[/a]'s defeat to [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/spain/bLyo6mco/"]Spain[/a] on Friday. It means he likely faces a long lay-off - and now [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/manchester-united/ppjDR086/"]United[/a]'s plans to sell him this summer are impacted.[/p][p][b]They hoped to sign three midfielders in this transfer window, as they wanted to move him on and then find a replacement - but also wanted two other new midfielders to pad out the squad and bring new quality.[/b][/p][p]A £35million deal to sign [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/ederson/UDODA71I/"]Ederson[/a] from [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/atalanta/8C9JjMXu/"]Atalanta[/a] has been agreed already, while the club have been trying to make progress on [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/fernandes-mateus/rFdshPHI/"]Mateus Fernandes[/a] from [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/west-ham/Cxq57r8g/"]West Ham United[/a].[/p][p]Alternate players they have been looking at in the market include [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/bournemouth/OtpNdwrc/"]Bournemouth[/a]’s [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/scott-alex/boFdbMyt/"]Alex Scott[/a], [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/real-madrid/W8mj7MDD/"]Real Madrid[/a]’s [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/tchouameni-aurelien/QkiZum3e/"]Aurelien Tchouameni[/a] and [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/fulham/69ZiU2Om/"]Fulham[/a]’s [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/berge-sander/KCY13JFl/"]Sander Berge[/a].[/p][p]United had looked at [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/baleba-carlos/UwTdoLQl/"]Carlos Baleba[/a] from [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/brighton/2XrRecc3/"]Brighton[/a], but are not getting positive signs on his price tag. They admired [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/anderson-elliott/KdYCbsbE/"]Elliot Anderson[/a], too - but he is completing a move from [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/nottingham/UsushcZr/"]Nottingham Forest[/a] to [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/manchester-city/Wtn9Stg0/"]Manchester City[/a].[/p][embed guid="2215accf-6e43-4b5e-bd4b-45c1e526c3c0" url="https://x.com/David_Ornstein/status/2071260187223085334" social-type="twitter" /][p]It remains to be seen how United's midfield reconstruction can now be carried out.[/p][p]Given [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/ugarte-manuel/IksYqIr8/"]Ugarte[/a] is injured and cannot be selected, the desire for three central midfield signings remains.[/p][p][b]But the fact United can not sell Ugarte or move on his wages for now means they could be more limited in who they can sign for the third role.[/b][/p][p]Ugarte had been considered surplus to requirements heading into this summer, after failing to live up to his £50.8 million arrival from [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/psg/CjhkPw0k/"]Paris Saint-Germain[/a] in 2024. [/p][p]The midfielder went down after his knee appeared to buckle during a challenge in the move that led to a Spain goal in Guadalajara. He had to leave the pitch on a stretcher, and the damage will likely lead to a lengthy spell on the sidelines.[/p][infobox id="f961102e-920a-4281-b5f2-f996852544cf" /]