Manuel Ugarte has ideal chance to earn £53m Tottenham move vs Arsenal
With Arsenal drawing against Sporting Lisbon in the UEFA Europa League round of 16, the prospect of arguably the best attacking midfielder of the tournament playing his best defensive Midfielder should make an already fascinating duel even more exciting.
Nobody has averaged more tackles per game in this season’s Champions League group stage than Manuel Ugarte’s 4.8 (WhoScored). Sporting’s ironclad Uruguayan has maintained those sky-high standards since relegation to Europa, averaging four in a comfortable round of 16 win over Danish side Midtjylland.
A record that even surpasses Aurelien Tchouameni, Thomas Partey and Maestro Casemiro of Manchester United.
Arsenal, and in particular Martin Odegaard, will be the biggest test of Ugarte’s destructive skills yet. But bet against Sporting’s own ‘Man of Steel’ at your own risk. The action-packed 21-year-old has risen to every challenge; He goes about his business with the same ruthless efficiency, no matter the occasion and no matter the opponent.
Manuel Ugarte versus Martin Odegaard
According to the Record, both Tottenham Hotspur and Newcastle United have regularly scouted Ugarte in recent months. Now that the former Famalicao star is en route to England in mid-March – suspended for the first leg but set to be back for the second game – Ugarte has an ideal opportunity to silence any remaining doubters by revealing the Influence of Arsenal’s talisman number limits eight.
Stop Odegaard in his tracks and the £53m release clause in Ugarte’s contract will look a little more enticing for his growing collection of suitors.
“In the national team (I play) in a double circle. And at Sporting I tend to play as number six,” says Ugarte; Highlighting a flexibility and intelligence that only make him more impressive.
“But I also played as number eight. Those are the positions I feel most comfortable in.”
The best defensive midfielder in the Europa League?
Ugarte has more to his game than bullying, harassing and hassling. A 90.8 percent success rate in the Portuguese top flight is proof of that, even if Ugarte does still hope to improve its distribution.
“(Kevin) De Bruyne is a fantastic player in the last third. He’s a great passer,” he adds.
“In my position (I adore Sergio) Busquets. I try to emulate him escaping the press with clean and well-aimed passes. I need to get better with my first touch. And I need to (be more aware of what’s around me).
“When you do that, you get a bigger picture, and that’s something fundamental.”
Given Arsenal’s tendency to press high and swap midfield, Ugarte’s ability to play through the lines could be just as important as his perfectly timed tackles with a Europa League quarter-finals spot down the line.
In other news, Giorgio Scalvini opens the door for a Liverpool or Tottenham move with £35m