Manchester United have confirmed that Manuel Ugarte suffered a knee ligament injury while representing Uruguay against Spain in a World Cup group-stage match. He was stretchered off during Uruguay’s 1-0 defeat, and the club said assessment of the injury is ongoing to determine the best course of treatment and the rehabilitation timescale. That leaves a planned summer move suddenly much harder to organise.
United's midfield rebuild is now harder to manage
United had expected to use outgoings to help fund a midfield overhaul, and Ugarte was part of that picture. Reports had linked him with AC Milan, but the injury makes a summer transfer extremely unlikely for now. The club had already been willing to think about moving him on, because he started only 8 Premier League games last season.
He also made just 1 appearance under Michael Carrick, which says enough about where he sat in the pecking order before this setback. United finished with 71 points, and the club's summer work was always going to focus on midfield changes rather than carrying surplus bodies. This injury does not settle Ugarte's future, but it does make a sale far more difficult while United wait for a proper medical update.
Written by Jack Mercer with AI-assisted research, cross-checked against 2 outlets. How we work →