Manuel Ugarte nearly became an unlikely hero for Uruguay on Monday. Instead, he served as a frustrating reminder of why his time at Manchester United is widely expected to be over.
Starting in midfield for Uruguay in their World Cup group-stage clash against Saudi Arabia, the 25-year-old lasted 72 minutes in a 1-1 draw that left his nation searching for answers. While he rattled the woodwork with a promising second-half strike, the rest of his performance was a quiet, safe showing that mirrored his entire season at club level.
For United fans who have watched Ugarte drift to the margins, this was a familiar sight. Since Michael Carrick took over as manager, Ugarte has been reduced to a bit-part role, logging just 24 appearances and a meager 1,005 minutes across all competitions. He hasn’t played a single minute for the Red Devils since a 1-2 home loss to Leeds United in mid-April — a gap of over two months.
Against Saudi Arabia, Ugarte attempted two shots, forced a save, and saw another effort come back off the post. But for a player known for his combative edge, the box score was otherwise thin: no key passes, no cross attempts, no tackles won. He completed 90% of his passes and hit half his long balls, but he also won just 33% of his ground duels and none of his aerial contests.
It was a performance that left Uruguay flat in the center of the park, and the result — a single point against a side many expected them to beat — puts pressure on La Celeste heading into their next match against Cape Verde on Sunday.
Ugarte’s struggles on the international stage come at a time when his club future is very much in doubt. According to reports, Galatasaray and Crystal Palace are among the clubs monitoring his situation. With United expected to offload the midfielder this summer to free up squad space and wage budget, his display in Saudi Arabia did little to boost his transfer value.
The irony? Ugarte has never been a goal scorer — he has just two career goals for United and one for Uruguay. So when his shot clattered off the post, it was perhaps the cruelest possible outcome: the one moment of danger he produced all night went unrewarded.
Uruguay will need more from their midfield engine if they hope to advance deep into the tournament. For Ugarte, the question is whether he’ll be wearing a different club crest by the time the knockout rounds roll around.
Leave a Comment