And then there were four. Yes, a quartet of central defenders have agreed personal terms to join Manchester United this summer. Only one (Leny Yoro of Lille) member of the quad is currently finalizing a deal to move over to Old Trafford however. Maybe Manuel Ugarte, of Paris Saint-Germain, will be next?
If the two clubs can agree on a transfer fee, then yes, absolutely.
?? Manchester United have agreed on personal terms with Manuel Ugarte.
Contract terms discussed, player keen on moving to United even without Champions League football.
Club-to-club talks continue with PSG, as more clubs also inquired.
Same agent as Leny Yoro: Jorge Mendes. pic.twitter.com/vyox9phNlQ
— Fabrizio Romano (@FabrizioRomano) July 18, 2024
As you can see above, the world’s foremost transfer expert, Fabrizio Romano, posted the latest developments on this a few hours ago.
Now that the Copa America is over (Manuel Ugarte was with Uruguay at the tournament) things are really moving along this summer transfer window!
With Yoro finalizing his medical, United still need another center back in addition to him.
Ugarte could be that, as we don’t know what’s going to happen with Matthijs de Ligt and Jarrad Branthwaite (the other two center backs who have agreed personal terms to join United).
It’s hard to say what’s going to happen with De Ligt. Regarding Branthwaite, well that is a long shot at best. United will not sign all four, and most likely, they will not sign three of them.
Watch this space, as things are escalating quickly and effectively in the INEOS era.
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 Ravens Wire, part of the USA Today SMG’s NFL Wire Network and the Internet Baseball Writers Association of America. His past bylines include the New York Daily News, Sports Illustrated, Chicago Tribune and the Washington Times. You can follow him on Linked In and Twitter.