Galatasaray are showing interest in a mid-season move for Manchester United star Manuel Ugarte, journalist Erol Evcen has revealed.
The Champions League club are claimed to have placed the 24-year-old midfielder on their shortlist for the January transfer window and are eyeing a potential swoop when the market reopens at the turn of the year.
Ugarte has struggled for regular opportunities at Old Trafford this term, making just three starts in all competitions, amounting to 328 minutes under Ruben Amorim.
The midfielder was brought off the bench for a nine-minute cameo in United’s 4-2 win over Brighton on Saturday, marking his ninth appearance of the season, as the Red Devils secured a third league victory in a row.
Ugarte joined United in a £50.5m move from Paris Saint-Germain in August 2024 and is under contract at Old Trafford until June 2029, with the club holding an option for a further year.
In August 2024, Ugarte moved from Paris Saint-Germain to United for £50.5 million. He has a contract at Old Trafford through June 2029, with an additional year’s option held by the club.
Manuel Ugarte on Galatasaray’s January wishlist
A few of the substitutes’ performances served as a reminder of why the head coach does not trust them to start games. Manuel Ugarte, who was brought in by Erik ten Hag as Casemiro’s eventual successor, has started three times across all competitions, and the 20-time English league champions have lost all of those games.
The Uruguayan has been a disappointing addition, and his fortunes have not improved despite the arrival of his former Sporting CP boss. Amorim prefers the Brazilian midfielder to play as the defensive midfielder, and that is unlikely to change this season unless he is injured.
According to Turkish journalist Erol Evcen, Galatasaray has the United No. 25 on their list of objectives for the January transfer season.
“Manuel Ugarte, a midfielder for Manchester United, is a target for Galatasaray,” the reporter posted on X (previously Twitter). “Galatasaray has Ugarte on their list of midseason transfers.”
