According to O Jogo (via SportWitness), Liverpool are aiming to beat Newcastle United and Tottenham Hotspur in the race to sign Sporting Lisbon midfielder Manuel Ugarte.
The Merseyside giants have had a disappointing Premier League campaign and manager Jurgen Klopp has already confirmed that there will be new signings during the next transfer window.
The midfield department could be the top priority and O Jogo claim that Liverpool have already initiated ‘initial contacts’ to sign highly-rated Ugarte from Sporting Lisbon this summer.
As per the report, Newcastle and Tottenham are also keen on landing the Uruguayan international but Liverpool are working to ensure that they beat the Premier League duo to his signature.
O Jogo add that Liverpool could have an advantage over their rivals as they are one of England’s most historic clubs. They would still need to trigger the £53 million release clause in Ugarte’s contract.
Quality
Ugarte has made 43 appearances for the Portuguese giants this season and each of those have come from the defensive midfield role. He has been hugely consistent with his performances.
As per Sofascore, he has won a stunning 3.9 tackles and 6.7 ground duels per league game. He has also made nearly 2 interceptions per outing while completing 91 per cent of his passes.
His only evident weakness lies with his aerial presence but he makes up for the same with his strong ground skills. Hence, he would be a superb signing for Liverpool during the summer.
Newcastle are currently in pole position to qualify for the Champions League next season compared to Liverpool and Spurs but the Reds’ world-class reputation could drive the player to Anfield.
Ugarte could make the number six position his own ahead of the likes of Fabinho and Jordan Henderson. At 22, he has yet to enter his prime phase of his career and would be a splendid long-term signing.
Liverpool may not want to trigger Ugarte’s release clause in full and could propose to sign him with staggered payments. The club could miss out on around £60 million without Champions League qualification.
