Rio Ferdinand details what Manchester United-bound Manuel Ugarte will bring to the team
Rio Ferdinand has spoken about Manuel Ugarte and what the Manchester United-bound Uruguayan will bring to the team. Ugarte looks set to complete his transfer to Old Trafford from Paris Saint-Germain before the transfer window closes, in a deal worth £50.7 million (via Sky Sports).
The Red Devils are set to let go of Scott McTominay, who has spent 22 years at the club since he the age of 5. However, they already have a replacement for him in Ugarte, who will do his medicals at Carrington in due course.
It has only been a year since Ugarte joined up with the Parisian giants, who paid €60 million for his services. However, he has not had the best time with PSG, making only 25 appearances in Ligue 1. Now, he is on the way out of the Parc des Princes, with a move to Manchester United almost completed.
Rio Ferdinand has now opened up about what the 23-year-old midfielder has to offer his old club. Sharing his reactions on FIVEUK, the former defender said:
"Obviously, I know he's a ball-winning defensive midfielder type and he's Uruguayan. They've got that tough, solid, rugged mentality, that little bit of edge, I think that he'll bring to this team. I think it'll be really, really good."
"A simple pass off both feet, keeps it simple, keeps it ticking, always available, always showing. But don't expect to be hitting 30, 40-yard passes and thinks like that, or breaking the lines."
Ferdinand finished:
"I think he's a bit of an economical kind of footballer. He's an old school proper number six: defensive, sit there, shore things up. A type of number six that's sitting in front of me as a centre-back, you'll be happy to have in front of you, because he's going to protect."
The former Manchester United defender will be hoping that Ugarte can meet expectations and potentially raise the bar at Old Trafford.
Manchester United urged to sign Raheem Sterling from Chelsea
As the Red Devils continue making moves in the transfer market, another potential target has been made available for them. Chelsea manager Enzo Maresca has revealed that Raheem Sterling has no place in his squad. The doors are open for him to leave at Stamford Bridge and a move to Old Trafford could be an option.
Sterling has already been linked to join Manchester United, and according to numerous reports, he would be open to a move. While the Red Devils may not be interested particularly, pundit Danny Murphy has urged them to sign him, saying on talkSPORT (via United in Focus):
“I think Sterling is better more productive [than Sancho]. Given enough game time, he will score more goals than the other wingers they’ve got... I think Sterling could help Amad [Diallo], [Alejandro] Garnacho, maybe even [Marcus] Rashford a little bit."
Time will tell if Manchester United will take in Sterling, especially with the transfer window nearing deadline day.