Ugarte 'changed his mind between Chelsea and PSG' – Sporting president
Manuel Ugarte went back and forth between offers ‘before rejecting Chelsea for PSG’ – Sporting Lisbon’s president Frederico Varandas reveals – after both clubs ‘launched bids above his £52m release clause’
- Sporting Lisbon’s president Frederico Varandas has discussed Manuel Ugarte
- Two clubs met the £51m asking price for the midfielder – PSG and Chelsea
- But the Uruguayan has chosen to join the French side in a five-year deal on July 1
Manuel Ugarte’s position ahead of his imminent departure from Sporting Lisbon has been revealed by the club’s president Frederico Varandas – noting how the midfielder initially chose Chelsea, but changed his mind to PSG.
The Uruguayan midfielder is set to join PSG for €60m (£51.2m) on July 1, with a five-year contract set to be signed.
The Ligue 1 move follows a rejected move to Chelsea, who were also in hot pursuit of the star man. It is thought the Blues pulled out of the running for the 22-year-old as they could not compete with PSG’s wage offer.
On his exit, Varandas told Record: ‘He’s a great player. Excellent character, great professional.
‘One club we already know as he himself said, PSG… Chelsea? I won’t comment.
Sporting Lisbon midfielder Manuel Ugarte is set to become a PSG player from July 1
Club president Frederico Varandas confirmed that two clubs had met his release clause
‘Two clubs beat the value of the clause. They made him proposals from the point of view of career and salary, first he opted for one, then changed his mind for another, as is normal.
‘We said the conditions that would be the value of the clause and other costs that we interpret that the buying club has to assume. It is not yet black and white with PSG, there is another club willing to give this value.
‘PSG knows the conditions. We will also only close [the deal] after July 1st, with the 2023-24 fiscal year. Ugarte has two clubs that want him, he preferred PSG. The decision is at PSG.’
Incoming Chelsea head coach Mauricio Pochettino – who begins his role officially on July 1 – was hoping to add both Ugarte and Brighton’s Moises Caicedo to his future options.
Missing out on Ugarte is a particular blow for incoming Chelsea boss Mauricio Pochettino
Varandas confirmed that Sporting’s planning for next season was already in full motion, and talks had been taking place for month to set up for the new campaign.
He also said that ‘we are not going to sell any more players that we consider nuclear’ after allowing Ugarte to leave in this transfer window – unless bidders are willing to comfortably beat their release clauses.
Ugarte joined Sporting in the summer of 2021 after a short spell with fellow Portuguese club Famalicao.
In the past two seasons, the Uruguayan has played 85 games for the Portuguese side, scoring once.
Source: Read Full Article