Aston Villa are in the race to sign Sporting CP midfielder Manuel Ugarte this summer, but there is set to be a lot of competition for his signature, according to journalist Pete O'Rourke.
Who could Aston Villa sign this summer?
Unai Emery is believed to be keen to add another centre-back to his squad, with Villa recently being touted by journalist Dean Jones as a "realistic" destination for Mohammed Salisu, amid interest from the likes of Leicester City and Manchester United.
There have also been reports that Villa have put an offer on the table for Athletic Bilbao centre-back Inigo Martinez, who is out of contract at the end of the campaign, however with Barcelona also keen, that may be a difficult transfer to orchestrate.
Tammy Abraham has also been linked with a return to Villa Park, and it has recently emerged the Villans are in pole position to sign the striker, who enjoyed a successful loan spell with the club in the 2018/19 season.
In an interview with GiveMeSport, O'Rourke has now confirmed Emery is also eyeing Ugarte for a summer move, but they will have to fend off interest from elsewhere to secure his signature.
The journalist said: “Aston Villa are in there and amongst it. That shows that they see him as someone who could improve their team.
“There will be a big race for his signature in the summer if he leaves Sporting Lisbon.
“He's performed well for the Portuguese club in Europe this season.”
Would Manuel Ugarte be a good signing for Aston Villa?
Journalist Raj Chohan has likened the 21-year-old to former Liverpool player Javier Mascherano, while he also hailed him as an "animal" for his ability to win duels, and that description is certainly backed up by his defensive output.
Over the past year, the defensive midfielder has averaged 4.59 tackles per 90, in the 99th percentile compared to other midfielders at a similar level over the past year, while he is also in the top 1% for his pass completion rate, averaging 91.5%.
Villa have been much improved defensively in recent weeks, conceding just two goals in their last six games, Emery will be keen to add more reinforcements, as they have looked frail at times, losing 4-2 at home against Arsenal and Leicester City.
Ugarte, who currently earns £16k per week, would be the perfect signing to shore things up at the back for Emery's side, and a strong end to the season could convince him to move to Villa Park.
