Ugarte World Cup injury threatens Manchester United's third midfield signing this summer

Manchester United’s plans to sign three midfielders this summer have been complicated by a serious injury to Manuel Ugarte, who was carried off on a stretcher during Uruguay’s 1-0 loss to Spain at the World Cup.

The 25-year-old was hurt late in the first half when team-mate Mathias Olivera won a challenge for the ball and fell onto Ugarte’s outstretched leg. United had been counting on selling Ugarte to fund their midfield rebuild following Casemiro’s departure as a free agent, and the injury casts doubt on whether a buyer will materialise in time.

FIFA’s Club Protection Programme would cover Ugarte’s wages if he is sidelined for at least 28 consecutive days, meeting his salary up to a maximum of €7.5m (£6.6m) until he is fit to return — but that does little to resolve the broader transfer equation for United.

West Ham midfielder Mateus Fernandes remains a primary target, with negotiations reported to have intensified during the final week of June. Spanish outlet Marca reported on Saturday that fresh dialogue has opened from Old Trafford, with United said to be willing to improve their contract offer to the Portuguese midfielder and enter direct talks with West Ham.

However, Tottenham Hotspur are also in the running and are reportedly prepared to meet West Ham’s £80 million valuation in full, giving them a significant financial advantage over United at this stage.

The Fernandes pursuit sits within a broader context of a bloated midfielder market. Manchester City’s reported £116 million move for Nottingham Forest’s Elliot Anderson — a player United were also linked with before being priced out — illustrates how clubs with sought-after midfielders are commanding record fees and refusing to budge.

United now face a difficult balancing act: pushing ahead with multiple midfield signings while uncertainty surrounds the Ugarte sale that was meant to bankroll them.