Ugarte injury compensation could help Manchester United buy players! German World Cup midfielder willing to join, Dortmund demands 100 million

Manchester United's Uruguayan holding midfielder Ugarte has been confirmed with a severe left knee injury, and an ACL tear could see him miss the whole of next season. This means Carrick becomes even shorter in midfield, so according to The Athletic's Laurie Whitwell, the need for a third midfield signing in the summer window is heightened.

Ugarte cannot play or transfer at present. Manchester United face a dilemma: they need to add another midfielder, yet they cannot raise funds by selling Ugarte. However, FIFA's Club Protection Programme will cover part of the injured player's salary. Because Ugarte was injured while representing his country in the World Cup, his wages for absences exceeding 28 days will be paid by FIFA.

The maximum compensation under this scheme is €7.5 million (£6.4 million), which is enough for United to cover Ugarte's salary for a season. His weekly wage is £120,000, and his annual salary is around £6 million.

United had previously anticipated it would be difficult to sell Ugarte outright; they might only accept a loan, which would similarly save wages. Therefore, the practical effect of his World Cup injury is equivalent to a free loan where the borrowing club pays all his wages!

United's club correspondent Samuel Luckhurst also predicts that Ugarte's serious injury will not significantly impact the club's transfers. If anything, it will make the need to sign an extra new midfielder more urgent.

But United first need to complete the signing of a second new midfielder. The club wants to sign Matheus Fernandes from West Ham United but faces a roadblock from Tottenham, plunging the transfer into a farce. As a result, many new candidates have emerged, including Felix Nmecha, who represented the German national team at the World Cup.

Germany was sensationally eliminated by Paraguay in a penalty shootout in the Round of 32, which allows the 25-year-old Nmecha to return to Europe and consider his future. Over the past three seasons, he has been a key player for Borussia Dortmund, making over 100 appearances for the Black and Yellows.

Even before the World Cup, Nmecha was rumoured to be a possible summer transfer. After his impressive performances for the USA team, speculation will surely increase. Manchester United are among his potential suitors, and links between the two have existed for years. The club's head of recruitment, Christopher Vivell, who came from RB Leipzig, highly recommends Nmecha.

Manchester United legend Gary Neville stated during the World Cup that he would choose Nmecha over M. Fernandes. 'If Manchester United need to spend £80 million to sign M. Fernandes, it would be better to look for alternatives in the World Cup and other European teams. Nmecha looks incredible; he seems to have everything. If he continues performing like this, his value will rise.'

Arsenal legend Ian Wright added: 'The way Nmecha plays, he always breaks through the defence and gets into the box because Kimmich can cover for him. He can play as an 8 or a 10, has excellent shooting ability, so every team is interested in him. He has all the attributes.'

Heavyweights such as Bayern Munich and Real Madrid have also been reported to be monitoring Nmecha. Last weekend, Newcastle United joined the race for Nmecha; the Magpies' Sandro Tonali wants to move to Tottenham, Bruno Guimarães is also linked with Arsenal, and manager Eddie Howe aims to bolster his midfield.

But German media say that if given a choice, Nmecha would prefer to move to Manchester United. Of course, if the opportunity arises, Nmecha is willing to return to his boyhood club Manchester City; the German international spent over a decade in the 'Citizens' youth setup.

Nmecha trained in Manchester City's academy as a youngster but made only three first-team appearances before being sold in 2021. The team managed by Enzo Maresca currently has no intention of re-signing him.

In the summer of 2027, a release clause in Nmecha's contract will become active, worth around £75 million, dropping to £60 million in 2028. However, according to Bild, if bought now, Borussia Dortmund would demand €120 million (£100 million), as they want Nmecha to stay at the club next season.