Manchester United face up to alarming Manuel Ugarte reality after honest admission

Say what you like about Casemiro's form for Manchester United over the past year, one thing that cannot be denied is his impact in his maiden Premier League season.

The Brazilian, alongside Christian Eriksen, fixed an area of the team that had needed addressing for years. But the fix was always going to be a short-term one, and so it has proved.

Casemiro's regression last season was alarming and United had no choice but to sign another defensive midfielder. Manuel Ugarte arrived on deadline day in an initial €50million (£42.3m) move from Paris Saint-Germain, but that was never likely to be an instant fix.

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While Casemiro was also experiencing his first taste of English football following his 2022 move to United, he arrived with a wealth of knowledge of the European game, having spent the best part of a decade at Real Madrid, collecting three league titles and five Champions League crowns along the way.

It must be remembered that for all of his quality and potential, Ugarte is still just 23, only has three years of European football experience under his belt and boasts just a solitary league winner's medal. Yes, the quality and the potential are there, but Ugarte is not a straight swap for 2022 Casemiro.

Erik ten Hag has been quick to downplay expectations of his new midfielder, insisting on multiple occasions that he needs time to adjust to his new teammates and a new country.

The Uruguay international made his second start since his arrival on Wednesday night, playing the full 90 minutes as United stuttered to an underwhelming 1-1 draw with FC Twente in the Europa League. He took to Instagram after the game to express his disappointment at his own performance, writing: "I'm the first to make self-criticism. It wasn’t a great match personally. We have to keep working."

There's a lot to like about a player as young as 23 taking responsibility for his performance given the number of United players you could have accused of not turning up on Wednesday night. But Ugarte's showing was a reminder of how far there is to go.

Ten Hag is right that Ugarte needs time, and it could be weeks or perhaps even months until we see the best version of the former PSG man. United fans hoped they'd signed a ready-made fix for their midfield but that was never going to be the case. Ugarte could be a brilliant midfielder for United for years to come, but the fact is it will take a lot more than one new arrival to fix their midfield.