Ruben Amorim’s Potential Influence on Manuel Ugarte’s Manchester United Career

Manuel Ugarte’s tenure at Manchester United has not met initial expectations. The Uruguayan midfielder has found it challenging to secure a regular position, having started only five matches since joining the club and featuring for merely two minutes across the last three Premier League fixtures. Furthermore, the manager responsible for his transfer to Old Trafford has since departed. Nevertheless, Manuel Ugarte is anticipated to be among the most enthusiastic individuals at the club regarding the potential collaboration with Ruben Amorim. Amorim, alongside Sporting, demonstrated considerable confidence in Ugarte by acquiring him for a club-record fee in 2021 to bring him to Lisbon. At that point, Ugarte had only participated in 20 European football matches for another Portuguese team, Famalicao. Ugarte played under Amorim’s management for two seasons, initially serving as a backup to Joao Palhinha. Following Palhinha’s transfer to Fulham in 2022, Ugarte began to draw interest from top European clubs. During the 2022-23 season, Ugarte established himself as one of Portugal’s most effective midfielders, delivering significant defensive performances for Amorim’s team. His strong statistics extended to European competitions, where he registered more tackles than any other player throughout the Champions League campaign, despite Sporting’s elimination in the group stage. Ugarte performs optimally when given the freedom to cover extensive areas of the midfield and engage in tackles and duels. While the 23-year-old’s aggressive approach carries inherent risks, Amorim’s preferred three-at-the-back defensive formation provides ample support to mitigate any potential errors. Should past precedents serve as an indicator, supporters may exercise caution. Following their shared success at Ajax, many anticipated that Erik ten Hag would revitalize Donny van de Beek’s career at Manchester United. However, after two seasons, 12 appearances, and a subsequent transfer to Girona, this expectation was not fulfilled. Should Amorim implement his favored tactical approach in the Premier League, there is an aspiration that Ugarte could revert to the effective role he occupied at Sporting, overcome his initial disappointing period, and establish himself as a fan favorite for the Red Devils.