Manchester United man struggling for minutes has become a target for one of the biggest clubs in Turkey, which could become one of the ‘most significant transfers in recent Turkish transfer history’.
Michael Carrick has begun his interim tenure at Manchester United with a rigid first team squad, names like Bruno Fernandes, Lisandro Martinez, and Bryan Mbeumo look irreplacable at the moment.
Carrick has also chosen to include names previously out of reckoning under former manager Ruben Amorim, these include Kobbie Mainoo and Harry Maguire, who has recently returned from injury.
Subsequently, a few names have been dropped from the starting eleven, leaving the door open for the players listed above. Matheus Cunha was a player on the verge of the starting eleven, and has since proven his worth in replacing the injured Patrick Dorgu.
Another player, who has played just 26 minutes since Carrick took charge and seems to be out of contention, is now being targeted by Turkish giants.
Ugarte wanted by Galatasaray
The acquisition of Manuel Ugarte was a strange one; many considered the Uruguayan to have failed at PSG and subsequently failed at United.
Arriving with a huge £42 million fee, fans expected a player who would instantly improve a lacklustre squad under Erik ten Hag. The Old Trafford faithful were crying out for a competent defensive midfielder for a while, and Ugarte was meant to be that man.
Things quickly turned sour for Ugarte, struggling for minutes in his first six months at the club, and therefore being replaced by Casemiro, who had the advantage of experience.
When Amorim arrived, the expectation was that upon reunion with each other, Ugarte would play a crucial role under his former manager. However, the opposite occured and Ugarte still struggled to make an impact.
With a pattern emerging, the club considered moving Ugarte on this summer transfer window, but acted against that. Now, with Carrick favouring the midfield duo of Mainoo and Casemiro, rumours tying Ugarte with a move to Turkish side Galatasaray could prove the end of his career in Manchester.
A report from Turkish Football suggests Galatasaray are proposing a loan move with an option to buy, and describes the move as “one of the most significant transfers in recent Süper Lig history.”
Mainoo to move up the pecking order
Rumours that Ugarte may depart the club in the coming days leave space for a talented midfielder to take charge as a secondary option to Carrick’s preferred midfield duo.
The announcement that Casemiro will leave the club when his contract ends at the end of the season supports this theory.
This means, if both players depart, 20-year-old Mainoo will be the club’s only recognised senior defensive midfielder, meaning his importance to the first team will overwhelmingly increase.
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The Reds will need to sign another midfielder to complement Mainoo, with names like Adam Wharton and Elliot Anderson suggested by the media.
Whoever the club determine is a suitable midfield signing, will not take away how imperative Mainoo has become to this squad, in a period when fans were crying out for the academy talent to play.
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