Manchester United and Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) are reportedly studying the possibility of a high-profile swap deal involving two of their star players. As per reports, the Red Devils could send Jadon Sancho the other way to sign long-time target Manuel Ugarte from Les Parisiens.
Erik ten Hag’s side has long been scouring the market for a defensive midfielder — one who can take the mantle from declining Brazil superstar Casemiro. The search has led United to PSG midfielder Ugarte, who joined the French champions from Sporting Lisbon for a hefty £51.4 million ($65.38 million) fee last summer.
The Parisians value the player greatly and want to recover the money they spent to sign Ugarte from Sporting. Manchester United are reportedly frustrated with PSG’s lofty valuation and are monitoring more attainable alternatives. As per The Athletic, United would return to the table only if PSG agreed to take a price cut.
Manchester United Wants to End Frustration By Swapping Players With PSG
While most outlets think Manchester United is looking at other options, Express Sport has presented an alternative acquisition plan. As per the British outlet, Man Utd and PSG are seriously contemplating swapping Sancho and Ugarte. United is still interested in the Uruguayan player and there is hope that Sancho’s potential transfer to PSG may reignite discussions.
The Mancunians value Sancho at £40 million ($50.88 million). This means that if PSG agrees with the valuation, United will only have to pay a modest fee to sign Ugarte from the French side. Both Sancho and Ugarte are reportedly open to swapping clubs in the summer transfer window.
Sancho has rejoined the Manchester United camp after spending the second half of the 2023-24 season on loan at Borussia Dortmund. He left the club after publicly falling out with manager Ten Hag.
Initially, the relationship between the player and manager looked beyond repair. However, things have changed for the better since Sancho returned from Germany. In a recent interview, Ten Hag praised Sancho for reflecting well on his “mistake” and backed him to contribute to the team’s success in the 2024-25 season.
Given the good feeling between Sancho and United, it would be surprising if they were to trade him for Ugarte in the final weeks of the summer transfer window.