Credit: Imago

Jack Dawson

Sat 28 March 2026 11:44, UK

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Manuel Ugarte heavily underperformed for Uruguay in their 1-1 draw against England on Friday.

The Manchester United star has struggled for minutes in recent weeks, and the international break was a chance to prove himself to Michael Carrick.

However, his display against England in Friday’s friendly was awful, with the midfielder struggling to perform his defensive duties.

As a result, the Red Devils may not have a choice but to try to move the 24-year-old on in the summer and try to get some of their money back.

Below, Football Insider explores the truth behind Ugarte’s performance against England and why it should affect Man United’s transfer plans.

Manuel Ugarte struggled against England

Going into the international break, Ugarte had found himself sidelined by Carrick. The midfielder has not started a Premier League match since early January, and is often seen on the bench.

As a result, the England match was a chance for the Uruguay international to finally return to form. However, this simply did not happen.

According to Fotmob on 28 March, Ugarte only won 15 per cent of his ground duels, was dribbled past four times, did not complete a successful dribble and was even dispossessed once.

Therefore, with the midfielder being a liability for the South American side, it is clear that he will never be up to standard at Man United.

A sale is therefore needed, before his value plummets further, and the Red Devils are stuck with him until his contract expires in 2029.

Man United set to target new midfielder in the summer

Former Everton, Aston Villa, and Aberdeen chief executive Keith Wyness exclusively told Football Insider that Bruno Guimaraes to Man United is likely if Carrick is appointed as manager permanently.

If this goes through, it would be a fantastic signing, with the Newcastle United midfielder proving himself to be a quality player at St James’ Park.

It seemed as though Manuel Ugarte received two yellow cards, but no red.

But now it appears he actually got… 0 yellows? 🧐 pic.twitter.com/GniXCDipTQ

— Match of the Day (@BBCMOTD) March 27, 2026

However, his signing would also surely increase the likelihood that Ugarte leaves, with his game time set to be reduced further.

The only hope that the 25-year-old might have is if Man United miss out on all their midfield targets, as with Casemiro leaving in the summer, his game time at Old Trafford might increase.