How Manuel Ugarte injury could affect Manchester United transfer plans

Manuel Ugarte has suffered a serious knee injury at the World Cup and an expected lengthy spell on the sidelines for the Man Utd midfielder will have an impact on transfer plans.

Fears are growing that Manuel Ugarte is set for a long spell on the sidelines after the Manchester United midfielder took to Instagram to say he had suffered the ‘most serious injury a footballer can face’.

United confirmed on Sunday that Ugarte had suffered a knee ligament injury and that further assessment was underway to determine the best course of treatment and a rehabilitation timescale, but Ugarte’s comments suggest he believes he has suffered an ACL injury.

That would rule the 25-year-old out for the majority of next season and is a cruel blow to the player, who picked up the injury in Uruguay’s final World Cup group game against Spain, with defeat sending them out of the competition.

While United’s focus is now on supporting Ugarte through his recovery, the injury will have a knock-on effect on the club’s transfer plans. Although the club weren’t actively touting Ugarte out, they were expected to listen to offers for him this summer.

Any sale would have helped to fund the signing of a third midfielder, but those plans could now be shelved. United had looked at Championship midfielders Shea Charles and Hayden Hackney, as well as Fulham’s Sander Berge, as potential options.

They have already lined up a deal to sign Ederson from Atalanta for a fee of up to £38.3million, with the deal set to be wrapped up once Brazil’s World Cup campaign comes to an end. United are pushing hard to sign Mateus Fernandes from West Ham as well, although are refusing to meet the Hammers’ £80million valuation.

That might be it for United in midfield, though Ugarte’s injury presents a different problem. Rather than selling him to fund a replacement, now they need to consider whether they need someone to fill his slot in the squad.

If United do sign Fernandes, then they would have Kobbie Mainoo, Ederson and Fernandes as midfield options next season, while Mason Mount could also fill in in a deeper role, having done so twice towards the end of last season.

That might be considered enough, but there is little doubt head coach Michael Carrick and director of football Jason Wilcox will have to consider depth in midfield without Ugarte if the injury is as serious as he fears. Academy options will come into the thinking there, with Tyler Fletcher looking like the most advanced.

Fletcher, 19, has been with Scotland at the World Cup but their early exit means he should get opportunities in pre-season. United also have Toby Collyer on their books still, although the 22-year-old has been lined up for a loan move this season.

United will at least receive some recompense for Ugarte’s injury, with FIFA’s Club Protection Programme covering some of his salary because he was injured while on international duty. That scheme covers a player’s wages as long as they are out for a period of 28 days or more, although it is capped at €7.5m (£6.4m).

United will likely receive the full amount for Ugarte, and although that sort of fee won’t go far in the market, it will help. It could potentially help fund a loan move, should the club decide to look for short-term cover, although that is something the current football structure have seemed keen to avoid.

Either way, the injury to Ugarte is a cruel blow to a player looking to get his career back on track, and a headache for United now as they revamp their midfield.