Man Utd have already sold Casemiro heir who’s worth 168x less than Ugarte - soccerdelights.com
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Man Utd have already sold Casemiro heir who’s worth 168x less than Ugarte

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Man Utd have already sold Casemiro heir who’s worth 168x less than Ugarte

The veteran Brazilian – who had been touted for a move to Saudi Arabia over the summer – had squandered possession needlessly for Liverpool’s opener, before then seeing his pocket picked as the away side nabbed a second. He was duly hooked at half-time.

With new signing Manuel Ugarte paraded on the pitch ahead of that 3-0 defeat, it looked to be a changing of the guard for Erik ten Hag’s side, with the Uruguayan acquired on deadline day with the aim of resolving United’s midfield woes.

On the early evidence, however, the Red Devils may well have merely switched one problematic midfielder for another in that deep-lying role, with the former Paris Saint-Germain man having made a shaky start to life in Manchester.

Manuel Ugarte’s start at Man Utd

Having been given the nod against FC Twente and Barnsley, Ugarte’s first real test came on his first Premier League start against Tottenham Hotspur last time out, with the 23-year-old lining up alongside Kobbie Mainoo for the visit of the Lilywhites.

It is, of course, still early days, yet the one-time Sporting CP star appears to have simply provided more chaos than any kind of control in the centre of the park, having notably failed to prevent Micky van de Ven’s surging run, while also making three fouls on the day.

As analyst Alex Keble wrote upon the midfielder’s arrival at the club, the warning signs were there: ‘Ugarte is a classic destroyer, not a Rodri-like progressive ball-player. He is an up-and-at-them tackler, and nothing like Erik ten Hag’s initial target last summer, Frenkie de Jong…

Ugarte’s 2023/24 Ligue 1 stats

25 games (21 starts)

0 goals

2 assists

1 big chance created

0.6 key passes*

91% pass accuracy*

1.6 interceptions*

3.9 tackles*

7.2 balls recovered*

53% total duels*

7.4x possession lost*

Stats via Sofascore (* – per game)

‘…By signing Ugarte, Ten Hag is doubling down on quick transitions, on fast and direct football. His success at Old Trafford could be defined by that decision, which means the signing of Ugarte is a crucial one.’

If Ten Hag is to be ‘defined by that decision’, then on the early evidence it could prove to be his undoing, with it perhaps becoming clear why Luis Enrique and co were so willing to offload him from the Parc des Princes this summer.

The hope will be that Ugarte can find his groove sooner rather than later, although questions will be asked as to whether United should have looked elsewhere to find Casemiro’s successor, or indeed kept hold of one potential rising star…

Man Utd sold Casemiro’s dream successor

Alongside a raft of senior departures – including the likes of Jadon Sancho, Donny van de Beek and Anthony Martial – the summer window also saw United cash in on a handful of youth assets, with Willy Kambwala, Hannibal Mejbri and Alvaro Fernandez all moving on to pastures new.

In the case of all three of those – including Fernandez, who has notably impressed at Benfica – the Red Devils wisely included a buyback option as part of their moves elsewhere, with the same also true of promising defensive midfielder, Maxi Oyedele.

A relative unknown to most of a United persuasion, the England-born, Poland youth international failed to make a senior appearance for United prior to leaving for Legia Warsaw back in August, having only enjoyed minimal experience on loan at the likes of Altrincham and Forest Green Rovers.

Just 100 minutes into life in the Ekstraklasa and the 19-year-old has already been awarded a senior call-up by the Polish set-up, with talent scout Jacek Kulig stating that the nation “hasn’t had a DM with such potential and profile in years”.

That ‘potential’ was notably on show during pre-season under Ten Hag’s watch, with Oyedele awarded a 7/10 match rating by MEN’s Samuel Luckhurst for his performance against Rangers back in July, having impressively surged forward before teeing up Joe Hugill to fire home in the second half.

