Manchester United were reportedly willing to entertain offers for reserve midfielder Manuel Ugarte this summer, as the Uruguayan’s future role at the club is uncertain. However, Ugarte suffered a horrific knee ligament injury during Uruguay’s final World Cup match, and now any move away is certainly off the table.
Ugarte, who has now successfully undergone knee surgery, is set to miss most of the upcoming season.
On the comeback trail.
Wishing you all the best with your recovery, @ManuUgarte8 — we’ll be with you every step of the way 🙏❤️
— Manchester United (@ManUtd) July 15, 2026
Manchester United Preseason Tour 2026
Tour opener vs. Wrexham AFC
Kickoff: July 18, 2026
Venue: Olympic Stadium, Helsinki, Finland
Manchester United play football again on Saturday.
That is all. pic.twitter.com/yWzduzmfXf
— Manchester United (@ManUtd) July 13, 2026
United released a statement in support of Manuel Ugarte on Wednesday, and it read:
“Manchester United can confirm that Manuel Ugarte has undergone successful surgery to address a knee ligament injury, which he suffered whilst representing Uruguay at the FIFA World Cup. Ugarte will now begin the rehabilitation stage of his recovery and will be carefully managed by the club’s medical and performance staff.
“Everyone at Manchester United wishes Manuel well for his recovery and will be supporting him every step of the way.”
With Manuel Ugarte shelved for most of 2026-27 and Casemiro leaving as a free agent, United badly needed to bolster their defensive midfield. And that’s exactly what they did, bringing in Andrey Santos from Chelsea and Youri Tielemans from Aston Villa.
And although they pulled the plug on signing Ederson from Atalanta, they could still sign another midfielder before the summer transfer window closes.
After all, their holding midfield is just that much in need of a makeover. And it won’t be long until we see United’s new players in action, as their preseason tour will soon commence.
United will be the first major European club to play in a higher profile exhibition match, as they’ll face Wrexham AFC on Saturday in Helsinki, Finland.
Paul M. Banks is the Founding Editor of The Sports Bank. He’s also the author of “Transatlantic Passage: How the English Premier League Redefined Soccer in America,” and “No, I Can’t Get You Free Tickets: Lessons Learned From a Life in the Sports Media Industry.”
He currently contributes to USA Today’s NFL Wires Network, Ratings and RG. His past bylines include the New York Daily News, Sports Illustrated and the Chicago Tribune. His work has been featured in numerous outlets, including the Wall Street Journal, Forbes and the Washington Post.