Manchester United have today confirmed that Manuel Ugarte has undergone successful surgery for his knee ligament injury.
The 25-year-old has now started his rehabilitation process at Carrington and will continue to be monitored by the club’s medical staff.
On the comeback trail.
Wishing you all the best with your recovery, @ManuUgarte8 — we'll be with you every step of the way 🙏❤️
— Manchester United (@ManUtd) July 15, 2026
What happened to Manuel Ugarte?
Ugarte sustained the injury while in action for his native Uruguay in the World Cup.
During their short campaign, Ugarte started all three group-stage matches, but was stretchered off in the first half of their clash with Spain, after which they were knocked out.
He was inconsolable when leaving the field, prompting fans to assume the worst over his condition.
It was subsequently revealed that he had injured his knee ligaments, confirming that the midfielder would indeed be facing a lengthy spell on the sidelines.
United adding midfield depth following Ugarte layoff
Had he not suffered the gutting setback, it was expected that Ugarte would’ve been sold this summer – just two years into his United tenure.
By the end of 2025/2026, he had fallen entirely out of favour under Michael Carrick, having not featured once in the final six Premier League matches of the term.
In total for the league season, Ugarte was an unused substitute for a whopping 15 matches and accumulated just 881 minutes on the pitch.
| Appearances | Starts | Unused | Minutes played |
| 7 | 1 | 9 | 155 |
Ugarte’s record after Michael Carrick took charge
Replacements for him and Casemiro, who left as a free agent when his contract expired, have been sought in the form of Andrey Santos and Youri Tielemans, both of whom provide ample top-flight experience.
Two midfield additions for @ManUtd:
🤝 Youri Tielemans
🤝 Andrey Santos pic.twitter.com/TAOikoz2oC— Premier League (@premierleague) July 14, 2026
However, another addition in the middle of the park will be brought in before the deadline, with INEOS keen to really reinforce Carrick’s options ahead of the side’s return to the Champions League.
United face Wrexham in their first pre-season friendly this Saturday in Finland.
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