Erik ten Hag of Manchester United is creating something special, and INEOS’ Sir Jim Ratcliffe has given the Dutchman money to strengthen the team this summer in recognition of his FA Cup victory in May.

See, the issue hasn’t been a deficiency of transfer spending; rather, it has been misdirected, with the past ten years’ scattergun approach producing incredible transactions that haven’t quite lived up to the praise.

More than ten years have passed since United’s last Champions League victory and longer since they last won the Premier League. Even so, Ten Hag has his critics, but in his two seasons in charge, Old Trafford has emerged victorious from a barren stretch of five seasons without a trophy. He has also won the Carabao Cup and the FA Cup.

Joshua Zirkzee of Manchester United scores against Fulham

The new era has begun with defenders Matthijs De Ligt and Noussair Mazraoui excelling and Joshua Zirkzee scoring the game-winning goal on his debut against Fulham. Spending seems deliberate rather than impulsive. One more piece of the puzzle has to be added.

News about Man United transfers

Man United is reportedly close to acquiring midfielder Manuel Ugarte of Paris Saint-Germain. Ugarte only relocated to France from Sporting Lisbon a year ago, according to Football Insider.

The player’s long-term chase by the Red Devils appears to be going to the wire, or at least to the late stages of the window, but it might pay off for a team in dire need of a new specialized No. 6.

The impediment to the transfer thus far has been differences in valuation; now, sports director Dan Ashworth has to establish his value at Old Trafford by finalizing the acquisition of a player who has the potential to be a major player this season.

The Uruguayan’s signature has been demanded by the Parisians for at least €70 million (£59 million), but United is more willing to give €60 million (£51 million) for a player who wasn’t very successful last season. There’s hope that a deal can be struck, according to a report from Football Insider.

Man-Utd-Ten-Hag-Ugarte

What Man United would gain from Manuel Ugarte

Many, many tackles are made. Appropriately, Ugarte was signed by Sporting Lisbon to replace Joao Palhinha, a recent acquisition from Bayern Munich.

Manuel Ugarte-PSG

The 23-year-old possesses all the necessary fundamental skills to succeed, as evidenced by his placement in the top 1% of central midfielders in Europe’s top five leagues for tackles, the top 3% for interceptions per 90, and the top 5% for pass completion (91.1%) during the course of the previous season, according to FBref.

Many a hopeful has been destroyed by the demands of the Premier League, but Ugarte, dubbed a “midfield machine” by talent scout Jacek Kulig, could be a positive addition to Man United’s midfield, which is currently led by the ageing, £350k-a-week Casemiro, who is frequently criticized for his performances.

It would also be ideal for Kobbie Mainoo, who is a tremendous talent and was described by content producer Liam Canning as a “world-class player in the making”; nonetheless, he needs stability in the middle of the field.

Last season, he participated in 37 games under Luis Enrique, but he only made 21 starts in Ligue 1 and none at all in PSG’s Champions League knockout rounds.

Who knows, maybe in the future he may be Ten Hag’s Rodri, the phenomenon from Manchester City.

An answer from Ten Hag to Rodri

Reporter Zach Lowy has compared Ugarte to a “younger Kante,” noting that his combativeness and athleticism have made him a more complete player.

the league of Manuel Ugarte PSG Champions

As he continues to settle into his new job, the Uruguayan international has a real chance of playing a midfield role similar to Rodri for Manchester United this season.

Given that Pep Guardiola has called Rodri “the best midfielder in the world” and that his performances have been so crucial to the prevailing Premier League champions over the past few years, it is evident that Rodri is considerably more complete than his South American rival.

Stat comparison: Manuel Ugarte versus Rodri

Data (*per game)

Rodri (19/20)

Ugarte (23–24)

Starts and matches

35 (29)

25 (21)

Objectives

3.

0

Helps

2.

2.

Pass the final exam.

93%

91%

*Key passes

1.0

0.6

*Dribbles*

0.9

0.8

Attacks*

1.4

3.9

*Interceptions*

0.7

1.6

Clearances*

0.9

1.0

Ball retrievals*

8.3

7.2

* Total duels prevailed

4.9 percent (55%)

6.4 percent (53%)

Statistics sourced from Sofascore

The table above contrasts Ugarte’s season in France last year with Rodri’s Premier League debut in 2019–20. Although Rodri has always posed more of a creative and ball-playing threat, it is possible that Ugarte may refine his skills to resemble the Citizen star at the center of an intriguing United project.

Of course, Ugarte’s skills as the anchor still eclipse Rodri; his defensive attitude is just amazing, as he charges into tackles at an alarming pace.

The crème de la crème; the gold standard. Rodri is a unique player, but years of playing football under Guardiola’s guidance have helped him develop his broad skill set.

Not to be forgotten, he was only 23 years old when he completed a £63 million signing from Atletico Madrid, the same age as Ugarte at the moment.

PSG’s Manuel Ugarte

Although Ugarte is still in the early stages of his career, he possesses the raw talent to succeed in the Premier League.

Ugarte may be the missing element at Old Trafford, with a cutting-edge passing game and a formidable defensive style that will terrify opponents with an inventive mindset. His effect will eventually match that of the legendary Rodri.