While their start to the Premier League season has been less than impressive this year, Manchester United did enjoy a stellar summer when it comes to their work off the pitch.
With Sir Jim Ratcliffe now in a position of influence at the club, United welcomed in a plethora of talented players to help bring the team forward, including Matthijs de Ligt, Leny Yoro, Joshua Zirkzee, Noussair Mazraoui and, most recently, Manuel Ugarte.
The former Paris Saint-Germain ace could be the perfect addition to United's midfield this season.
However, he'll have to really impress at Old Trafford to see his valuation surpass, or even match, one of his new teammates.
Ugarte's move to United
Yes, after a summer of back-and-forth over the fee, United finally signed their man in the dying embers of the transfer window for an initial fee of around £42m.
While it's not an earth-shattering fee for modern football, the move still represents a significant investment from the club. However, if the Uruguayan ace can reach his full potential at Old Trafford, it could look like a bargain in years to come.
Analyst Statman Dave has described the former Sporting CP ace as a "defensive monster" in the past, and based on his underlying numbers, it's not hard to understand why.
Tackles
4.18
Top 1%
Tackles + Interceptions
6.23
Top 1%
Dribblers Tackled
1.91
Top 1%
Tackles Won
2.36
Top 2%
Interceptions
2.05
Top 3%
Ball Recoveries
7.69
Top 3%
For example, according to FBref, which compares players in similar positions across Europe's top five leagues, the Champions League and Europa League, the incredible "machine" as dubbed by talent scout Jacek Kulig, sits in the top 1% of midfielders for tackles, tackles plus interceptions and dribblers tackled, the top 2% for tackles won, and the top 3% for interceptions and ball recoveries, all per 90.
A ball recovery is defined by the number of loose balls recovered by a player.
This ability to break up play and shore up his team's defence could make the 23-year-old an indispensable member of Erik ten Hag's team going forward. Still, despite the excitement surrounding his move, he is worth less than one of his new teammates.
Kobbie Mainoo's valuation in 2024
The player in question is none other than 19-year-old Kobbie Mainoo, who, after enjoying a breakout campaign with United last season, is now one of the most essential members of Ten Hag's squad.
In fact, the academy product, who didn't cost a penny in terms of a transfer fee, is now valued at €60m by FOTmob, which converts to about £51m, or about £9m more than Ugarte cost last month.
This might seem like an awful lot of money for a player so young, but it is entirely justified, as despite his age, the "fabulous" midfielder, as dubbed by former England manager Gareth Southgate, has already established himself as one of the first names on the team sheet.
Appearances
32
Minutes
2405'
Starts
29
Goals
5
Assists
1
Goal Involvements per Match
0.18
Minutes per Goal Involvement
400.83'
For example, last season, he made 32 first-team appearances for the club, 29 of which were starts, scored five goals and provided one assist before going to the Euros and making six appearances for the Three Lions, five of which were starts.
This season, he has started all four games for the Red Devils, and it doesn't look like he'll be dropped to the bench anytime soon. If anything, he could form an excellent partnership with Ugarte in the coming years and cement his place in the national side at the same time.
Ultimately, while it is a steep valuation for someone who is still just a teenager, Mainoo has proven the adage true that if you're good enough, you're old enough.
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