Sporting boss makes Manuel Ugarte transfer admission amid Chelsea, Liverpool and Tottenham links
Sporting CP head coach Ruben Amorim has admitted Chelsea and Tottenham-linked Manuel Ugarte could ‘leave’ the Portuguese club this summer.
Despite beating Spurs in the UEFA Champions League group stage, Sporting have endured a disappointing season in the Primeira Liga and are likely to miss out on qualifying for next season’s Champions League.
Still, Ugarte has received plenty of praise for his contribution this season, earning an average WhoScored.com rating of 7.10 across all competitions. The 22-year-old even played twice during Uruguay’s unsuccessful FIFA World Cup season in Qatar.
Such performances have seen Ugarte linked with a number of English clubs, with the aforementioned duo reportedly having interests in the midfielder alongside Arsenal and Liverpool.
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Ugarte’s agent Jorge Chijane has previously fueled discussions about a move, claiming something will be sorted out in the next 15 days.
He said, as quoted by the Mirror: “Liverpool? There’s a lot of talk, but they’re not the only club, there are others. There’s a lot of talk but I’m still not sure about the club.” [he will sign with]. There are many options on the table.
“I believe that the situation will be resolved in 15 days. It is almost certain that he will not stay.” [at Sporting], it is certain that he will go. It will be me soon [with him] in Lisbon.”
And the rumors will now only intensify as Amorim – himself linked with the vacant position at Tottenham – concedes defeat in his bid to keep Ugarte.
“He’s a very important player, but he could go,” Amorim claimed. “And maybe he’s already guaranteed 60 million euros… I don’t know. The continuity of the coach has nothing to do with it.”
Chelsea bolstered their midfield with the mega-signing of Enzo Fernandez in January, while Spurs firmly added midfielders Rodrigo Bentancur and Yves Bissouma last summer but have relied on the likes of Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg and Oliver Skipp during a poor season.
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