A defensive midfielder, Montevideo-born Ugarte spent his youth as a striker for Uruguayan top-flight membership Fenix, who handed him his league bow aged simply 15 years and 233 days – making him the youngest Uruguayan league debutant within the twenty first Century.
After being given the captain’s armband aged 18, it was not lengthy earlier than Ugarte’s shows caught the eye of Portuguese Primeira Liga membership Famalicao, who signed him in December 2020. Eight months later, nonetheless, the then 20-year-old was snapped up by reigning champions Sporting Lisbon – initially as a back-up to Joao Palhinha, who would go away for Fulham in 2022.
It was in Lisbon the place Ugarte began to indicate flashes of his true potential, establishing a popularity as an athletic, tough-tackling holding midfielder underneath Ruben Amorim and attracting the curiosity of each Chelsea and PSG, with the French membership successful the race for his signature in 2023.
“Ugarte has been a revelation,” PSG supervisor Luis Enrique mentioned final 12 months. “He is a good signing and a participant with a lot room for enchancment going ahead [and] in defence.
“He’s a younger participant with character, which is essential for us, and that continuity we want in our positional play.”
Ugarte made 37 appearances for the French champions final season, together with 25 in Ligue 1 and eight within the Champions League, the place he began all however one in every of PSG’s group video games.
He has additionally gained 22 caps for Uruguay since making his worldwide debut in September 2021. He was an unused substitute of their three group matches on the 2022 World Cup, however was named on this summer time’s Copa America crew of the match, helping Uruguay finish third behind Colombia and winners Argentina.
He’s the fifth Uruguayan participant to symbolize Manchester United, after Diego Forlan, Guillermo Varela, Edinson Cavani and Facundo Pellistri, who recently joined Panathinaikos.
