Manuel Ugarte | Romano - he’s signed | Awaiting Club announcement

[amolbhatia50k]

I think he is being underrated on here and I also think people are underrating the effect a proper, strong and physical ball winner with endless stamina can have on the team and our performances. Yes, he is a safe passer but his primary role isn't to be the playmaker in our midfield. He will win the ball back and give it to our midfielders that are tasked with progressing the ball. One of our main problems was that any team in the league - even the bottom teams - could dominate our midfield quite easily because we had no player in midfield that had an interest in winning the ball back, and if they did, they didn't have the legs for it and opposition midfielders and attackers could pretty much run past them with no problems. That's not going to happen with Ugarte and he will force errors and mispasses even if he doesn't win the ball back with a tackle or interception.

I've seen some talk about his passing being terrible here. It really isn't, it's just that he isn't a very progressive passer. Look at Palhinha, he makes a lot fewer passes than Ugarte, worse pass completion and even worse progressive passing, yet no one seems to have any problems calling him one of the best defensive midfielders in the league, and Bayern had no issues paying £47m for him.
People also seem to forget that Kanté wasn't a particularly progressive passer, either, but he was a pretty good ball carrier.

In my opinion, this is a crucial signing for our midfield and absolutely essential if we want to improve as a team and not be dominated by most midfields.

If this guy is as good on the all as Kante then most will be happy. Kante was never a good passer but he was good on the ball as a ball carrying and some of driving runs were impossibly to stop.

I don’t think many will disagree with your assessment that our midfield being porous last season but at the same time whether that was entirely down to bad DMs or partly to how we setup coupled with the temporary bad form of the players, is debateable. Additionally, we’ve seen teams with great defensive records without a limited ball winner as there’s many ways to defend well and one of them is to have more of the ball. And on that note, one of our biggest weaknesses for over a decade - as opposed to porous midfield which has only been a recent issue - is how bad we are at controlling possession and moving the ball through congested central spaces in beating a press or a low block. That’s been the biggest problem aside from goals, of the post SAF era, IMO. So on that front, many of us feel we need more players who are genuinely gifted passers or can operate in tight spaces with ease.

Utarte and a passing / possession specialist midfielder seems to be the way to go.

 

[Brightonian]

I still think that Ugarte and Mainoo as a pairing would have sub-optimal passing range. Kobbie has very promising ability to progress the ball in different ways but ideally you would want the starting midfield to have at least one player with a more expansive range to open the play up.

Ugarte actually has quite good long passing stats. They're safe balls out to the wingers/wingbacks in space, but he makes them a lot and with a high success rate.

He doesn't do incisive vertical long passing but then really we want Bruno to be doing that.

 

[Litch]

I think some people will be surprised how good he is....

 

[Dan_F]

Look i dont disagree with you, but where is that expansive passer in the market though? With the exception of Joao Neves who I would have loved to have signed (but would have made fir a very inexperienced midfield with Mainoo), I don't really see that profile of player available in the market. There's also the risk that the player profile you're talking about with Mainoo is too lightweight and gets overrun if he's not also a great ball winner, which means you're basically looking for a Rodri. I'm find with us focusing on brawn and security first, especially given the passing ability of both Mainoo and Ugarte could be improved given their age profile.

Rodri would also be exposed if we asked him to do what we did last season. It works at Man City because they play a system based far more on retaining possession, we end up getting countered far more than Man City.

People are pretty much wanting Roy Keane, so not much, we just need to find someone equal to one of the best all round midfielders to play the game.

 

[Suv666]

We have so many transfers in the air right now, I wonder how many we’ll be able to conclude. Cant see all of them happening.

 

[Cantonagotmehere]

We have so many transfers in the air right now, I wonder how many we’ll be able to conclude. Cant see all of them happening.

In order of need? If we don't get 2 we are screwed.

Ugarte
Deligt
RB/LB

 

[dinostar77]

I think some people will be surprised how good he is....

Agreed. Like all the complaints we had when we were signing Martinez. That he's too short for the PL etc.

I think we will be getting the next generation version of Ngolo Kante. If he's anywhere as good as him then we will have a helluva player in our team.

 

[RuudTom83]

The glazers usually give the fans a shiny toy after a few bad results at the start of the season...everything is going to plan.

Get slapped up by City in the CS and another loss to Fulham on opening night...Ugarte will be here by the 24th to face Brighton.

 

[dinostar77]

We have so many transfers in the air right now, I wonder how many we’ll be able to conclude. Cant see all of them happening.

We only have three on the go.

De ligt and Mazraoui who both have the same agent and same selling club. Should get traction on mazraoui as soon as AWB is sold.

Ugarte, which should get moving once McT moves on.

 

[hobbers]

I think some people will be surprised how good he is....

Compared to the semi-pro dross Casemiro serves up, he will seem world class.

 

[Zed is not dead]

I’ve watched him play a lot with PSG and he’s average at best.
He’s a passion merchant who will get stuck in and may win the ball back sometimes, get cards rest of the time.

