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Manchester United midfielder Manuel Ugarte says he has reached "rock bottom" following his serious knee injury.
The Uruguayan was carried off the pitch in the first half of his nation's loss to Spain in the final group stage match at the World Cup, sparking immediate concerns that he faced a prolonged absence from the game.
United confirmed on Sunday that Ugarte had sustained a "knee ligament injury", shortly before the 25-year-old spoke out on social media.
"A few days have gone by since everything unfolded," he wrote on Instagram. "Suffering the most severe injury a footballer can experience in one of the most significant matches in my country's history, and watching it end this way without being able to remain on the pitch and fight alongside my teammates until the final whistle, is something I will carry with me for the rest of my life.
When Will Ugarte Return From Injury?
No official diagnosis of Ugarte's injury has been made public yet. United described it simply as a knee ligament problem, and the midfielder provided no further details in his social media post.
Nevertheless, Ugarte's mention of "the most serious injury a footballer can face" is widely interpreted as a reference to an ACL tear, one of the most dreaded injuries across all sports.
The standard recovery timeline for an ACL injury, which requires surgical intervention, is approximately nine months, though it can take considerably longer for a player to regain full match fitness and rediscover peak form. Many athletes regard ACL tears as a defining setback in their careers.
A return during the closing stages of the 2026–27 season appears to be the most optimistic scenario for Ugarte, who could realistically miss the entire campaign if complications arise.
How Ugarte's Injury Derails Man Utd's Transfer Plans
The timing of Ugarte's injury could scarcely be worse for both the player and the club.
Having struggled under Ruben Amorim and seen his playing time curtailed by Michael Carrick in the second half of last season, Ugarte was widely anticipated to depart this summer in a deal that would have generated a substantial fee for United to reinvest in their midfield.
A move away is now out of the question, with potential suitors turning their backs on a player who may not feature at all in the coming season. Ugarte has been denied the opportunity to revive his career, while United lose out on the chance to bolster their transfer budget.
The Red Devils will receive compensation for Ugarte's injury, given it occurred under FIFA's jurisdiction at the World Cup, but this is primarily intended to cover his wages during his absence and will fall well short of what a transfer would have generated.
United still require at least two new midfielders. Atalanta's Éderson has confirmed he is on the verge of becoming the club's first signing, while the hunt for a high-profile replacement for Casemiro continues.
SI answers is our AI answer engine trained on human-created content.
The inability to sell Ugarte, combined with Casemiro's departure on a free transfer, means United will generate absolutely nothing from their midfield this summer. Should funds need to be raised, they will have to come from other areas of the squad.
As for Ugarte, he will likely still be available for a transfer upon his eventual return, though his valuation will have dropped sharply as interested clubs wait to assess the condition he returns in. A loan move in the summer of 2027 appears the most probable outcome, which offers United little benefit in the long term.