Liverpool could use Julian Ward’s connections in order to secure a £13M signing who could one day replace Fabinho.
The Reds struggled to sign a midfielder this summer having spent a lot of time focused on midfield sensation Aurelien Tchouameni, who eventually signed for the European Champions Real Madrid.
It’s safe to say the deadline signing of Arthur Melo was underwhelming and, even if it is just a loan, it wasn’t a typical well-thought-out or planned signing that Liverpool have become known for.
One player who could be is Sporting’s Manuel Ugarte, who has starred in the league and Champions League in defensive midfield and is surely a player who will be on the wishlist of Liverpool’s sporting director.
Sporting CP's Manuel Ugarte is the player with the most tackles (15) most duels won (26), and 2nd most interceptions (10) in the UEFA Champions League this season so far.
21 years of age.
The leader of SCP midfield. 🦁🇺🇾 pic.twitter.com/aehdn5GcJ0
— Football Talent Scout – Jacek Kulig (@FTalentScout) September 15, 2022
How Ward could secure top prospect
Ward has been in the job since July and oversaw the signing of Darwin Nunez from the Portuguese league and has strong ties to that league and agents who operate in Portugal.
While he was the assisting sporting director, he helped Liverpool secure the signing of Luis Diaz from Porto – another signing from the Primeira Liga.
His knowledge of the league is well documented and the signing of Ugarte should be seriously considered given that Liverpool do not have a direct Fabinho back-up. The Brazilian is also nearing 30 and having a young successor could be key for the future.
Having recently signed a new deal that will keep him at the club until 2026, it’s likely he won’t come cheap but he is currently valued at £13M. However, Gestifute (the agent company) currently look after Nunez, Fabinho and Diogo Jota as well as Ugarte and with strong ties, it could be easier to broker a deal.
[embedyt] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vYV_oLvKp9s[/embedyt]
Given he has already made five appearances for the national team and totalled 39 appearances in all competitions last season, he’s developing quickly with regular, high-level football. He starred in the Champions League against Spurs this week in the 2-0 victory, where he enjoyed 89% pass success rate, three tackles and four interceptions.
This season has seen him make a strong start with an average of 3.6 tackles, 2 interceptions and 90.9% pass success rate which shows his fundamentals. However, his key passes and long ball stats are low, as well as his goal contributions.
It can mean he’s still developing, but also that he is a very defensive-minded midfielder. Fabinho has three times as many long balls per 90 for example, but Ugarte tackles more often. His aggressive South American style sees him as a tenacious player and someone who will protect a back four.
Long-term he could be the answer to Fabinho but he could be signed next summer for example and used to help give the Brazilian a rest when needed where he can learn the ropes and one day take over.