This transfer is simply us getting rinsed by Jorge Mendes who facilitated Yoro’s transfer to United instead of PSG, and now trying to move Ugarte from PSG to United and moving Joao Neves to PSG.

Ugarte is worth 20 to 30m but that’s it

 

[dinostar77]

I’ve watched him play a lot with PSG and he’s average at best.
He’s a passion merchant who will get stuck in and may win the ball back sometimes, get cards rest of the time.

This transfer is simply us getting rinsed by Jorge Mendes who facilitated Yoro’s transfer to United instead of PSG, and now trying to move Ugarte from PSG to United and moving Joao Neves to PSG.

Ugarte is worth 20 to 30m but that’s it

Dude he has the 2nd highest stats in all of Europe for his defensive midfield work. Only paulinha who went to Bayern ranks any higher.

 

[NewGlory]

In order of need? If we don't get 2 we are screwed.

Ugarte
Deligt
RB/LB

We are screwed if we don't do at least three of those, actually

Imagine we sign Ugarte and De ligt, but no left back. Who is going to be our left back? Luke Shaw who will get injured and miss at least half of the games, and his backup will be - who? A 17 year old kid Amass?

That is unsustainable. We all know the MIA left back of ours, Malacia, who missed 18 months has no chance of coming back and not getting injured again

 

[Escobar]

Time is not on our side and we would have needed him weeks ago.

 

[flameinthesun]

Time is not on our side and we would have needed him weeks ago.

Time isn't on our side from a needing players in asap perspective but I think time is on our side in terms of PSG wanting to shift him off their books now that they have Neves. I can see them being more reasonable with their demands the later it gets into the transfer window.

 

[dinostar77]

We are screwed if we don't do at least three of those, actually

Imagine we sign Ugarte and De ligt, but no left back. Who is going to be our left back? Luke Shaw who will get injured and miss at least half of the games, and his backup will be - who? A 17 year old kid Amass?

That is unsustainable. We all know the MIA left back of ours, Malacia, who missed 18 months has no chance of coming back and not getting injured again

Mazraoui can play both hence why it's unlikely will get another LB in this window after mazraoui signs.

 

[NewGlory]

Mazraoui can play both hence why it's unlikely will get another LB in this window after mazraoui signs.

Yeah, Dalot has played both wings as well, but relying on 3 players in LB+RB positions, where we need four, considering our injury record sounds like a definition of "thin ice"

But it does feel like United's plan is indeed to rely on that and not sign another LB, you are right

 

[AS18_]

The problem is we font need to replace him but other players

Agreed both are totally different players but to raise funds I think we are waiting for sales first. Also wage bill needs to balance abit.

 

[Cantonagotmehere]

We are screwed if we don't do at least three of those, actually

Imagine we sign Ugarte and De ligt, but no left back. Who is going to be our left back? Luke Shaw who will get injured and miss at least half of the games, and his backup will be - who? A 17 year old kid Amass?

That is unsustainable. We all know the MIA left back of ours, Malacia, who missed 18 months has no chance of coming back and not getting injured again

Can't argue, just don't want to get hopes up. No way we can rely on Shaw as starting LB.

 

[dinostar77]

Yeah, Dalot has played both wings as well, but relying on 3 players in LB+RB positions, where we need four, considering our injury record sounds like a definition of "thin ice"

But it does feel like United's plan is indeed to rely on that and not sign another LB, you are right

If it came to an emergency situation, Martinez can play left back, Lindelof and De ligt can both play right back ( I believe de ligt has in the past during an injury crisis).

 

[Zed is not dead]

Dude he has the 2nd highest stats in all of Europe for his defensive midfield work. Only paulinha who went to Bayern ranks any higher.

Yep and I’ve seen him play with PSG on TV and at Le Parc des Princes, and he really is not that good

 

[VP89]

Agreed. Like all the complaints we had when we were signing Martinez. That he's too short for the PL etc.

I think we will be getting the next generation version of Ngolo Kante. If he's anywhere as good as him then we will have a helluva player in our team.

He's 6ft though?

 

[VP89]

I’ve watched him play a lot with PSG and he’s average at best.
He’s a passion merchant who will get stuck in and may win the ball back sometimes, get cards rest of the time.

This transfer is simply us getting rinsed by Jorge Mendes who facilitated Yoro’s transfer to United instead of PSG, and now trying to move Ugarte from PSG to United and moving Joao Neves to PSG.

Ugarte is worth 20 to 30m but that’s it

Irrespective of the PSG stint, it's one season for a 23 year old who was very highly rated in Portugal.

 

[NewGlory]

If it came to an emergency situation, Martinez can play left back, Lindelof and De ligt can both play right back ( I believe de ligt has in the past during an injury crisis).

