Liverpool cool down interest in Sporting midfielder Manuel Ugarte
Liverpool scouts were present in the stands to watch Sporting midfielder Manuel Ugarte on Sunday when his side drew 2-2 with Benfica in the Portuguese league. However, following multiple reports of a possible move to Liverpool, interest in the 22-year-old defensive midfielder seems to have cooled down.
ECHO writes on the Reds’ interest and claims that Liverpool FC’s interest in Manuel Ugarte has cooled down significantly. While it is not significant, the setback is real. The Reds have had their fair share of disappointments this season on the pitch, and those seeping into the transfer plans of the club is certainly not good news.
With a release clause of £53m, Ugarte could have honestly proved to be a tad bit expensive, at least for his age. While he is an extremely good talent, and defensively strong as well, the lack of exposure at the top level of the European game could have been a reason why the Reds seem to let him be.
Despite Ugarte’s promise and potential, the club now seeks a player who can have an immediate impact and seamlessly fit into their well-established system.
Ugarte not moving to the Reds?
The Reds, in this phase of transition they find themselves in, probably need players who wouldn’t take much time adjusting to the requirements of the Premier League and get going almost immediately.
Liverpool have been letting past a lot of goals for their liking, and the addition of a defensive midfielder, to possibly give Fabinho a run for his spot in the starting XI is something that the Reds could benefit from. And keeping this in mind, it is tough to see why the Reds do not want to actively pursue the Uruguayan international.
However, reports from Record via ECHO continue to argue that Liverpool are still front-runners for Ugarte’s signature with Aston Villa and Chelsea also monitoring Ugarte’s situation.
Hopefully, Liverpool continue to monitor and assess other potential targets and players who could suit the Reds’ needs at this point in time and help Liverpool and Jurgen Klopp achieve their objectives.
More Liverpool News
- Bayern Munich will not sell Liverpool target Joshua Kimmich in the summer
- Liverpool scouts keeping a close eye on Uruguayan star Manuel Ugarte
- Liverpool to pounce for Bayern Munich midfielder Ryan Gravenberch should an opportunity arise
While the news may disappoint some who were excited about the prospect of Ugarte donning the famous red jersey, they would obviously understand that the club’s priorities lie in securing the best possible additions to strengthen their squad for next season and beyond.
