Sporting Lisbon boss makes Manuel Ugarte “guarantee”, it is a controversial claim

Sporting Lisbon boss Ruben Amorim has made a controversial claim about Manchester United midfielder Manuel Ugarte.

Manuel Ugarte, 23, left Sporting last summer to join Paris Saint-Germain in a move that did not work out for the midfielder.

United have since pried the Uguguyan from the French club and hope that he can build a positive relationship with Kobbie Mainoo in the engine room at Old Trafford.

Sporting boss Amorim makes Ugarte claim

Sporting Lisbon’s latest star, Viktor Gyokeres, is expected to leave the Portuguese club in the coming transfer windows after excelling in the Primeira Liga.

Ruben Amorim, the Sporting boss, accepts that many players want to move on to bigger and better leagues.

However, the manager believes that many would stay at the club if they were in one of the top-rated leagues, and he thinks Ugarte, in particular, would have never left for PSG.

“There are many players who want to make the leap. It doesn’t mean they don’t like Sporting or don’t love being here,” Amorim told CNN Portugal.

“If we were in another league, I can guarantee you that Ugarte would be here.”

It is a strong and potentially controversial claim considering the size of United regardless of Sporting’s situation, and one that will never be able to be proven.

Ugarte in line for United debut

United return to Premier League action this weekend against Southampton and Erik ten Hag has confirmed that Ugarte will be available for the clash.

However, after returning to Carrington later than the rest of the squad, the 23-year-old midfielder may be making his first appearance for the club off the bench rather than as a starter.

“Manuel Ugarte, I think we all have seen he played for Uruguay. He returned this afternoon, he was the only player who returned today,” Ten Hag told reporters on Thursday.

“All the other players returned yesterday, so he is available for this game.”

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