Manuel Ugarte labelled 'an expensive Scott McTominay' as worrying stat about new £51m Man Utd signing goes viral

The Red Devils have spent big on bringing in another midfield enforcer, with Casemiro’s performances through the opening weeks of the 2024-25 campaign suggesting that the highly-decorated Brazilian may now be a spent force – as transfer gossip links him with a move to Turkish side Galatasaray.

United have a ready-made replacement poised to step in, with Uruguay international Ugarte being lured away from Paris Saint-Germain. Erik ten Hag needs somebody to anchor his engine room as Old Trafford academy graduate McTominay has also been moved on this summer – with the Scotland international heading to Napoli.

Ugarte is a Ligue 1 title winner that has won 22 senior caps for his country – gracing 2022 World Cup and 2024 Copa America squads – while also boasting Champions League experience. It has, however, been revealed that he was dribbled past in elite European competition last season on more occasions per 90 minutes (4.1) than any other player to have taken in at least 200 minutes of action.

That statistic has attracted attention from followers of United’s rivals, with @Triple____M saying on social media: “They signed an expensive McTominay.” On a similar theme, @_4Jords added: “He’s a fancy Hojbjerg.” Chelsea supporter @Streamershed went on to say: “Us Chelsea fans been saying we dodged a bullet not signing this guy, they didn’t wanna listen.” More questions of Ugarte saw @oluwap42uk say “this is their enforcer now”, while PSG follower @PSGNJ1 sent an ominous warning to those at Old Trafford when posting: “I love Manu but he made Ruben Loftus Cheek look like Ruud Gullit.”

Ugarte was not registered in time to make his United bow against arch-rivals Liverpool, and questions are being asked of whether he will be ready to debut in a trip to Southampton on September 14 as he is currently in South America on World Cup qualifying duty with Uruguay and faces a long journey back to Manchester.