📅 June 26, 2026

Ugarte’s World Cup Ends in Injury Nightmare as United’s Midfield Rebuild Hits a Snag

Transfer window opens, fixtures released

The Premier League summer transfer window officially opened on Monday, June 15, and the 2026-27 Premier League fixture list dropped on June 19. The countdown to a huge season is properly on.

Ugarte’s serious ACL injury

Manuel Ugarte suffered a serious ACL injury in Uruguay’s final World Cup group-stage match and underwent surgery, facing a 9-12 month recovery. A brutal blow for Carrick’s midfield rebuild, coming right as United were already working to replace the departing Casemiro and had missed out on earlier targets Elliot Anderson, Sandro Tonali, and Mateus Fernandes. Reports at the time suggested Ugarte himself had actually been expected to be sold to free up wages before the injury complicated everything.

Ivory Coast eliminated, Amad’s tournament ends

On June 30, Ivory Coast lost 2-1 to Norway in the Round of 32 in Dallas. Amad Diallo scored in the 74th minute to briefly level things up, but Erling Haaland struck the winner in the 86th after Norway’s Nusa had opened the scoring in the 39th. Gutting way for his tournament to end, but the club and fans made sure to send their support. This World Cup run should be a springboard into pre-season for him.

Midfield rebuild plan taking clearer shape

Reporting from this window described United’s plan as bringing in two or three midfielders to fill the Casemiro/Ugarte void, with the Ederson transfer still pending medical and paperwork and further midfield business expected before pre-season kicks off.