Likened to Arsenal’s Thomas Partey as an industrious yet composed operator in the centre of the park by Kulig, the teenager did impress last time out against Gornik, winning five of his seven total duels and enjoying an 88% pass accuracy rate, while also providing one key pass and completing four tackles from his deep-lying midfield berth, as per Sofascore.

Also lauded as a player with “great leadership qualities” despite his age by Altrincham boss Phil Parkinson during that 2023 loan stint, the rising star may well have been a valuable asset for Ten Hag this season.

Thankfully the club do have the presence of that buyback clause, albeit they did only cash in on the academy graduate for a ‘fee contingent based on appearances’, as per the Athletic.

According to Transfermarkt, the youngster is currently worth just £250k, a figure 168 times less than the initial £42m that was spent on Ugarte.

Alas, it is Toby Collyer whom Ten Hag has given the chance to this season to follow in Mainoo’s footsteps, yet with Oyedele more of an out-an-out defensive midfielder, perhaps he would have been a wiser choice as Casemiro’s long-term successor.

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BREAKING NEWS:”I assure you that I will find the right person for this role before I leave. We aim to implement significant changes this year. Erik ten Hag is not the right fit for this position. The ideal candidate has been here before and holds the key to solving all our issues.”

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BREAKING NEWS:”I assure you that I will find the right person for this role before I leave. We aim to implement significant changes this year. Erik ten Hag is not the right fit for this position. The ideal candidate has been here before and holds the key to solving all our issues.”

Manchester United are reportedly considering reopening talks with a former managerial candidate if Erik ten Hag’s tenure as manager comes to an end. The Dutchman has faced increasing pressure following several disappointing results, including a 3-0 loss to Tottenham at Old Trafford.

This defeat, along with a 3-3 draw against Porto in the Europa League after blowing a two-goal lead, has raised questions about Ten Hag’s ability to lead the team.

According to The Athletic, Manchester United’s leadership is adopting a “long-term view” regarding Ten Hag’s future, meaning he might not be dismissed even if the club loses their next Premier League match against Aston Villa. However, over the summer, Sir Jim Ratcliffe, Manchester United’s minority co-owner, and his INEOS representatives held talks with several potential replacements for Ten Hag.

Although Ten Hag’s position seemed secure after United’s FA Cup win, the club may now revisit those discussions due to the team’s current poor form.

One candidate reportedly approached over the summer was Thomas Tuchel, who has previously managed Chelsea and Bayern Munich. However, Tuchel declined the offer because of concerns about the internal power structure at Manchester United.

With Ten Hag’s position in jeopardy, the club may consider reaching out to Tuchel again, as he is currently without a team. Despite Tuchel’s impressive managerial credentials, it remains uncertain whether he would be willing to reconsider the role.

Other managerial candidates reportedly under consideration include Graham Potter, former Brighton and Chelsea manager, and Gareth Southgate, the current England manager. Both are known for their strong player development skills, attributes that Sir Jim Ratcliffe finds appealing.

Additionally, Inter Milan manager Simone Inzaghi has been linked to the job, though he recently rejected an approach from United, preferring to stay at Inter after leading them to the Champions League final. Brentford manager Thomas Frank has also been discussed as a possible successor to Ten Hag, admired for his tactical approach and ability to maximize team performance.

Meanwhile, Ruud van Nistelrooy, Manchester United’s assistant coach, remains the bookmakers’ favorite to replace Ten Hag if he is dismissed. Van Nistelrooy’s deep knowledge of the club and his recent success at PSV Eindhoven make him a strong internal candidate.

Ultimately, United’s leadership will need to decide whether to promote from within or seek a more experienced manager to guide the team forward.

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BREAKING NEWS: New Man United Coach Thomas Tuchel has ask for ask the board to bring His best player at Chelsea to Old Trafford

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BREAKING NEWS: New Man United Coach Thomas Tuchel has ask for ask the board to bring His best player at Chelsea to Old Trafford

Chelsea have offered Ben Chilwell to Man united as they aim to further trim their wage bill, it has been claimed.

