The 22-year-old was highly pursued by Chelsea, until he opted to join the reigning French champions. (Credit: AFP)
Ugarte has been brought in by PSG to fill in their midfield inadequacies as well as to bolster their squad depth for a Champions League run
Paris Saint-Germain have officially announced the signing of defensive midfielder Manuel Ugarte from Sporting CP. The Uruguay international will don the number 4 jersey for the club and has signed a five-year contract which will keep him in Paris till 2028.
The 22-year-old made 85 appearances for Sporting CP. He has only started regularly for one campaign at Sporting CP, but under the guidance of highly-rated manager Ruben Amorim, he blossomed into a statistical nightmare and a relentless and physical presence on the field.
Paris Saint-Germain are delighted to welcome Manuel Ugarte into the first team squad for the start of the 2023/24 season.The Uruguay international, who will wear the number 4, has signed a five-year contract through to 30 June, 2028.#WelcomeUgarte https://t.co/H8YDlf2ujq
— Paris Saint-Germain (@PSG_English) July 7, 2023
Last winter, Ugarte was among the 26 players called up by coach Diego Alonso for the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar, and he currently has eight caps for Uruguay.
Ugarte attracted major attention from the likes of Chelsea, who were eyeing him as a potential target for their new rebuild under Mauricio Pochettino, before opting to move to the French capital.
Transfer News Live, July 7: Manchester United Chase Andre Onana, Arsenal To Unveil Declan Rice
PSG also needed a midfielder, with their midfield light in the centre. The only defensive midfielder on their books is Danilo Pereira, and he was deputising at centre-back for most of last season with the club experiencing a defensive injury crisis.
Given Ugarte’s agility, ball-winning ability and sharp passing, he can become an anchor in the PSG midfield and could take up the role of a facilitator, who can orchestrate the defensive line as well as create chances for pacy forwards such as Kylian Mbappe.
ALSO READ: Paris Saint-Germain Appoint Luis Enrique as New Manager After Sacking Christophe Galtier
“I am sincerely very happy to be able to take this big step in my career, in such a big club, said Manuel Ugarte. I’m going to give my all for Paris Saint-Germain,” said Ugarte regarding his move to join the French champions.
The Uruguayan now joins the ranks of a flurry of signings made by PSG this summer which consists of the likes of Marco Asensio and Milan Skriniar, all of whom were brought in to further bolster the squad as they set out to conquer the Champions League this upcoming season.
He will be now managed by new head coach Luis Enrique, who takes up his first club role since leaving Barcelona in 2017.
