MANCHESTER UNITED midfielder Manuel Ugarte has been ruled out for at least nine months following knee surgery.
The 25-year-old suffered a knee ligament injury during ‘s final World Cup group game against and was taken off the pitch on a stretcher.
Manuel Ugarte has had surgery after suffering a knee ligament injury during Uruguay’s final World Cup game Credit: Shutterstock Editorial
The expected nine to 12 month recovery window means Ugarte likely won’t feature until deep into the 2026/27 campaign at the earliest Credit: Getty
Ugarte, who started all three of Uruguay‘s matches before their exit, landed awkwardly while challenging star Pedri in the first half.
The expected nine to 12 month recovery window means Ugarte likely won’t feature until deep into the 2026/27 campaign at the earliest.
A club statement said: “Everyone at wishes Manuel well for his recovery and will be supporting him every step of the way.”
‘s insurers will help cover Ugarte’s salary, which is believed to be in the region of £120,000-a-week.
Fifa will pay out daily for up to a year, but the total payout is strictly capped at £5.6m and won’t cover any missed bonuses.
United will receive approximately £13,500 per day starting on the 29th day of Ugarte’s absence.
If the midfielder is sidelined for nine months, the club will collect 244 days of compensation, totalling roughly £3.29m.
United were looking to sell Ugarte this summer after two difficult seasons at since his £50m arrival from .
But now the club will fully support Ugarte and carefully manage his rehab.
Following his injury, Ugarte was visibly emotional as he was carried off and later shared an Instagram post revealing he had “hit rock bottom.”
He wrote: “Suffering the most serious injury a footballer can face in one of the most important matches in my country’s history.
“Seeing it end this way without being able to stay on the pitch and support my teammates until the final whistle, is something that will stay with me for the rest of my life.
“Hitting rock bottom will make me stronger in every sense.”
Ugarte featured just 24 times last season, only making 10 starts and not appearing in in the club’s last six matches of the campaign.
United have already moved to strengthen their midfield following Ugarte’s injury and Casemiro’s departure after the end of his contract.
secured two signings this week, landing ‘s Andrey Santos for before triggering Youri Tielemans’ £35m release clause on Tuesday.
Eze Chidiebere Paul
I'm dedicated to creating high-quality content that informs, inspires, and delights. If you have any questions or suggestions, don't hesitate to get in touch. Happy reading!