England defender Chilwell joined Chelsea from Leicester City in 2020, playing more than 100 first-team games during an injury-hit four years in West London. The 27-year-old signed a contract extension towards the end of the 2022-23 season, with his current deal running until the summer of 2027.

Since signing that deal, though, two changes of manager have left him down the pecking order. Current boss Enzo Maresca has been brutally honest with the left-back, who barely featured in pre-season and has been told he will struggle for minutes without a move.

A transfer to Premier League rivals United is among the possibilities explored, though it’s far from straightforward. Erik ten Hag’s side are currently without injured duo Luke Shaw and Tyrell Malacia, which may explain Chelsea’s approach.

According to talkSPORT, United have been offered the chance to sign Chilwell and Chelsea would not stand in the way of a move. He wasn’t part of the squad chosen by Maresca to face Manchester City on Sunday, with Marc Cucurella starting at left-back.

“With Chilly it’s quite clear,” Maresca said in the lead-up to the Premier League opener. “I love the way he trains, I love the way he is but the problem is that he struggles with us a little bit to find his best position.

“When you train everyday and you don’t get minutes, it’s not good for them and it’s not good for me because I need to make decisions. For some players, it’s sometimes better to leave and to go somewhere to get minutes. We will see what happens, the transfer window is open and we will see what happens.”

Chilwell is one of a number of senior stars left out of Maresca’s squad to face Servette in Thursday’s Europa Conference League play-off first leg. Raheem Sterling has also been omitted, with the former Manchester City star losing his squad number to summer signing Pedro Neto on Wednesday.

Sterling, like Chilwell, was left out of the matchday squad on Sunday. “I’m not saying Raheem is not a good player but I prefer different kinds of wingers. This is the reason why,” the manager said.

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I cried so hard when He told me He will be leaving us by January, without Him I’m useless on the pitch”, Bruno Fernandez broke down in tears during press conference as another Man United key player confirm departure by January –

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I cried so hard when He told me He will be leaving us by January, without Him I’m useless on the pitch”, Bruno Fernandez broke down in tears during press conference as another Man United key player confirm departure by January – Not Rashford and not Mainoo

Manchester United are expected to lose Christian Eriksen for nothing, with the player attracting interest from Ajax over a potential reunion.

During the summer transfer window, United seemed keen to offload the Denmark international to make some profit on the player who had entered the final year of his contract. The Peoples Person relayed a report claiming the Mancunian giants could allow Eriksen “to leave for €5m.”

However, the 32-year-old remained at Old Trafford, and has surprisingly emerged as one of Erik ten Hag’s best performing players this season.

The Dutchman has largely overlooked both Casemiro and Manuel Ugarte for Eriksen, having handed him eight appearances across all competitions so far.

The former Tottenham Hotspur man’s technical security in possession has come in handy for the side who consistently struggle to control the tempo of the game. He has also been directly involved in six goals.

Despite his resurgence in form, United chiefs are “not expected” to give him a new deal, claims The Sun.

The midfielder will be free to leave in the summer of 2025 and negotiate a pre-contract agreement with clubs outside England come January 1.

Eriksen, who joined United from Brentford in 2022, is understood to be in “high demand” and his former club Ajax “lead the way in trying to sign him.”

The Dane is a product of Ajax’s famed academy and made over 100 senior appearances for the Dutch giants before moving to England to play for Spurs.

His former club are keeping an eye on his situation and could reportedly be prepared to hand him a three-year deal, potentially allowing him to finish his career where it all started.

Eriksen has also attracted interest from clubs in America and Saudi Arabia but it is claimed the idea of a “fairytale return” to Amsterdam is tempting for him.

Ajax, keen to beat the competition for his signature, are looking to find an agreement with Eriksen in the New Year ahead of a summer switch.

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