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New Manchester United signing Manuel Ugarte has made an admission that may come as a great concern to the club’s fans.
After weeks of courtship and negotiations with Paris Saint-Germain, United finally unveiled Ugarte last month on transfer deadline day.
The Red Devils confirmed that Ugarte put pen to paper on a five-year contract with the option of extending his stay at Old Trafford by a further 12 months.
It’s believed that United and PSG reached an agreement for the midfielder at around the €60m mark, including add-ons.
PSG were adamant that they would not make a loss for a player they only signed from Sporting Lisbon a year ago and they got their wish.
Despite a promising start to life in the French capital, Ugarte quickly fell down the pecking order under PSG boss Luis Enrique.
Enrique did not sanction Ugarte’s arrival as he was appointed after the Uruguayan was acquired by the Ligue 1 champions.
As the season progressed, Ugarte saw his minutes drastically reduce, with Enrique demonstrating a clear preference for alternative options in the middle of the park.
The Uruguayan made 37 appearances across all competitions for PSG in the 2023/24 season. Despite his proficiency in aggressively winning the ball back and covering ground, it was clear that Enrique was not too enthused about the player due to his limitations in possession.
The fact that PSG delved into the market and bought Joao Neves from Benfica all but confirmed that Ugarte’s time at the Parc des Princes had come to an early end.
In an interview transcribed by L’Équipe, Ugarte has admitted that he struggled with the weight of expectations on his shoulders when he joined PSG.
The 23-year-old has revealed that he felt “very anxious” about the big move to France, evoking what he labelled a “difficult summer.”
Ugarte remarked, “The pre-season was very strange for me because I wasn’t used to being in that situation, playing so little.”
This admission may concern a section of United fans, considering that expectations at Old Trafford are far higher than at PSG.
Many talented players have joined United but have struggled to live up to their hefty price tags. If Ugarte thinks his move to PSG was challenging, he has an even tougher journey ahead to adjust to life with the 20-time English champions.
The South American star has yet to make his debut for the Red Devils but a report covered by The Peoples Person relayed that he is set to play a part in the club’s upcoming match vs. Southampton next weekend.
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