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The Uruguayan relishes a battle and can beef up the Red Devils' lightweight midfield as he looks set to leave Paris-Saint Germain for Old Trafford

Manchester United had more problems than Jay-Z last season, but midfield was undoubtedly their biggest one. Casemiro had a turbulent campaign marked by injury problems, Sofyan Amrabat could not adapt to the frenetic pace of the Premier League, while Mason Mount missed almost the whole season due to injuries.

As a result, Bruno Fernandes was forced to take on everyone else's work, which blunted his usual attacking edge. These problems were eased somewhat by the rise of Kobbie Mainoo, but the teenager's remarkable emergence did not fix a chronic lack of energy and dynamism in the middle.

Early on in the summer, United identified their ideal solution to this problem and set about trying to sign Manuel Ugarte. And after nearly three months of negotiations with Paris Saint-Germain, they finally got a £51 million ($60m) deal over the line in the last few days of the transfer window.

Ugarte was still in high school when he made his professional debut in Uruguay, but he quickly grew into a man, and a combative one at that. The midfielder relishes going after the ball and last season he made the second-highest amount of tackles in Europe's top five leagues, only trailing Joao Palhinha, a former team-mate.

The 23-year-old also has energy to burn. His former coach Juan Ramon Carrasco said Ugarte has "seven lungs" and "owns one half of the pitch". It is little wonder, then, that Erik ten Hag believes Ugarte can transform United's midfield.

United once had the best tough-tackling midfielder in the world in Roy Keane, but their attempts to replace him have only ever worked in the short-term. Owen Hargreaves had some success in his debut campaign, but his career was soon after destroyed by injuries; Nemanja Matic greatly strengthened Jose Mourinho's midfield, but he was already 29 by the time he arrived and his powers soon faded; Casemiro also looked to be an excellent short-term signing in 2022, but his error-strewn second campaign showed his limitations.

Ugarte, however, has his best years ahead of him. He might have had his confidence knocked by his short and unsuccessful spell at PSG, but if United play to his strengths, they can look forward to an exciting future, with the Uruguayan shutting down opposition attacks while Mainoo and Fernandes focus on supplying the front line.

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  Where it all began

  Ugarte was born in the Uruguayan capital Montevideo to a humble, hard-working family. His mother was a school teacher, his father a manual labourer, but the family fell on hard times after the economic crisis of 2008 and were forced to sell their home. Things soon improved, though, and now they are reaping the awards of their son's footballing talent.

  The midfielder was never afraid to get his hands dirty, breaking a finger when he was repairing a bike at the age of just three years old. He began his footballing journey with local side City Park and then joined Fenix, a historic yet humble club who have forever been in the shadow of local giants Penarol and Nacional.

  Ugarte was an attacking midfielder as a youth and was well ahead of his peers, playing in age groups one or even three years older than him. And the biggest surprise came when, at the age of 15, he was catapulted from Fenix's reserve side into the first team.

  At first, his father Miguel was unsure about the move when he was informed, telling academy coordinator Marcelo Mas: "But he's only a kid, they're going to destroy him!" Soon after he became the youngest Uruguayan league debutant in the 21st century when he was brought on during a 4-1 win over Danubio.

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  The big break

  Ugarte did not play for the first team again for another two year, but in the meantime he reinvented himself as a defensive midfielder and became a key figure in the 2019 'Apertura' season, helping Fenix finish second and qualify for the Copa Sudamericana, the South American equivalent of the Europa League.

  He was soon named club captain at the age of 18, and both Penarol and Nacional were keen to snap him up. But by then he had alerted European clubs to his talents and Portuguese side Famalicao were the first to bite, signing the teenager for €3m(£2.6/$3.2m) in December 2020.

  Ugarte had to play in front of empty stadiums for the first few months in Portugal, but he impressed onlookers before newly-crowned champions Sporting CP signed him for €10.5m (£9m/$12m). The Uruguayan was originally a back-up to Palhinha in Lisbon and made only 10 league starts in his first campaign, but when Palhinha joined Fulham, Ugarte became the club's main holding midfielder.

