Lyon and Marseille find themselves competing for a former Paris Saint-Germain midfielder.
The battle between OM and OL does not only concern Himad Abdelli. Lyon and Marseille, who are competing for the Algerian international, find themselves once again competing on the transfer market, this time for Manchester United midfielder Manuel Ugarte. Arriving at Old Trafford after just one season at PSG, Ugarte attracts several European clubs and could be loaned as early as January, according to journalist Ekrem Konur.
The Uruguayan international, who joined Paris Saint-Germain in the summer of 2023 for 60 million euros, has never really confirmed the expectations placed on him. Impressive on his debut, he quickly lost his place in Luis Enrique’s team before joining Manchester United for around €50 million. This season, he has only started four matches in all competitions, Ruben Amorim not considering him as an essential element.
A loan in sight?
Despite this relative failure in England, the player retains a certain value on the market. According to Ekrem Konur, OL, Naples and Galatasaray are currently looking to get him back on loan. For their part, OM, Aston Villa, Newcastle, Juventus and Atlético Madrid would also be interested in his services, which could trigger a European battle to revive his career.
The main obstacle for the two French clubs remains the price asked by Manchester United in the event of a permanent transfer, estimated between 45 and 50 million euros. Lyon and Marseille therefore seem to be focusing on a loan, due to lack of means to conclude such an operation. It remains to be seen whether one of the two Ligue 1 teams will be able to convince the Red Devils to let Ugarte leave in the coming weeks.
