Mar 30, 2026 04:38-04:00

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Juventus, Ottolini on Manchester United’s Manuel Ugarte

The Juventus sporting director is keeping an eye on the Uruguayan midfielder.

A new name has emerged in Juventus’s midfield transfer market. The Bianconeri are reportedly tracking Manuel Ugarte. The Uruguayan international, born in 2001, is under contract until June 2029 with Manchester United, who pay him a net salary of €4 million a year.

Having arrived in the summer of 2024 for €50 million from PSG (who had paid €10 million more a year earlier to sign him from Sporting Lisbon), he has since made 68 appearances for the Red Devils, scoring two goals, providing six assists and picking up 16 yellow cards.

ON SPECIAL MONITORING
La Gazzetta dello Sport reports that Juventus sporting director Marco Ottoliniwill be watching Ugarte during Tuesday evening’s friendly between Algeria and Uruguay at the Stadium in Turin and will be taking notes with a view to the midfield overhaul agreed with Spalletti.

KOOPMEINERS IN TURKEY
Juve have been keen on Ugarte since his days playing in Portugal: in recent years, the Bianconeri have made several attempts to sign him on loan, first from PSG and then from Manchester United. While waiting to see how the Champions League campaign pans out, he could be an option should Dutch midfielder Teun Koopmeiners leave, as he is being targeted by Galatasaray in Turkey.
FOLLOWING IN THEIR PARENTS' FOOTSTEPS
The national teams coached by Vladimir Petkovic and Marcelo Bielsa also feature two players following in their fathers’ footsteps: goalkeeper Luca Zidane for Algeria and midfielder Nicolas Fonseca for Uruguay, both born in 1998, when their fathers were playing in Italy.