That is good to know about De Ligt, thanks

Also, I will be shocked if we buy De Ligt and Lindelof is still kept around. That would make no sense and Lindelof should be sellable

 

[Plastic Evra]

That is good to know about De Ligt, thanks

Also, I will be shocked if we buy De Ligt and Lindelof is still kept around. That would make no sense and Lindelof should be sellable

I have to imagine there's talks for Lindelof or perhaps Maguire going on at some level (?). The De Ligt transfer is talked about even by Bayern as basically ready to go any minute... Perhaps McTominay is the name that is put on the opposite scale ? But you'd feel it is supposed to be linked to Ugarte. RB it's clearly one out one in at the position.

 

[Sandikan]

If it came to an emergency situation, Martinez can play left back, Lindelof and De ligt can both play right back ( I believe de ligt has in the past during an injury crisis).

Martinez might be left footed but that doesn't mean he can play well there.
He's not particularly fast and doubt he has much ability to get forward.

Plus he missed about 75% of last season himself

 

[Sandikan]

Agreed. Like all the complaints we had when we were signing Martinez. That he's too short for the PL etc.

I think we will be getting the next generation version of Ngolo Kante. If he's anywhere as good as him then we will have a helluva player in our team.

And while Martinez has played well for us there Is a simple fact you do need height in your team.
You play Martinez you need at least 2 or 3 aerially strong players.
It's nervy enough watching us defend set pieces at times when we had Maguire, Varane and McTom in there.

 

[Gandalf]

I have to imagine there's talks for Lindelof or perhaps Maguire going on at some level (?). The De Ligt transfer is talked about even by Bayern as basically ready to go any minute... Perhaps McTominay is the same that is put on the opposite scale ? But you'd feel it is supposed to be linked to Ugarte. RB it's clearly one out one in at the position.

I am fairly sure it was Ornstein who mentioned Lindelof is interested in a move as he would rather go somewhere and start games. Harry seems determined to see out his contract and frankly we can’t afford to sell both with how thin we are at the back so all signs point to Victor leaving before the deadline once we get another CB signed.

 

[Zed is not dead]

Irrespective of the PSG stint, it's one season for a 23 year old who was very highly rated in Portugal.

Perhaps, but some people comparing him to Kante are way off the mark.
He’s similar to Paredes if anything

 

[dinostar77]

Perhaps, but some people comparing him to Kante are way off the mark.
He’s similar to Paredes if anything

Not really, watch the Pythagoras in Boots analysis or other analysis stuff and Kante is mentioned. Ugarte like Kante goes hunting for the ball, forces turnovers higher up the pitch as well. Can carry the ball etc.

Paredes sat in front of the back four and pinged the ball out to the wings.

 

[VP89]

Not really, watch the Pythagoras in Boots analysis or other analysis stuff and Kante is mentioned. Ugarte like Kante goes hunting for the ball, forces turnovers higher up the pitch as well. Can carry the ball etc.

Paredes sat in front of the back four and pinged the ball out to the wings.

That vid is flawed. As certain other posters said (who watched him extensively) he's not Kante esque. Not every ball winner is like Kante.

 

[OverratedOpinion]

Maybe I'm getting old but the summer transfer window is so much more fun when you don't follow these threads or twitter rumours and just get a notification when the club announced a signing.

 

[sourdough satellite]

It is not about him being a problem, it is constructing a midfield that is balanced. Mainoo will very likely develop his passing range but it may take time, giving him a partner who is very good at winning the ball but rather limited with it doesn't seem sensible.

May be entirely wrong, hope that I am if he is signed but transfer optimism often overrides logic among fans.

So who's gonna win the ball? because Mainoo is not a ballwinner either.

 

[Todd]

Is this guy even going to be any better than Casemiro?

 

[crackers0seven]

Is this guy even going to be any better than Casemiro?

Definitely,casemiro legs are gone.he rushes forward or dives in to avoid players getting a run on him and if the player has a little quality they knock it push him and leave him for dust,just like carvalho last night. Any player that can cover ground at this stage is better in my opinion. He was a great player,loved him at real and season 1 at utd. But he's aged rapidly,unfortunately it's happened on a long huge contract at utd.

 

[USREDEVIL]

Im going to call him MUGA for short

 

[ArmaDino]

After witnessing another Casemiro disaster class yesterday, we need to seriously step up the chase for him. Just by keeping it simple and not giving the ball away in front of your own final third, he would improve us dramatically.

 

[croadyman]

You would hope this picks up pace once Mazraoui and De Ligt is sorted along with McTominay sold. Well unless this is all a smokescreen for an alternative target of course.

 

[Teja]

Time is not on our side and we would have needed him weeks ago.

Why do we need him weeks ago? Casemiro isn't going anywhere - no bidders so we have a starting caliber DM already. We'll get him in towards the end of the window once negotiations with Bayern are done.

 

[Zed is not dead]

Not really, watch the Pythagoras in Boots analysis or other analysis stuff and Kante is mentioned. Ugarte like Kante goes hunting for the ball, forces turnovers higher up the pitch as well. Can carry the ball etc.

Paredes sat in front of the back four and pinged the ball out to the wings.

Or maybe I saw him play week in week out whether on TV or at the stadium and I can tell you that he’s nothing special.
Why not if it’s a loan, but anything in excess of 30m would be stupid from us