  Sporting had a disappointing 2022-23 campaign, finishing fourth and missing out on qualifying for the Champions League, having exited in the group stage that season. Ugarte's star kept rising, though, and he became the subject of a fierce transfer battle between PSG and Chelsea. PSG eventually won the tug of war, signing him for €60m (£50m/$66m).

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  How it's going

  Ugarte got off to a strong start at PSG and was one of the standout players in a thumping 4-0 win over rivals Marseille in Le Classique back in September. His thirst for tackling made fans warm to him, but his rather one-dimensional style and lack of ability for progressive passing seemed to frustrate coach Luis Enrique, who had the pleasure of working with Sergio Busquets at Barcelona and Rodri with the Spain national team.

  Luis Enrique did not hide his feelings about the Uruguayan's limitations, describing him as "a surprise and a revelation to many supporters" but also stressing that "he has so much room for improvement going forward and in defence".

  Ugarte subsequently struggled in PSG's Champions League group-stage defeats to Newcastle and AC Milan. He was particularly disappointing in the loss at San Siro, being hauled off after an hour in which he had won just three of 15 attempted duels and been booked.

  Having started the first five Champions League games, he began on the bench for the decisive group match against Borussia Dortmund. He then played just 26 minutes out of PSG's six knockout games, remaining on the bench for both legs of the semi-final tie with Dortmund. He also started just three of PSG's final eight games in Ligue 1.

  As early as July it became clear that Ugarte would not be remaining at PSG. His agent Jorge Chijane told : "There are many options on the table. It's almost certain he won't stay at PSG, it's certain he'll leave." His experience at PSG has not seriously affected his reputation or his market value, though, as United are set to pay almost the same amount for the Uruguayan as PSG did one year ago.

  Ugarte did recover some of his confidence at the Copa America this past summer, starting every game as Uruguay reached the semi-finals. He also scored the winning penalty as Marcelo Bielsa's side knocked Brazil out in the quarter-finals. They were eventually eliminated by Colombia in the semis, but claimed third place ahead of Canada.

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  Biggest strengths

  Ugarte is a ball hunter. "When I win the ball back I'm happy," he told PSG's website last year. "When we have the ball, it’s a game. When we don’t, it’s a fight."

  In analysis by for , Ugarte was given a mark of 99 percent for disrupting opposition moves, 92% for ball recoveries and interceptions, plus 78% for defending intensity.

  Ugarte also has an excellent injury record, which is likely to be valued highly by Ten Hag given United's propensity for losing players for long periods due to fitness problems. He also has the stamina and energy to get up and down the pitch, something that Casemiro certainly lacked last season.

  The Uruguayan's energy and defensive awareness should help United plug the holes that kept appearing in midfield last season, which led to them conceding more shots than any other Premier League side aside from relegated Sheffield United.

MatériaMais Notícias

Em partida válida pela oitava rodada do Campeonato Brasileiro 2021, Internacional e Palmeiras se enfrentam na próxima quarta-feira (30), às 19h (horário de Brasília), no Estádio Beira-Rio, em Porto Alegre.

Flamengo avança por Kenedy, Sergio Ramos segue na mira do City, Real Madrid teme renovação de Mbappé… O Dia do Mercado

O Verdão está na terceira colocação do Brasileirão com 13 pontos conquistados e vem de uma vitória sobre o Bahia, no Allianz Parque. O Colorado, por sua vez, ocupa o 13º lugar do torneio nacional com nove pontos. Na última rodada, empatou com o América-MG, em Belo Horizonte.

Internacional x Palmeiras terá transmissão AO VIVO no Premiere (pay-per-view para todo o Brasil).

>> Veja a tabela completa do Brasileirão

continua após a publicidadeRelacionadasPalmeirasBoletim: Gabriel Veron treina e fica perto do retorno aos jogos; Abel Ferreira ganha reforço para a zagaPalmeiras28/06/2021PalmeirasExclusivo: Kauan Santos se declara ao Palmeiras: ‘Me ajudou a virar atleta e homem’Palmeiras28/06/2021PalmeirasGustavo Scarpa vive temporada com mais assistências no PalmeirasPalmeiras28/06/2021

Outra alternativa para acompanhar a partida é o tempo real do NOSSO PALESTRA, tanto pelo site, como também pelo perfil do NP no Twitter, com a hashtag #trNossoPalestra.

