Man Utd transfer plans in disarray as midfielder suffers ACL injury

The club have confirmed that Uruguay midfielder Manuel Ugarte suffered a serious knee ligament injury during his country’s defeat to Spain in Guadalajara on Friday.

Ugarte twisted awkwardly while attempting a tackle in the build-up to Spain’s winning goal and was forced off the pitch on a stretcher.

He underwent initial assessment by Uruguay’s medical staff on Saturday and will now return to Manchester for further scans to determine the full extent of the damage.

Reports from Uruguayan media suggest Ugarte has suffered an anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injury, which would sideline him for several months.

The 25-year-old appeared to confirm the severity of the injury in an emotional Instagram post on Sunday.

“Suffering the most serious injury a footballer can face in one of the most important matches in my country’s history, and seeing it end this way without being able to stay on the pitch and support my team-mates until the final whistle, is something that will stay with me for the rest of my life,” he wrote.

United had earmarked Ugarte for a potential sale this summer to help fund new signings.

However, this latest setback is expected to force a significant rethink of their transfer strategy.

Ugarte is expected to be sidelined until 2027, but United will press on with a move for at least one new midfielder.