Amorim's Milan Move Could Spark Ugarte Reunion, But Should the Portuguese Boss Look Elsewhere?

The plot thickens in the Ruben Amorim saga. Having parted ways with Manchester United in January—with the Red Devils still footing a hefty compensation bill—the Portuguese tactician is set to take the reins at AC Milan on a deal running until 2028. And it appears he's already being presented with a familiar face.

According to reports from Italian sources, Milan have tabled an offer for United's Manuel Ugarte. The proposal is on the table, though substantive discussions have yet to commence. What makes this intriguing is Amorim's intimate knowledge of the Uruguayan midfielder: the pair have history stretching back to Sporting CP, where Ugarte featured 133 times under the manager's watch, chipping in with 12 direct goal contributions and winning the Portuguese League Cup in 2021/22.

Yet here's where sentiment must take a back seat to pragmatism. Ugarte wasn't a Amorim signing at Old Trafford—he arrived under previous regime stewardship—and his time in English football has hardly sparkled. The midfielder struggled for consistent minutes, particularly in the early months of last season before Amorim's own departure, and United are actively hunting for two new midfielders this summer anyway. The writing appears to be on the wall regarding his future at the club.

But should Amorim bite? Having endured the frustrations of United's dysfunction, a fresh start in Milan demands bold thinking. Recycling a player who underperformed in the Premier League, however well he performed elsewhere, risks repeating past mistakes. The same logic applies to Joshua Zirkzee, another United casualty being linked with a Rossoneri switch. The Dutch striker's struggles at Old Trafford hardly make a compelling case for resurrection, even if a return to Serie A—where he thrived at Bologna before his move to Manchester—might suit him better.

If Amorim is to succeed in Italy, he'll need to build something fresh, not merely reconstruct what went awry in the north-west.