Big-money star’s best contribution to United midfield is to be sold, time to act like a big club – opinion

For a team desperately lacking in midfield options, Manchester United sure seem to be feeling trigger happy in that area going into the January transfer window. They may only have four senior options in that department, but suddenly the temperature has dropped a couple of degrees, and there is an ominous creaking from the floorboards down the hall.

While Casemiro and Bruno Fernandes run themselves into the Old Trafford dirt like the early stages of a desperate blood sacrifice, Kobbie Mainoo and Manuel Ugarte huddle for warmth well away from the inferno of Ruben Amorim’s masterplan.

Ugarte’s difficulties

Mainoo and Ugarte may share a common problem now, but their longer-term prospects are very different. The Carrington graduate seems set for a January loan exit, a sweet sorrow for a United faithful hopelessly enamoured with the Stockport lad and desperate for him to be the future of the club.

Amorim clearly doesn’t rate him for now, but there is hope – desperate, mad-eyed hope – that Mainoo could return from a loan in a better position to push for a spot in the Portuguese’s midfield next season.

Ugarte, meanwhile, already feels like a United afterthought. The tough-tackling Uruguayan was meant to be the heir to Casemiro but is more early-period Fred.

No news is good news

Mainoo’s departure has been generating sensationalist column inches since the summer, but the news earlier this week that United are reportedly ready to sell Ugarte barely caused a ripple.

And in a quiet sort of way, that’s what’s significant. There’s no need for a media frenzy when reporting logic and common sense – both of which have been at a premium in the United madhouse.

Ugarte joined for big money from Paris Saint-Germain last year but has done little to show he’s up to it at United. Signed for a previous manager and now playing under one who sold him when they worked together at Sporting, there’s little future for him at the club so selling him is an option so obvious it’s hard to believe United will actually do it.

Make way for new blood

United’s finances continue to mystify, but it’s pretty certain that to attain a top target – a Wharton, Baleba or Anderson could reach over £100m – they will have to sell to buy.

Ugarte is valued at €35m by Transfermarkt, and United would doubtless hope to recoup much of the £42m they paid for him last year. He has been poor in the Premier League, unable to cope with the pace of the game when in possession and sometimes bypassed when out of it, but has all the makings of a Serie A bruiser or La Liga blunt instrument.

Rather than allowing him to be sucked into the black hole of third, fourth and sixth chances before a cut-price sale at the end of a blood-sucking contract, United have the chance to act like a big club and get out while the going is somewhat good.

Statement sale

There is no particular ill will towards the player, but the INEOS regime can make an example of him in a further bid to detoxify the culture at the club. If they were serious about cutting ties with recruits who don’t impress after a couple of years, a marker reportedly laid down by Omar Berrada when he took over, Ugarte must go.

The caveat, of course, is that Amorim mustn’t be left short-staffed. A symbolic sale of Ugarte is all well and good but keeping the squad stocked is the priority. The player may get a free pass this January, particularly with Mainoo ahead of him in the queue for departures, but if United’s roster features the Uruguayan this time next year then the club will have missed a chance to shake off an unhappy tradition.

Featured image Michael Regan via Getty Images

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