DailyTransfer

PSG sends 60 million for Uruguayan talent

25/05/23 09:12 by Fabien Borne

According to several Portuguese media outlets, PSG has sent an official offer of 60 million euros to Sporting CP for their Uruguayan midfielder Manuel Ugarte.

Two central defenders, a physical midfielder, a winger and a striker... PSG's priorities for the summer mercato are known. According to the Portuguese press, the Parisian club may have found their new defensive midfielder in Manuel Ugarte, a talented 22-year-old Uruguayan international who is a permanent starter at Sporting CP, which plays in a tactical scheme quite similar to PSG's this season.

Represented by the super-agent Jorge Mendes, very close to PSG and Luis Campos, Manuel Ugarte is under contract with the Lisbon club until June 2026 with a release clause set at 60 million euros. According to the sports daily Record, but also the Correio da Manhã TV, Jorge Mendes has sent an official offer from PSG to Sporting for an amount of 60 million euros.

Record specifies that Manuel Ugarte is very enthusiastic about the idea of signing for PSG and has made this known to his managers. Is the deal done? Not so fast. According to Record, if PSG's offer corresponds to the value of the player's release clause, the agreement has not yet been concluded because there are differences of opinion on the percentage of the operation to which Famalicão, the player's former club, will be entitled.

An ongoing dispute between Sporting, Famalicão and Fenix

Sporting currently owns 70% of Ugarte's economic rights, but could still get back another 10% if the Uruguayan would do another season in Lisbon. This was written in the agreement signed in 2021 with Famalicão when the Lions bought 50% of the midfielder for €6.5 million, being stipulated that they could acquire another 30% for €6 million, in blocks of 10% and €2 million every time the player would make 30 matches of at least 45 minutes. Of this 30%, Sporting has already bought 20% and the disagreement with Famalicão is about the remaining 10%.

To make matters worse, 20% of Ugarte's rights still belong to CA Fenix, the player's former Uruguayan club. Although Sporting has the possibility of buying this 20%, this prerogative is reserved for Famalicão, which, by exercising it, will have 30% of the rights of the player, the equivalent of 18 million euros of his eventual transfer to PSG. It is on this point that the departure of the number 15 is blocked for the moment, because Sporting wants to reduce the bracket of Famalicão.

In Portugal, the sports daily A Bola says that two Premier League clubs are also very interested in Ugarte: Aston Villa and Tottenham. A complex case and therefore still far from being completed for PSG.

Sporting CP Paris Saint Germain