Man United Give Up On Ugarte
It looks like Manchester United have ended their hunt for Manuel Ugarte from Paris Saint-Germain, and it looks like we truly are at a new beginning at this club. There has been a lot of changes at United this summer and it’s now been reported that the club are for once set to walk away from a transfer rather than spend the summer chasing targets and hoping things will somehow change. This is an interesting development which might show United will not allow to be bullied in the transfer market because they are unwilling to pay overpay for new signings.
United are only willing to pay what they deem to be the correct fee for each transfer target and negotiations will not be allowed to drag on until the end of the market, which is something that used to happen regularly, particularly two years ago when Erik ten Hag had Richard Arnold chasing Barcelona’s Frenkie de Jong for over 100 days. According to David Ornstein of The Athletic, United are switching the focus of their search to sign a new midfielder away from PSG’s Ugarte and on to other candidates. Ornstein reported that the club have been exploring this deal, but are not ready to meet PSG’s asking price of around 60 million euros. That is how much PSG paid to Sporting Lisbon in 2023 and now they want to recoup that money, yet, United are not willing to play that game.
That is good for Man United, as they can now focus elsewhere on finding a midfielder that will fit this team and Ten Hag’s preferences. There might be some cheaper options for the Devils, who are now trying to show resolve in the market.
Will Wan-Bissaka Get Sold?
Aaron Wan-Bissaka has been strongly linked with a move away from Manchester United this summer, with West Ham emerging as a potential destination. According to reports from The Sun, the London-based club are interested in acquiring the right-back and are reportedly willing to meet United’s £18 million asking price. However, the deal is facing complications due to Wan-Bissaka’s wage demands, which West Ham are struggling to accommodate.
The potential transfer is now at risk of falling through as a result. Wan-Bissaka’s representatives are reportedly pushing for United to provide the player with a portion of the £18 million transfer fee from West Ham to facilitate the move. Since joining United from Crystal Palace five years ago, Wan-Bissaka has been earning £90,000 a week. West Ham are prepared to offer him a salary increase, with manager Julen Lopetegui seeking a new right-back to compete with Czech international Vladimir Coufal, but it remains to be seen whether that will be enough for the player.
Wan-Bissaka is entering the final year of his contract this summer, and considering the fact he is still only 26, United see this transfer window as their last chance to get some valuable cash from the player’s sale. If a deal does not happen soon, the former Palace defender could potentially leave on a free transfer next year, which is something everyone at United are trying to avoid.