27 Jun 2026 13:07:54
Assuming Ugarte's injury is long term at least his pay will be covered by FIFA's insurance program. Things really have turned out very badly for him. It's going to be a long road back from here given that the club will have no room for him when he finally recovers.
It all feels a little bit like Donny VDB. A poor buy with no future at the very top levels but with an exit complicated by injuries and an unjustifiably large paycheck.
27 Jun 2026 18:00:39
It makes things more difficult for the club. Apparently, they budgeted for two midfielders this summer; only with Ugarte leaving would they have the ability to bring in a third midfielder. Yet now they won't have the funds to bring in a third midfielder, nor will they have Ugarte available to play.
While I don't think many fans would have been happy with Ugarte staying as our 4th choice option in midfield, this current situation probably means we don't have a 4th choice option at all.
Either the club will need to pivot and not sign one of the other positions they were intending to (LB or ST, maybe), to be able to sign a third midfielder this summer, or they will have to accept we will be short of options in that position next season.
27 Jun 2026 18:23:42
I'm not at all sure we were going to be able to sell Ugarte for his unamortized asset cost anyway, so maybe we would have had to settle for a loan. If we're not on the hook for his wages, my guess is it's not going to change our plans much if at all. We'll still have £8m or so in amortization to bear, but that's a non-cash cost.
Basically, assuming he's out for most of the year, it's pretty much the same either way. Selling Ugarte will simply be put off for one more year. Far more critical would be getting rid of Rashford's £15m+ wages, and hopefully pocketing a £30-40m cash profit on the way. Maybe we also sell Vitek, and get a sell on bonus if Greenwood gets sold too.
28 Jun 2026 14:05:47
If Ugarte has to stay as a squad player because we don't sell him, so be it.
But, we still need at least two to come in to upgrade that area of the park.
28 Jun 2026 16:18:15
Now it's an ACL injury. He still needs to be replaced, and the need for two more midfield players with Ederson is even greater.