Manuel Ugarte has opened up on his slow start to life at Manchester United, insisting it was always going to ‘take time to adapt’ to the ‘best league in the world’.
Ugarte joined United with great hype and fanfare on the back of a £42million switch from Paris Saint-Germain in the summer transfer window.
But the 23-year-old midfielder has so far struggled to live up to expectations, making just three starts in the Premier League across what has been a turbulent period at Old Trafford.
However, Ugarte has been joined by a familiar face in the north west, with the newly appointed Ruben Amorim having previously managed the Uruguayan for two years at Sporting.
Amorim takes over the reins from Ruud van Nistelrooy, who led United on a resurgent four-match unbeaten streak as interim manager following Erik ten Hag’s dismissal last month.
Facing the media ahead of Uruguay’s World Cup qualifier with Colombia, Ugarte said he was feeling positive about the season ahead and ‘very happy’ with United’s progress.
‘I feel very good now,’ Ugarte told reporters when asked about his start in English football.
‘It always takes time to adapt to the league, which I think is the best league in the world and that demands a lot from you.
‘I am very happy with how we are doing with the club.
‘There is a lot of optimism and I feel very good physically.’
Earlier this month, United’s then interim manager Van Nistelrooy said he was ‘convinced’ that Ugarte would prove to be a ‘great player’ for the club under the guidance of Amorim.
‘I’m convinced Manuel will be a great player for United,’ the Dutchman told reporters.
‘I think yesterday he had a very good performance, against Fenerbahce he had a good performance.
‘Getting players in an early conclusion, players that are here for two or three months, you should be careful with that I think.
‘It’s a great signing, very good player, professional, he has very specific qualities in midfield, gets in between players, can recover a lot of balls for us to get us in attacking positions.
‘Also, on the ball, very decent so I think he will be a very good player for this club.’
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