Sporting midfielder Manuel Ugarte is a hot commodity in the Premier League this summer, with Liverpool, Aston Villa, and Chelsea all expressing interest in signing the Uruguayan international. Ugarte, who joined Sporting from Famalicão in 2021, has secured a spot in the first team as a holding midfielder and has earned eight caps for Uruguay over the last two years. While Liverpool was initially considered the frontrunner to sign Ugarte, Chelsea’s interest could drive up the price for interested parties. Ugarte’s agent has confirmed that a move is almost certain this summer and expects things to be sorted by the end of May. Aston Villa is also interested in the midfielder but will likely be the underdogs in the race with Liverpool and Chelsea involved. Ugarte has a release clause of around £52m, and while the transfer fee is unlikely to change despite the competition, the player may be able to ask for enormous wages if a string of big clubs are interested.
