Manuel Ugarte vs Casemiro - stats show exactly why Manchester United should sign PSG midfielder

Manchester United's hunt for a new defensive midfielder has continued to rumble on in the background despite the club pushing ahead with their pursuit for a new centre-back and striker.

Jarrad Branthwaite and Joshua Zirkzee have dominated the headlines since the summer transfer window officially opened. A gap in valuation for the defender has stalled any move just yet while the latest reports coming out of Italy claim Zirkzee is swinging more towards staying at Bologna.

The final priority position for United this summer is in midfield. Kobbie Mainoo's emergence has filled the void in an unexpected way but his partner for the 2024/25 season remains unclear. Recently, Amadou Onana and Lucas Gourna-Douath have been linked with a more noticeable name that has entered the fray.

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Paris Saint-Germain star Manuel Ugarte is reportedly on United's radar, according to Sky Sports. The Uruguay international only joined the French giants last summer from Sporting CP after strong interest from Chelsea.

Ugarte, currently away at Copa America, appeared 34 times for PSG as their holding midfielder. He cost £51.1m and signed a deal until 2028 meaning United face a tough task in signing him.

However, there are obvious reasons why the Red Devils are so interested in his services, especially when you compare his data to Casemiro. Ugarte was actually on United's radar before Casemiro arrived, so he's had attention from the club for some time.

According to FBRef, Ugarte ranks in the top 99th percentile for tackles per 90 minutes across Europe's top five divisions (4.11) - Casemiro ranks in the top 98th percentile with 3.73. He also ranks in the top 96th percentile for interceptions per 90 minutes.

Last season, he completed 91.2 per cent of his passes, significantly better than Casemiro's 81.8 per cent - albeit with fewer passes. Defensively, there isn't much difference between the two. Ugarte won 57 of his 98 tackles, compared to Casemiro's 56 successful tackles from 83 attempts.

In terms of his possession, Ugarte's touches predominantly came in the middle third of the pitch with 987, compared to 129 in the defensive third and 133 in the final third. He managed just five touches in the opposition penalty area. Casemiro's touches are slightly more defensive with 646 in the defensive third and 884 in the middle of the pitch.

At 23, Ugarte has already developed into a fine holding midfielder. PSG are likely to demand close to, or more than, the figure they paid for his services 12 months ago.