Rio Ferdinand Expresses Disappointment Over Manuel Ugarte’s Manchester United Spell

Manchester United legend Rio Ferdinand has admitted he has been disappointed with the performances of midfielder Manuel Ugarte since the Uruguayan joined the club.

Ferdinand believes one of the biggest challenges facing interim manager Michael Carrick is finding a way to unlock Ugarte’s best form and restore his confidence. According to the former England defender, the midfielder has yet to show the qualities that made him such a highly rated signing.

Speaking on his YouTube channel, Ferdinand revealed that expectations around Ugarte were high before his arrival at Old Trafford.

“I heard really good things about him,” Ferdinand said.
“But I haven’t seen even a hint of the player that was described to me. The tackling, the aggression — those key traits just aren’t there.”

Ferdinand added that Ugarte was expected to be a high-energy midfielder capable of breaking up play and driving the team forward.

“When he first came in, everyone said he had good legs, could tackle, and move well. He was supposed to be the kind of player we needed,” he explained.
“It hasn’t happened yet. I haven’t seen a performance that made me think, ‘This guy can really control the midfield for us.’”

The former defender questioned whether Carrick could get more out of the 24-year-old, noting that improving individual performances will be key to lifting the team as a whole.

“Can Michael Carrick pull more performance out of each player? That’s the big task — improving both the team and individuals,” Ferdinand said.

Ugarte joined Manchester United from Paris Saint-Germain for £51 million, but has struggled to meet expectations. He has featured in 62 games, scoring two goals and providing six assists, numbers many feel fall short of his price tag and reputation.

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Rio Ferdinand’s criticism may sound harsh, but it reflects a wider frustration among Manchester United fans.

Ugarte is clearly not lacking talent — his performances at PSG and on the international stage proved that. However, United has become a difficult environment for midfielders to thrive in. Tactical instability, constant managerial changes, and inconsistent team performances often make individual players look worse than they truly are.

That said, Ferdinand has a point. A £51 million midfielder is expected to leave a mark — especially in areas like aggression, ball-winning, and tempo control. These are qualities Ugarte was signed for, and so far, they’ve only appeared in flashes.

Michael Carrick’s role now becomes crucial. Confidence can transform a player, and if Ugarte is given clarity, trust, and a defined role, the real version of him may yet emerge.

For Ugarte, this period could define his Manchester United career. He can either fade into the long list of expensive signings who never quite fit — or respond to the criticism and prove why so many people believed in him in the first place.

Sometimes, one dominant performance is all it takes to change the narrative. The question is: will Ugarte deliver it in time?