Juventus Scout Ugarte as Man Utd Midfielder Eyes Summer Exit

Juventus have Ugarte firmly in their crosshairs. The Bianconeri are keeping close tabs on Manchester United's Manuel Ugarte as they prepare for a midfield overhaul this summer, with plans to conduct live evaluations during Uruguay's friendly against Algeria in Turin on Tuesday.

Sporting director Marco Ottolini won't simply be hosting proceedings—he'll be there with his notebook out, scrutinising the 24-year-old Uruguayan international in real time. Gazzetta Dello Sport reports that Ugarte represents exactly the profile Juventus favour for their midfield reconstruction, a project being orchestrated in conjunction with manager Luciano Spalletti.

The midfielder has long been on Juventus's radar. During his spell at Sporting, he caught their attention, and the Italian club subsequently made multiple attempts to secure him on loan—first when he was at PSG, then latterly from Manchester United. His name resurfaces with remarkable regularity in Turin's recruitment discussions, never quite disappearing from their considerations.

At 24, Ugarte could emerge as a genuine option should Teun Koopmeiners depart. A strong showing against Algeria would only strengthen his appeal to the Juventus hierarchy.

Man Utd's summer transfer strategy has already triggered significant upheaval. The club splashed considerable resources on attacking reinforcements—Bryan Mbeumo, Matheus Cunha, and Benjamin Sesko all arriving at Old Trafford—leaving their midfield department looking distinctly undercooked. With Casemiro now heading for the exit, the Red Devils face a pressing need to rebuild that area of the pitch.

Ugarte appears destined to move on as well, creating space for fresh midfield recruitment. Transfer analyst Fabrizio Romano has confirmed "there is already some movement" around the United man's potential availability. Italian clubs are actively considering moves, though a January approach from Galatasaray came to nothing concrete.

Romano indicated: "Casemiro is leaving on a free, but around Ugarte, there is already some movement about some clubs interested. There are clubs in Italy considering the possibility to go for Ugarte, so there is interest from Italy. In the January window, Galatasaray were interested, but then nothing really concrete, nothing really advanced, and so all parties decided not to proceed. But Ugarte in the summer could assess options and leave eventually Manchester United."

Juventus aren't working alone in their pursuit of midfield talent. Man City's Bernardo Silva also features prominently on their wishlist, with the Portuguese midfielder's expiring contract making him an increasingly attractive proposition.