Football fans have been busy making their predictions ahead of the start of the new 2024-25 Premier League season.

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Premier League will kick off on FridayFans make predictions ahead of new campaignSupporters also name best stadium and worst fansWHAT HAPPENED?

Thousands of supporters have revealed their tips for the new season in a new survey by Betfair conducted by YouGov Sport. The new poll has also seen fans name Liverpool's famous Anfield stadium as the ground with the best atmosphere ahead of the Emirates Stadium, St James' Park and Stamford Bridge. The worst away fans have also been revealed, with Arsenal supporters voted top of the pile in the poll.

AdvertisementGetty ImagesTHE BIGGER PICTURE

Manchester City will be aiming to win the title for a record fifth straight season and fans are expecting the Cityzens to finish in top spot. A whopping 44% of fans went for Pep Guardiola's side to be crowned champions, with Arsenal receiving 21% of the vote and Liverpool 10%. Meanwhile, Manchester United are expected to return to the top four after finishing down in eighth place last season, beating Tottenham, Chelsea, Newcastle and Aston Villa to the final Champions League spot.

DID YOU KNOW?

Ipswich Town, Leicester City and Southampton will be back in the Premier League after promotion last season. However, fans are expecting the Tractor Boys and the Saints to go straight back down. Nottingham Forest are also being backed to drop back down to the Championship after narrowly escaping the drop last season.

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Getty ImagesWHAT NEXT

The new Premier League season will kick off on Friday when Manchester United take on Fulham in the opener. A busy weekend follows with some key clashes, most notably Sunday's huge game between champions Manchester City and big-spending Chelsea.

MatériaMais Notícias

O São Paulo teve uma baixa no treino da última sexta-feira. O goleiro Youg, cria das categorias de base do clube, fraturou o braço esquerdo e precisou passar por cirurgia para a correção da lesão.
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COLUNA DE VÍDEO: Setoristas do São Paulo no L! analisam sequência do time e falam sobre possíveis reforços

O procedimento foi realizadopela equipe do cirurgião Moisés Cohen. Seguindo a programação do departamento médico, o arqueiro deverá iniciar a recuperação no REFFIS nos próximos dias, ainda sem uma previsão de retorno.

VEJA A TABELA E SIMULE OS RESULTADOS DO BRASILEIRÃO

RelacionadasSão PauloEm enquete do L!, torcida escolhe Eder como titular do São Paulo na disputa com PabloSão Paulo12/06/2021São PauloSão Paulo acerta empréstimo de Paulinho Boia ao JuventudeSão Paulo12/06/2021São PauloSem quatro titulares, São Paulo terá que mostrar força do elenco novamenteSão Paulo11/06/2021

Hoje com 19 anos, o goleiro formado em Cotia foi campeão paulista pelo Sub-17 em 2019, vencendo a final nos pênaltis contra o rival Palmeiras. Na ocasião, o goleiro foi o titular e esteve na cobrança de pênaltis, na qual não fez nenhum defesa, mas viu os alviverdes acertarem a trave duas vezes.

Young foi promovido ao elenco profissional após a saída do goleiro Denis Junior, também revelado por Cotia, para o Bahia, até o fim da temporada de 2021.

As things stand, Leeds United will be back in the Premier League next season and could use that rediscovered top-flight status to help end one player's misery.

Leeds transfer news

Whilst there's still plenty of work to do on the pitch, those behind the scenes at Elland Road and owners the 49ers Enterprises are clearly already thinking about the summer transfer window, with plans centred around a potential Premier League campaign under Daniel Farke. The rumour mill has reflected that too, with Newcastle United's Sean Longstaff among the names already mentioned ahead of the forthcoming window.

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In what could be a £15m deal, the Newcastle midfielder's invaluable experience at the top may go a long way in aiding Leeds' survival ambitions if they were to secure promotion from the Championship this season.

