Liverpool could now have free rein to go back in for a player with whom they were linked ahead of last summer’s transfer window. According to French outlet L’Equipe, Paris Saint-Germain have put several members of their squad up for sale, including Manuel Ugarte, in whom the Reds were strongly interested this time last year before […]
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Liverpool could now have free rein to go back in for a player with whom they were linked ahead of last summer’s transfer window.
According to French outlet L’Equipe, Paris Saint-Germain have put several members of their squad up for sale, including Manuel Ugarte, in whom the Reds were strongly interested this time last year before he left Sporting Lisbon for the Ligue 1 champions in a €60m (£52m) move.
The news was shared by freelance journalist Zach Lowy on X, who posted: “PSG are looking to sell Manuel Ugarte, Milan Skriniar, Nordi Mukiele and Carlos Soler this summer, per @lequipe.
“Hasn’t been a great season for Ugarte in Paris, but I expect him to have quite a few suitors. Really promising defensive midfielder.”
PSG are looking to sell Manuel Ugarte, Milan Skriniar, Nordi Mukiele and Carlos Soler this summer, per @lequipe.
Hasn’t been a great season for Ugarte in Paris, but I expect him to have quite a few suitors. Really promising defensive midfielder. pic.twitter.com/1MaNcI50yi
— Zach Lowy (@ZachLowy) May 15, 2024
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It seems surprising that PSG are seemingly willing to cash in on Ugarte after only one season, with the Uruguay midfielder featurng 36 times across the campaign and actually being the fourth-highest rated player in Luis Enrique’s squad according to WhoScored metrics.
As per FBref, the 23-year-old ranks among the top 2% of positional peers in Europe’s five main leagues over the past year for tackles (4.15) and interceptions (1.93) per game, while he’s also in the 95th percentile for pass completion with a tidy 91% success rate.
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Those figures would indicate that he could be a tremendous acquisition for whoever signs him next, although the picture at Liverpool has changed since we were linked with him 12 months ago.
At that time, the Reds were crying out for a midfield refresh, with most of their options either past their best, too unreliable and/or already set to walk away as free agents.
That area of the squad has since been replenished successfully, with Wataru Endo proving to be a sound presence in the number 6 role and Alexis Mac Allister also capable of playing in that position, not to mention the recent return of Stefan Bajcetic from a long-term injury.
A defensive midfielder isn’t top of Liverpool’s priority list this summer, with centre-backs and wingers likely to be the primary focus. However, with PSG seemingly open to selling Ugarte, Anfield chiefs might yet sense an ideal opportunity to pounce for a player who’s highly effective in what he does.
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