Tottenham Eye Ugarte as Galatasaray Circles for United Midfielder

Tottenham Hotspur have joined the hunt for Manchester United's Manuel Ugarte this summer, yet the Turkish route looks increasingly more likely to be where the Uruguayan midfielder ends up.

The 24-year-old's time at Old Trafford has become decidedly murky since Michael Carrick took interim charge, with the South American struggling to get off the bench. Kobbie Mainoo's resurgence has further squeezed his opportunities, leaving Ugarte contemplating his next move as he battles for relevance in Erik ten Hag's successor's plans.

United are prepared to let the midfielder depart, having invested £50million to bring him in from PSG alongside a hefty contract. He's tipped to be among eight Red Devils players potentially exiting this summer as the club prepares for a permanent managerial appointment.

Alongside Spurs, both Aston Villa and Newcastle have kept tabs on Ugarte's situation, whilst Serie A outfit Juventus harbour long-standing admiration for the international. Yet it's Galatasaray who appear to have the strongest hand to play. The Istanbul giants came agonisingly close to securing him in January following talks, and they're now gearing up for another push when the transfer window reopens.

Ugarte's representatives are exploring other avenues to escape a move to Turkey, but the consensus suggests a switch to Galatasaray remains the most probable outcome. The Turkish club sits comfortably in pole position to finally land their man, with United unlikely to throw obstacles in their path.

For Spurs, should they retain their Premier League status, signing a player who hasn't thrived at United would send a peculiar message to their fanbase. The north London side are expected to move on from Yves Bissouma, whilst uncertainty surrounds whether Joao Palhinha's loan will become permanent, suggesting De Zerbi may indeed be hunting for midfield reinforcements this summer.