Ruben Amorim is reportedly prepared to raid Manchester United for summer signings after being appointed the new manager of AC Milan.
Milan announced Amorim as their new head coach on Tuesday, with the Portuguese agreeing a two-year deal to replace Massimiliano Allegri, who was sacked last month following a dismal run of form to close out the campaign.
The move marks Amorim's return to the dugout, six months after his ill-fated spell at Old Trafford came to an acrimonious end.
The move has sparked speculation that Amorim could look to his former club in his search for reinforcements at the San Siro, with Manuel Ugarte said to be among those to have been earmarked.
According to a report from the Mirror, Amorim is weighing up a move for Ugarte, who is expected to leave United this summer after failing to find his feet in the two years he has spent in the Premier League.
After confirming that Michael Carrick would lead the club on a permanent basis going forward, United have wasted little time looking to transform their midfield as they prepare for their return to the UEFA Champions League.
Casemiro will depart the club after four years in Manchester when his contract expires at the end of the month, and United have already moved to sign Ederson from Atalanta - with a deal worth £35million already agreed between the two clubs.
Should United add another midfielder during the window Ugarte is likely to be viewed as surplus to requirements, but there remains a significant obstacle that could reportedly prevent his departure this summer.
According to the report United are determined to recoup as much of the £42million they paid PSG for Ugarte as possible, and it remains unclear whether Milan would be willing to spend such a sizeable fee on a player that has had a lack of first-team football in recent months.
Amorim's long-standing relationship
Amorim has a long history with Ugarte that stretches beyond their time together in the English top flight.
He was responsible for bringing Ugarte to Sporting Lisbon in the summer of 2021, with the Uruguayan serving as a key component in a side that claimed the Portuguese league cup in his maiden campaign.
Ugarte's performances ultimately caught the attention of some of Europe's biggest clubs, and he departed for PSG after two years at the Estadio Jose Alvalade.
While it was Erik ten Hag that subsequently brought Ugarte to Old Trafford, Amorim worked closely with the midfielder during his time in England and just two months before his reign came to an end insisted that he would do whatever he could to help him adapt to the Premier League.
"You can sense a lot of very good players come here, and sometimes they struggle," he said.
"He is struggling at the moment but it is our job to try to help and help him to feel like I felt when he was a Sporting player. But it is a different world. He needs to adapt, and he needs to improve, especially in training."
Following Carrick's arrival United Ugarte found himself on the fringes, and made just a single Premier League start under the former England international.