Meanwhile, the Whites will reportedly have to fend off interest in Crysencio Summerville this summer, with Aston Villa the latest club to be linked with a move to sign the talented winger. The Villans' potential Champions League status could certainly make the move tempting for the Dutchman, but Leeds will hope that promotion puts those rumours on hold.

If Summerville does stay put, he may well have a Premier League winner lining up with him too. According to The Sunday Mirror via MOT Leeds News, Leeds are now ready to submit a £30m offer to sign Kalvin Phillips from Manchester City this summer, having initially shown an interest in re-signing their former midfielder in recent months.

Phillips, of course, is currently on loan at West Ham United and to say that things aren't going well would be an understatement. Whether it be defensive errors or red cards, he just can't get things right at the London Stadium and his gesture after a 4-3 comeback loss against Newcastle United yesterday is likely to sum up his time with the Hammers.

A return back to the place where he earned a move to Manchester City in the first place could be the best way for Phillips to get back on track, allowing Leeds to get a midfield boost in the process.

"Excellent" Phillips desperately needs Leeds return

Since leaving Elland Road for a reported £45m to join Manchester City in 2022, things have gone from bad to worse for Phillips. At the Etihad, the England international made just 31 appearances with only a handful of starts under Pep Guardiola. In a spell which saw him win the Premier League, Champions League and FA Cup, Phillips will still want to leave it behind.

Now playing at West Ham, the rust is showing and it's something that the fans have not had time to accommodate in London. The same can be said for England boss Gareth Southgate, who recently dropped the struggling midfielder. So, as things stand, Phillips' next move must work out. It could be Leeds salvation or nothing for the 28-year-old.

Despite dropping him, Southgate will be among those frustrated by what's happened to the Manchester City man, having previously dubbed him as "excellent" on international duty.

كشفت تقارير صحفية سعودية النقاب عن موقف الحارس السنغالي إدوارد ميندي الذي ينشط ضمن صفوف فريق أهلي جدة، من مواجهة الاتحاد في دوري روشن.

ويستعد فريق الأهلي ليحل ضيفًا على نظيره الاتحاد في ديربي جدة، على ملعب استاد مدينة الملك عبدالله الرياضية (الجوهرة المشعة)، ضمن منافسات الجولة التاسعة من عمر الدوري السعودي.

ترتيب الدوري السعودي بعد فوز الهلال وانتهاء الجولة الثامنة

وأوضحت صحيفة اليوم السعودية أن إدوارد ميندي بات قريبًا من الغياب عن مباراة الأهلي والاتحاد، بسبب إصابته في العضلة الضامة.

وكان ميندي قد تعرض لإصابة لا يزال يعاني من آثارها خلال مشاركته في مباراة الأهلي والأخدود الماضية في الدوري، والتي غادر على إثرها اللقاء ليشارك بدلًا منه عبد الرحمن الصائبي.

ويحتل الأهلي المركز الثامن في سلم ترتيب بطولة الدوري السعودي للمحترفين برصيد 11 نقطة حصدها من 3 انتصارات وتعادلين، فيما نال 3 هزائم، وسجل لاعبوه 12 هدفًا واستقبلت شباكه 8 أهداف خلال 8 مباريات.

Leeds United have brought through many talented young players through their academy system over the years and Archie Gray appears to be the latest starlet to make the breakthrough.

The 17-year-old whiz has started 29 of the club's 33 matches in the Championship so far this season, with the majority of those coming in an unnatural right-back role for the teenager.

Head coach Daniel Farke has placed his trust in the former U21s starlet and developed him into a regular first-team starter for the Whites in the second tier.

One player who once looked set for a promising career after breaking into the senior side at Elland Road was Alex Mowatt. However, the club opted to cash in on him before his value soared through the roof.

How much Leeds sold Alex Mowatt for

The Whites sold him to Barnsley in January 2017 for a reported fee of just £600k, after he had racked up over 100 appearances for the first-team.

Mowatt came through the academy system in Yorkshire and established himself as a regular during the 2013/14 campaign, through to the end of the 2015/16 season, with 29 or more Championship matches played in all three years.

