Manchester United looked to have granted Bruno Fernandes wish after four years.
Watching Ryan Gravenberch and Alexis Mac Allister walk through Manchester United’s midfield at the Old Trafford, one could not help but think about Manuel Ugarte, who was seated in the directors ‘box’ ready to make his mark.
Acquired on the last day of the transfer window for £42.3 million from Paris Saint-Germain.
Ugarte has the potential of improving United midfield. However, due to his transfer, he was not part of the team that was faced by Liverpool, and this made United vulnerable in a critical encounter.
Casemiro’s Decline and Ugarte’s Arrival
Casemiro was a standout player during his first six months playing for United, but he has since regressed. His mistakes resulted in Liverpool first-half goals and therefore he was substituted at halftime by Toby Collyer.
Casemiro’s wife has leapt to the defence of her husband after the heavy criticisms he suffered after the game, a defence tactic that didn’t sit well with many United fans who took the opportunity to hit back at the Brazilian’s wife, as reported by Sportsbuddy.
The Brazilian midfielder is into his third season at Old Traford and has not shown the same form and reliability that he used to exhibit before.
Admitting Casemiro’s regression, United had ensured to target a suitable defensive midfielder during the summer transfer window.
Ugarte, at 23, seems to be the ideal candidate to complement the forward-thinking Kobbie Mainoo and Bruno Fernandes.
His Ligue 1 defensive statistics of 181 ball recoveries, 40 interceptions, and 98 tackles demonstrate his prowess of nullifying the opposition and regaining the ball.
Bruno Fernandes Request
Ugarte’s arrival is probably more relevant for Bruno Fernandes, who has previously stated in 2020 that he needs a’midfield destroyer’ behind him, like Keane.
The Manchester United captain admitted, as reported by Manchester Evening News. “If you look at Roy Keane, he’s the kind of player all teams need. Teams play in different ways, but all the teams can have him. It doesn’t matter if you play in possession or at the counter; you need a guy like this normally.”
All these characteristics describe Ugarte’s perfectly; he will provide the much-needed balance to United’s midfield.
It is crucial for United to have a midfield with both physicality, as exhibited by Ugarte and Mainoo, and creativity, which Fernandes brings to the table as he essentially makes up the first-choice trio for Erik ten Hag.
In Ugarte, United may have discovered a solution to an issue that has troubled them right from the beginning of the previous season.
His inclusion could be the magic to provide the much-needed balance for United’s midfield and give players like Fernandes the room they need to thrive.
