Why Arne Slot rejected chance to sign Man Utd star revealed, with Liverpool already proved right

Liverpool rejected the chance to sign a player who went on to join Manchester United last summer, and Arne Slot’s reasoning has been justified six months on.

Expectations at Man Utd were high ahead of the new campaign after splashing out north of £180m on five first-team signings last summer. The quintet to arrive were Noussair Mazraoui, Matthijs De Ligt, Leny Yoro, Manuel Ugarte and Joshua Zirkzee.

Liverpool, meanwhile, made just two first-team additions – only one of which is currently at Anfield.

Giorgi Mamardashvili is spending the 2024/25 season with Valencia before arriving on Merseyside next summer. Federico Chiesa was viewed as a low risk/high reward signing given his modest transfer fee, immense talents and injury issues.

The Reds’ main goal in Slot’s first window was to sign a new central midfielder. Real Sociedad’s Martin Zubimendi was identified as the perfect player to pull the strings in Slot’s midfield, though the Spaniard elected to remain loyal to his boyhood club.

According to a fresh update from The Times, it’s now emerged Liverpool were offered Manuel Ugarte during their search for a new midfielder.

However, at the behest of Slot, Liverpool turned their nose up at signing the Uruguayan, with the report revealing why.

‘After failing to land Martin Zubimendi, Liverpool were offered Manuel Ugarte, but Slot wanted a constructive, not destructive, No 6 and knew [Ryan] Gravenberch — whom he watched develop in that role at Ajax — could be the one.’

Arne Slot gets it right

With the Liverpool route closed, PSG moved on to other suitors and ultimately shook hands with Man Utd on a €50m deal that can rise to €60m through add-ons.

Ugarte has made a slow start to life at Old Trafford, though did produce arguably his best display since moving to England in the 2-2 draw at Anfield on Sunday.

There is hope around Old Trafford that the arrival of Ruben Amorim – who managed Ugarte at Sporting CP – will help Ugarte settle.

But over at Anfield, Liverpool have no such question marks in their two-man midfield at present.

Alexis Mac Allister and Ryan Gravenberch have struck up an excellent understanding in the middle of the park and Gravenberch in particular has taken his game to new heights this season.

Of the four midfielders Liverpool signed in the summer of 2023 (Gravenberch, Wataru Endo, Mac Allister, Dominik Szoboszlai), it was Gravenberch who struggled the most during Jurgen Klopp’s final year.

But Slot has since unlocked his fellow Dutchman’s true potential and he was named in both of Gary Neville and Jamie Carragher’s teams of the season at the half-way mark one week ago.

Latest transfer news – Liverpool vs Man Utd for left-back

Liverpool and Man Utd have converged over the same player in the market before, with Cody Gakpo another example back in the winter window of 2023.

It also emerged that prior to Erik ten Hag signing Marcel Sabitzer on loan in that same window, the then-United boss actually wanted Gravenberch.

The two English giants could again come to blows in the market in 2025, with Milos Kerkez of Bournemouth in each club’s sights.

What’s more, Bournemouth appear to be gearing up for Kerkez’s sale after agreeing a deal to sign his replacement.

The Cherries have agreed to pay Lanus a fee of £6m (rising to £12m) for 19-year-old Paraguayan left-back, Julio Soler.

The youngster is understood to have travelled to England on Sunday to undergo a medical and finalise the deal.

With Soler on the way, Bournemouth are fully expected to cash in on Kerkez in either this window or the next. Both Liverpool and Man Utd aim to sign the £40m-rated Hungarian.

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