Manchester United are facing a serious midfield shortage after Manuel Ugarte suffered what the 25-year-old described as “the most serious injury a footballer can face” while on World Cup duty for Uruguay against Spain. United are yet to confirm the full extent of the knee ligament damage, but cruciate damage is thought to have been sustained, which would sideline him for the rest of 2026 at minimum and rule out any possibility of him being sold this summer.
The injury compounds an already difficult situation. Casemiro departed when his contract expired on 30 June, leaving Kobbie Mainoo as the club’s only recognised central midfielder. United had identified strengthening the midfield as a priority, but their attempts in the transfer market have run into further problems. A move for one target was complicated when Spurs entered the picture, allowing West Ham — operating under co-chair Daniel Kretinsky — to hold firm on a valuation in excess of £80m. United were prepared to go to £85m including add-ons, but felt that tabling that figure would only prompt Spurs to push to £90m, the kind of bidding war they are unwilling to enter. United have, however, agreed a £35m deal with Atalanta for Brazil midfielder Ederson.
Unless the situation changes, boss Michael Carrick will have only Mason Mount — viewed primarily as an offensive player — available from the senior group when players return for testing and pre-season training on 9 July. Beyond Mount, Carrick’s listed midfield options include Toby Collyer, who is wanted by Hull, Dan Gore, who spent last season on loan at Rotherham before they were relegated from League One, and twins Jack and Tyler Fletcher. Tyler Fletcher was a surprise addition to Scotland’s World Cup squad after impressing in the build-up but did not play. The remaining senior midfielders are still on World Cup duty.
Academy players could also get an opportunity to catch Carrick’s eye. Premier League 2 captain Jacob Devaney impressed in central midfield for Scottish Premiership side St Mirren in the second half of last season, while Jack Moorhouse made 14 appearances on loan for Leyton Orient in the first half of the campaign. Jayce Fitzgerald, Sekou Kone and Jim Thwaites are among the other central midfield options within the academy setup.
United’s pre-season schedule offers younger players a chance to stake a claim early on. The club play their first friendly against Wrexham in Helsinki on 18 July, the day before the World Cup final, with a fixture against Norwegian side Rosenborg following on 24 July. However, with a high-profile match against Atletico Madrid in Stockholm scheduled for 1 August, the expectation is that Carrick will want the midfield situation resolved well before then.
Image credit: BBC Sport / BBC Sport
