Ugarte: World Cup Knee Injury 'Worst a Footballer Can
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- Ugarte suffered a knee ligament injury during Uruguay's World Cup group-stage defeat to Spain in Guadalajara on Friday, twisting awkwardly as he attempted a tackle in the build-up to Spain's winning goal and leaving the pitch on a stretcher.
- Ugarte called it 'the most serious injury a footballer can face' in an Instagram post on Sunday, with Uruguayan media reporting a cruciate ligament diagnosis that would rule him out for months.
- Manchester United confirmed the 25-year-old will travel back for further tests, with the club privately braced for the worst despite not officially accepting the bleak diagnosis.
- Ugarte was already a likely summer departure after a disappointing £50.8m move from Paris St-Germain in 2024 — his last appearance was the 13 April home defeat to Leeds.
- United have agreed a £35m deal for Atalanta's Ederson, whose pre-season medical was scrapped after he joined Brazil's World Cup squad and is now planned after a mandatory three-week rest.
- United pulled out of talks for Nottingham Forest's Elliot Anderson over cost, while negotiations continue with West Ham over Portugal's Mateus Fernandes; the club also admire Bournemouth's Alex Scott and Brighton's Carlos Baleba.
Why it matters: United had already banked on offloading Ugarte this summer after a disappointing £50.8m 2024 signing, but a long-term injury kills any sale value and adds a rehabilitation cost on top — meaning the £35m Ederson deal and ongoing pursuits of Fernandes, Scott, or Baleba may now need to be financed without Ugarte's departure money.