However, the academy graduate only started four of his 15 league outings for the club during the first half of the 2016/17 campaign, which led to his move across Yorkshire to Barnsley at the start of 2017.

Mowatt later revealed to The Athletic that the transfer came as a "shock" to him. He also claimed that then-manager Garry Monk only saw him as a number ten, rather than as a number eight or defensive midfielder, and that is why his game time was limited in the months leading up to the switch.

Alex Mowatt's soaring market value

Leeds' loss was Barnsley's gain as the English maestro went on to produce 20 goals and 23 assists in 162 appearances in all competitions for the club.

In his last season with the Yorkshire-based outfit, Mowatt racked up eight goals, seven assists, and nine 'big chances' created in 44 matches as a central midfielder.

He found a way to influence games at the top end of the pitch from a number eight role, rather than being shoehorned in as an attacking midfielder, and that earned him a transfer to West Bromwich Albion on a free transfer in the summer of 2021.

By November 2021, Mowatt's value on Transfermarkt soared to a staggering €10m (£8.6m). That means that his value skyrocketed up by a whopping 1,333% from the initial £600k that Leeds sold him to Barnsley for.

Appearances

34

Goals

Four

Assists

Two

Tackles + interceptions per game

2.8

Duel success rate

56%

Sofascore rating

7.10

Stats via Sofascore

As you can see in the table above, the Baggies dynamo combined attacking quality with defensive solidity, as he won the majority of his physical duels, to help his market value soar.

This suggests that Leeds had a blunder with the midfielder as they sold him far too early in his development, and could have made a greater profit on him by helping the gem to fulfill his potential at Elland Road and then selling him when his value peaked, albeit now with the benefit of hindsight.

In the present day, the 29-year-old gem has won 67% of his duels and provided four assists in 31 appearances for West Brom as they battle with Leeds to secure promotion to the Premier League.

Hopefully, the Whites are not left with similar regrets if they ever decide to part ways with current academy graduate Gray in a future transfer window.

Chelsea are reportedly interested in signing Leicester City star Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall – but face competition from Premier League rivals Brighton.

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• Chelsea eye Leicester's Dewsbury-Hall
• Face competition from Brighton
• Blues also keen on Leeds Utd's Gray

• WHAT HAPPENED?

  reports Chelsea are eyeing a move for the Leicester talisman, who helped the Foxes secure an immediate return to the Premier League under Enzo Maresca – who is now at Stamford Bridge. Brighton were keen on signing the midfielder in January and after missing out on him then, they could be pipped to his signature this summer.

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  THE BIGGER PICTURE

  The report adds that Chelsea want to strengthen their midfield and that has led them to consider a transfer for Leeds United teenager Archie Gray. The 18-year-old starred for Leeds last season and if he were sold, the Championship outfit are said to want upwards of £30 million ($38m); while Leicester value Dewsbury-Hall, 25, at £40m ($51m).

• DID YOU KNOW?

  Both Leeds and Leicester will need to sell players this summer to comply with profit and sustainability rules. The report adds Chelsea have not made formal offers for Gray, who is a midfielder but played mostly at right-back this season, and the Foxes' star for now.

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  WHAT NEXT?

  While these players may be involved with a summer transfer saga, the duo are set to return to pre-season training in the coming days and weeks. It remains to be seen if they will still be at their respective clubs for next season.

England fans’ dreary, repetitive boos lose their bite as Smith sculpts his perfect comeback

