Manuel Ugarte looks on during Manchester United vs Arsenal (Photo by Michael Regan/Getty Images)

Euro giants make enquiry over signing Manchester United midfielder

Originally posted on Caught Offside | By Mark Brus | Last updated Jan 21, 2026 3:27 AM ET

Ajax have reportedly made an enquiry to Manchester United about signing Manuel Ugarte, though a deal is currently considered unlikely.

The Red Devils signed Ugarte from Paris Saint-Germain in the summer of 2024, but he’s struggled to make the desired impact at Old Trafford.

It makes sense that Ugarte’s future could now be in some doubt, and Ajax seem keen to sign him on loan, according to the Athletic.

The Uruguay international might still be seen as an important squad or backup player for Man Utd, however, as the report adds that they’ve rejected Ajax’s interest so far.

Should Manchester United keep Manuel Ugarte?

Ugarte is clearly not quite good enough to be first choice for United, but at the same time the club would probably be taking a bit of a gamble by letting him go in the middle of the season.

MUFC don’t have much in the way of squad depth, so would probably do well to keep Ugarte around in case they find themselves needing cover for the ageing Casemiro at any point.

It remains to be seen, however, if Ugarte himself would be happy with that arrangement, as one could easily imagine he’d relish the opportunity to revive his career by playing more often at a big club like Ajax.

Manuel Ugarte’s United days are surely numbered

It may be that United are not keen on Ajax’s proposed loan move for Ugarte, as they might be aiming to eventually make some money from selling the 24-year-old permanently.

If a deal doesn’t happen this January, then United will surely be looking to offload the player in the summer when there is more time to replace him and rebuild their midfield.

It could be smart business, however, for United to loan Ugarte out first to that he gets the chance to play and perhaps add a few million to his price tag.

By contrast, five more months of sitting on the bench will surely only lower his valuation when it comes to looking to sell him in the summer.

This article first appeared on Caught Offside and was syndicated with permission.

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