Ugarte faces Old Trafford exit as Carrick shapes United's summer midfield rebuild

Manuel Ugarte is facing an uncertain future at Manchester United after being left out of Michael Carrick’s squad for Sunday’s final Premier League fixture at Brighton, with reports suggesting the £50m midfielder could depart on loan or in a permanent deal this summer.

The 25-year-old Uruguayan has failed to establish himself at Old Trafford since joining from Sporting in August 2024, originally signed by Erik ten Hag as a long-term replacement for the ageing Casemiro. Ugarte made just 10 starts this season, with United winning only one of those matches — a run that included heavy defeats to Grimsby Town in the Carabao Cup and Leeds United in the Premier League.

Carrick defended Ugarte after the 2-1 home defeat to Leeds in April — United’s first league loss to the Yorkshire club at Old Trafford since 1981. “Since I’ve come in, and he’s played and come on, he’s been fine,” Carrick said. “I think tonight was a tough game, not just for Manu. I actually thought, especially when we went down to 10 men, that he did a lot of covering for other players to be able to attack.”

Despite that public backing, the Guardian reports that Ugarte’s position has become untenable. United are understood to be planning two midfield signings this summer, with Atalanta’s Ederson among the targets — moves that would effectively push Ugarte out of the squad picture. The club’s priority remains signing an elite defensive midfielder to replace Casemiro, with Real Madrid’s Aurélien Tchouaméni and Newcastle United’s Sandro Tonali identified as leading candidates for that role.

Elsewhere in United’s summer planning, the club appears to have conceded defeat in the race for Nottingham Forest midfielder Elliot Anderson. The Mirror understands United have stepped back from their pursuit of the England international, unwilling to meet Forest’s asking price of around £100m. Anderson is also reported to prefer a move to Manchester City, where interest is described as increasingly serious.

United will compete in European football next season, adding urgency to Carrick’s rebuild as the club looks to reshape a squad that has underperformed significantly over the past two campaigns.