Melinda Farrell05-Aug-2019On the first morning of the Test they were primed.This was Fortress Edgbaston after all, a fortress that has long felt like a football ground; Tim Paine had dismissed, this as the 16th-most hostile venue in the world.The first hour was a prelude; only a few lagers had been consumed in the morning. With each appearance of The Three during the pre-match warm-ups and fomalities, the boos grew in stridency and, by the time David Warner and Cameron Bancroft walked out to open the batting, they were occasionally punctuated with thumping cries of ‘Cheat! Cheat! Cheat!’The Barmy Army’s Central Command was roughly in the middle of the Hollies Stand. Billy the Trumpet steered the chanting toward songs that supported the bowlers but it was several bays across where the vocal knives were unsheathed at the appearance of Steve Smith.Eric Hollies denied Bradman a hundred average and – by Jove! – the stand bearing his name was going to deny Smith a happy return to Test cricket. Not by a googly, but by verbal laceration.’We saw you crying on the telly’, they sang, some of them wearing crying-on-the-telly-Smith face masks. Ho ho ho. Take that!Each day it rose and fell, this wave of mockery and hostility. Some of it was pantomime, some vindictive. When Smith reached his masterful first-innings century, most of the crowd stood and applauded. But boos are louder than claps and so the minority jeerers held sway. Some were clapping and booing simultaneously and so on it went.David Warner shows the crowd his empty pockets•Getty ImagesWarner tried to win them over by joining in the pantomime when he was sent to field in front of the most vociferous section of the Hollies Stand. When they sang “he’s got sandpaper in his hands”, to the tune of “He’s Got The Whole World In His Hands”, he obligingly held up his palms and turned out his pockets and clapped and waved.Bancroft, perhaps viewed as the fall guy, was spared the worst of the abuse.And Smith? Well he remained in his impenetrable bubble that, ultimately, was the true fortress of this Test. He just batted and batted. And batted.By the time he lifted his bat to celebrate his second century of the match the booing had diminished and the applause dominated for the first time. Although, of course, it was renewed with vigour when he was dismissed, having taken the game far out of England’s reach. He turned and acknowledged the Hollies Stand as he walked off, the only time he seemed to notice it was even there.ALSO READ: Brettig: Steven Smith too good for England, but also AustraliaHis wife, Dani, had sat in the relative quiet of the enclosed press box the previous day, anticipating that the excesses of Saturday drinking would bring out the worst; Smith’s personal armour does not extend to those who care for him and it’s hard to imagine how it would have felt to listen to thousands of people eviscerating a loved one.As Australia gained the upper hand in the match, their fans – sitting in a large block between the Hollies Stand and the dressing rooms took their cues from what had gone before. “Same old Aussies, always cheating” became “same old Aussies, always winning”. The ugliest chant was saved for Ben Stokes: “He punched to the left. He punched to the right. That Ben Stokes he should be inside.” It was hardly edifying stuff and brought to mind the thought that some sports end up segregating fans: we don’t want to end up there.It did, however, illustrate the whataboutery that was bandied about through the Test. Whatabout the way Stuart Broad was treated in the 2013-14 Ashes? Whatabout the time cheating Broad (didn’t) smash the ball to first slip in the 2013 Ashes and declined to walk? Whatabout Warner doing the same thing now? Whatabout Athers and the dirt? Faf and the zipper? Faf and the mints? Hang on, now you mention mints, whatabout the Murray variety and Tresco and 2005?England fans celebrate David Warner’s wicket•Getty ImagesThey’ve done their time; they should’ve been banned for life. Opinion about The Three will probably forever remain polarised along these lines.It will be far quieter at Lord’s, but a certain level of cacophony will surely follow them throughout the rest of the series, although it will just as surely lose its bite if Australia keep winning. The noise may have become drearily repetitive for some who were there each day but many people can only afford the time or money for one day at a Test this summer and will see it as their single opportunity to take a shot. We’ve paid a lot to be here, they will say, and we have every right to sing and chant and fling whatever insults we please. It also stands that others have the right to consider their behaviour boorish and excessive.At the conclusion of the match, Smith stood near the boundary in front of the dressing rooms and his post-match interview was broadcast on the PA. The remaining fans in the Hollies Stand struck up the crying on the telly chant. It sounded distant and feeble as Smith smiled and chatted on the telly, holding his player of the match trophy and a bottle of champagne.When he finished, the fans in front of him – both English and Australian – warmly applauded.There wasn’t a single boo to be heard.

Can South Africa end New Zealand’s unbeaten run at the 2019 World Cup? Follow ESPNcricinfo’s Live Report to stay tuned in on all the action

Liam Brickhill19-Jun-2019