Man United may face Manuel Ugarte FFP transfer issue Sir Jim Ratcliffe has tried to avoid

Heading into the summer transfer window, Manchester United co-owner Sir Jim Ratcliffe had some clear objectives.

Firstly, he wants to improve the squad while also being mindful of the Financial Fair Play (FFP) constraints which restrict how much the Reds can pay for a player. Secondly, he wants to inject a youthful edge into the squad.

This goal is two-fold as it would see United purchase players who have re-sale value while also possessing a longer shelf-life for which they can benefit the team. Finally, Ratcliffe aims to cut the wage bill at United to ensure they are not the highest spenders in the league.

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With all this in mind, Sky Sports News reports that the Reds hold an interest in PSG midfielder Manuel Ugarte. The 23-year-old ticks the youth box and at 23 he should also offer re-sale value in the future.

As always though, there is a catch. For starters, Ugarte is on a contract in the French capital which expires in 2028 meaning Luis Enrique's side could afford to drive up a significant sum this summer.

However, the bigger concern for United and Ratcliffe can be found when looking at why Chelsea's interest in the Uruguayan dropped last summer. According to journalist Fabrizio Romano, Mauricio Pochettino personally requested the Blues target Ugarte in the summer to fill their defensive midfield gap having worked with him at PSG the season prior.

It is believed Pochettino was adamant Ugarte could make a difference in the Premier League but Chelsea would pull out of negotiations in June when it came to light how much PSG was offering him. To put this into some form of perspective, two months