You could argue that Manchester United’s recent win over Newcastle United almost resulted in a victory despite the substitution of Ruben Amorim, and Casemiro wasn’t the only one to be quite incredulous at the Portuguese’s selection decision.
Indeed, substituting Lisandro Martínez and Luke Shaw with just minutes left looked particularly strange, as did the decision to send off the aging Brazilian as time expired.
Such changes could be costly, even with Amorim stressing the need for “freshness” in the second half, with an already lightweight midfield unit further weakened by the loss of Koby Mainu and Bruno Fernandes to injury.
The gamble paid off in some ways as the hosts hung on at Old Trafford, but the midfield pairing of teenage Jack Fletcher and struggling Manuel Ugarte could be enough to force INEOS into the market next month.
It looks like Ugarte in particular will need to be replaced if United start the game under Amorim.
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The Red Devils won the game with Ugarte in the starting lineup for the first time in eight tries, but the unfortunate record highlighted why the Uruguayan had become such a maligned figure among the Old Trafford faithful.
The 24-year-old, who has started just four Premier League games this season, is yet to find his groove in Manchester after being reunited with his former Sporting CP manager, and was even reportedly dressed down by Amorim in front of his team-mates at the end of last season.
His status is so low that reports suggest INEOS are open to making an offer for Ugarte in the new year, with club executives intending to oversee a midfield shake-up in 2026.
Players like Elliott Anderson and Adam Wharton remain likely long-term targets, but if Amorim wants a quick fix, Atletico Madrid’s Conor Gallagher could be just the man.
According to reports in Spain, the Red Devils are “seriously considering” a move for the former Chelsea star and have had their eye on the 25-year-old for some time.
According to reports, United know what kind of offer they would need to make to sign the Englishman from the Spanish capital, with Atleti setting their offer at €30m (approximately £26m).
Why Gallagher is the perfect upgrade for Ugarte
As mentioned above, United may be aiming higher for next summer, but their current midfield woes just need to be resolved, which is why someone with a proven Premier League background like Gallagher is essential.
Ugarte has been watching most of the campaign and has been given opportunities in recent weeks, but he hasn’t taken advantage of them at all.
For example, in the match against Aston Villa, he won only seven of the 14 duels on the ground, was dribbled through twice and was substituted in the final stages.
Meanwhile, against Newcastle, he lost the ball 12 times and was dribbled through three times to the likes of Sandro Tonali and Bruno Guimarães.
Ugarte – vs Villa & Newcastle | ||
|---|---|---|
status | villa | newcastle |
minutes | 73 | 90 |
touch | 44 | 63 |
key pass | 0 | 1 |
Pass accuracy | 84% | 73% |
dribble | 1/1 | 2/2 |
ground duel | 7/14 | 8/15 |
aerial duel | 1/1 | 0/1 |
loss of ownership | 7 | 12 |
dribbled past | 2 | 3 |
Statistics by Sofascore | ||
An upgrade is a must for INEOS heading into January, then, and Gallagher is the type of value option that slots in nicely, with exactly the same running power as Ugarte, but with a much better end product to go with it.
The Atleti star, hailed as a “warrior” by talent scout Jacek Kulig, has scored three goals so far this season, taking his total to 14 goals and assists in 75 games since rejoining Diego Simeone’s side in 2024.
The move came despite having had arguably his best season at Chelsea the year before, finishing the 2023/24 campaign with 16 goals and assists for Mauricio Pochettino’s Blues.
Gallagher, previously described by talkSPORT’s Tony Cascarino as being like “N’Golo Kante with goals”, is a true all-rounder, particularly as he ranks in the top 6% of European midfielders for non-penalty goals per 90 goals, according to FBref, and in the top 3% for interceptions.
For example, Ugarte ranks in the top 1% for tackles, but only ranks in the top 37% for non-penalty goals, which leaves a lot to be desired on the other side of his game.
That difference in quality can be seen in how Gallagher outperforms the South American player in a range of metrics per 90 points, including progressive carries (1.97 vs. 0.78), touches inside the opposition box (2.97 vs. 0.78) and pass completion rate (88% vs. 84.8%), underscoring why he excels box-to-box.
A carry is considered progressive if the ball moves toward the opponent’s goal at least 10 yards from the starting point or is carried into the penalty area.
Ugarte has only scored six goals in total at senior level, but he lacks the real qualities needed to thrive in the Premier League’s midfield, making him just another consistent eddy.
Gallagher may not be perfect, but he will definitely be in the upper class if United can secure a knockdown next month.
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