The agent of Manuel Ugarte hopes his client’s future will be ‘resolved in 15 days’ amid interest from Liverpool and a number of other Premier League clubs.
The Uruguay international has enjoyed a stellar couple of seasons in the Portuguese capital following his 2021 move from Famalicao, notably playing a starring role in Sporting’s triumphs against north London rivals Arsenal and Tottenham in European competition this term, and his performances have not gone unnoticed.
A number of Premier League sides have shown an appreciation of Ugarte, including Liverpool, who have him on their shortlist of midfielders and are one of the clubs most keen on a deal.
Aston Villa are also fond of Ugarte, while Newcastle, West Ham and Wolves have watched him in recent times.
But despite there being a widespread liking for Ugarte and his abilities, Sporting value him at around £30m – a figure roughly £20m short of his current release clause.
Nevertheless, Ugarte’s agent, Jorge Chijane, has told Portuguese outlet O Jogo
“It is almost certain that he will leave,” Chijane said. “I’ll be in Lisbon soon. I trust Jorge Mendes, who is the best businessman in the world. In fact, when I told him about Ugarte for the first time, he said: ‘Your eyes are my eyes’.
“There is a lot of talk, but they are not the only club, there are others,” he continued when asked directly about Liverpool’s interest.
“There’s a lot of talk, but I’m still not sure about the club [Ugarte will join]. There are many hypotheses on the table. I believe that in 15 days the situation will be resolved.”