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Despite Ruben Amorim taking over in the middle of last season, Manuel Ugarte did not enjoy the kind of debut campaign he would have hoped for when he signed for Manchester United.
The Uruguayan, initially overlooked quite often by Erik ten Hag, must have been delighted to see his former Sporting CP boss take over the Red Devils.
The 24-year-old made 34 appearances in all competitions under the new head coach, but completed 90 minutes on only 10 occasions.
He was an unused substitute in the biggest game of the season, the Europa League final, and the defensive midfielder was often times the first to be substituted as Amorim dropped Bruno Fernandes back into the midfield to add creativity to the middle of the park.
Ugarte’s debut season struggles
Fans must have expected a lot more from a midfielder the club paid an initial £42 million for, especially when the player is used to the new boss’ style of play.
While his energy and ground coverage cannot be criticised, his safety-first approach with the ball often led to groans from the fans.
There were murmurs that INEOS, unlike the Glazers, were ready to cut their losses on new signings who were not up to the mark, but journalist Ben Jacobs (via Utd District) has explained that Manuel Ugarte does not fall in that category just yet.
Amorim is confident that the former Paris Saint-Germain star can re-find his best form for the Old Trafford side in the seasons to come and there is no plan to move him on.
“What we have to remember when you think about the deep-lying midfielders, there is big, big faith in Manuel Ugarte to be a real fit in this system and thrive.
Amorim still has faith in Manuel Ugarte
“They think we will see him continue to grow into his Manchester United role and become a top player, and that is the perspective of Ruben Amorim, I am told.”
Hopefully, the Uruguayan midfield general can prove his detractors wrong in his sophomore campaign, especially now that it is clear that INEOS do not have much money for a midfield addition.
Casemiro is not getting any younger, and Bruno Fernandes needs defensive help alongside him in the middle of the park.
Ugarte needs to work on his progressive passing, and releasing the ball quicker. He had shown an eye for a goal with two strikes and as many as six assists last season. Now to improve on that.
Feature image Jan Kruger via Getty Images
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