Man Utd star given shock lifeline by Carrick, as astonishing plans to sign midfielder on loan are confirmed

Manchester United star Manuel Ugarte is ready to dig in and fight for his Old Trafford future, we understand, despite sources confirming the Red Devils have altered their strategy and are now assessing the market to sign a midfielder on loan this month.

Sources indicate the Uruguay international has been buoyed by a strong first week under new boss Michael Carrick.

Ugarte is understood to have been revitalised by Carrick’s arrival, with the new manager’s calm approach and midfield expertise already making a strong impression.

The 24-year-old believes the pair could form an excellent working relationship and is determined to show he can play a major role in the second half of the campaign.

That renewed confidence comes amid outside interest, with both Galatasaray and Ajax seeing approaches knocked back, with United insisting they don’t want to let him leave.

United’s stance has not gone unnoticed by Ugarte, who views the rejected bids as a clear sign that the club still value him highly.

Rather than pushing for a move, the combative midfielder is now embracing the challenge. He is said to be fully focused on proving his worth, convinced he can become an important figure as Carrick reshapes the side for the run-in.

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Ugarte to fight for Man Utd spot amid fresh midfielder links

With fresh belief and the backing of his new manager, Ugarte is gearing up to attack the remainder of the season and re-establish himself as a key part of United’s plans.

Ugarte has yet to convince in England having arrived from Paris Saint-Germain for around €50million (£43.6m / $58.6m) in August 2024.

However, despite his new-found confidence, United are still said to be considering signing a new midfielder on loan this month, with AC Milan’s Ruben Loftus-Cheek and Besiktas’ Wilfred Ndidi the latest names linked.

As we revealed on January 15, Aston Villa are one of the clubs to have been offered the chance to sign Loftus-Cheek – something Unai Emery is considering.

But amid the fresh links with United, transfer correspondent Dean Jones has shared his thoughts on the situation.

“It seems that the idea of a loan midfielder is actually being considered but it is slightly strange because it does not really fit with the way the club had been planning,” Jones exclusively told us.

“Maybe this is something that has come out of talks with Michael Carrick, but in the new midfield shape you could argue they don’t actually need any more support in that area, given they only have the Premier League games left to play.

“I personally have always been sceptical of the Ruben Neves links but now we are hearing Loftus-Cheek and Wilfried Ndidi mentioned.

“They all have Premier League experience but is there any scope for any of those beyond this season? If not it does not seem very worthwhile and does not fit the pattern they had been looking for in terms of signings for the long-term.

“Obviously, it is always the case that United get offered players at this stage of a season so we have to consider that these players could genuinely be offered – but whether they take it any further is going to be interesting.”

Latest Man Utd news: Wharton waiting game / Rival Liverpool ‘bid’

Meanwhile, my colleague, Fraser Fletcher, has reported that Crystal Palace have accepted that Adam Wharton will almost certainly leave at the end of the season, and he remains a dream target for United.

Tottenham, Liverpool, Newcastle and Aston Villa are all interested in the three-cap England star, who is valued at around £65million.

In other news, Liverpool are reportedly preparing to launch a bid for RB Leipzig winger Yan Diomande, who is also on United’s shortlist.

According to reports, Liverpool are ‘preparing a concrete €100m (£87m / $117m) summer bid’ to win the chase for ‘sensation’ Diomande.

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