Manchester United ready to walk away from €60 million deal - Reports

According to The Athletic, Manchester United have shifted their focus away from Paris Saint-Germain midfielder Manuel Ugarte and are now eyeing other potential candidates. With Casemiro reportedly set to leave the club this summer, United have been in the market for a defensive midfielder.

Various reports claimed that the Premier League giants had zoomed in on Manuel Ugarte as the perfect replacement.

The Ligue 1 club value the Uruguayan midfielder at €60 million (£51.4 million), the fee they paid to Sporting CP to acquire his services in 2023. According to David Ornstein, Manchester United have decided against meeting the steep demand.

However, there is a possibility of the English club restarting negotiations if PSG lower their demand. The Red Devils will also reportedly be open to a loan with an option to buy.

After his successful stint with Sporting in Portugal, Ugarte joined PSG in the summer of 2023. In his debut season at PSG, Ugarte made 37 appearances across competitions, contributing to the team's triumphs in Ligue 1, the Coupe de France, and the Trophée des Champions.

However, the midfielder started only 21 league matches and was notably absent from the starting line-up in all six of PSG's Champions League knockout fixtures.

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What other options are available to Manchester United in the defensive midfield position?

With The Athletic confirming the cooldown of talks between Manchester United and PSG for Ugarte, the club will turn their attention to alternate targets in midfielder.

There are quite a few interesting options in the market, including PSV Eindhoven's Joey Veerman, who has been linked to their arch-rivals Liverpool. The 25-year-old's exploits in Euro 2024 have garnered interest from multiple top clubs.

Meanwhile, Adrien Rabiot, who is a free agent, could be a budget-friendly option, who will inject plenty of experience into the midfield. However, the 29-year-old isn't particularly a ball-winning midfielder.

Previously, Manchester United have been linked to Spain international Martin Zubimendi and they could open the negotiations with Real Sociedad. But the 25-year-old is unlikely to move away from La Liga and there's a steep release clause in his contract which the Red Devils might be forced to match.